An ill-tempered Canadian farmer Caleb Gare, who tyrannically treats his family like slaves, forcing them to work sunup to sundown and live in dire poverty so he can selfishly fulfill his dream to grab up all the land surrounding his farm.

The only person who might have been able to stand up to Caleb was his long-suffering wife Jude, who has long since been cowed into quiet desperation lest her children bear the brunt of her husband's cruelty. But the reign of Caleb Gare is soon to end ignominiously -- that is, if Linda Archer, the attractive new schoolteacher in town, has anything to say about--IMDb

A perfect portrayal of tension (July 08, 2007 by deborahannsmith) I have lived in a house like this one, filled with anger, abuse and tension. This film captures the mood of the house led by an abusive parent brilliantly. Kudos to a fantastic director and cast, and an excellent story. Thank-you for having the courage to tell it. The shots are beautiful, and the acting superb. Thank you Sam Sheppard for playing the role so brilliantly and thank-you to the cast for portraying a world which might not have been familiar to them but is so familiar to many families where the patriarch is the person to be trusted least.

Against the fields of wheat, in an isolated world, all characters were afraid to fight. This is what really happens in these situations I am afraid, and this film brilliantly depicts the world of abuse...simply, and with such honestly that one who has lived through this world learns...and is reminded that it was "not OK" at all.

Powerful! Beautiful! (March 21, 2004 by rps2): Why did I have to find this masterpiece in a bargain bin at Walmart? How come I never had heard of it? What a near perfect film this is. The plot and the performances are understated but gripping and underlaid with lurking menace. I remember once flying over the Canadian prairies discussing what dark and untold things happened in the isolation of the vast wheat fields below. This film reveals one such story.

As wonderful as it is, the cinematography goes even beyond wonderful. Every scene is a delicately wrought masterpiece. EVERY scene. Gregory Middleton uses light and texture and framing better and more consistently than I think I've ever seen it used. This deserves far better than the bargain bin at Walmart! Rarely do I vote a ten. This is a big, powerful, boldface, underlined TEN!

Was Pleasantly Surprised  (Feb. 05, 2004 by spiderdancer1): Bought this movie out of a $5.50 bin at WalMart, expecting it to be "so-so". Ended up liking it quite well! Although situations are predictable, the acting is good and the storyline moves along at a fast enough pace to keep you interested. Recommend!

Filmed in Calgary, Alberta, Canada

**The non-profit streaming of the commercial free, quality films I have uploaded to archive.org, are for educational purposes only. I have uploaded each movie for posterity, with the hope that all present and future generations will learn from and enjoy them, as much as I have. I own zero rights to this film nor any other I have uploaded, and have no wish to infringe on existing copyright laws. DEF gp ddh**