jotix100 Another Hallmark movie made for television which has all the elements that are always included in their presentations. Like basically everything we see coming from the Hallmark folks, we are taken to scenic spots of our country, in this case rural Oregon, with its natural beauty and excellent outdoor quality that translates so well into the stories at hand."The Valley of Light" takes the viewer back to the 1940s at the end of WWII. Noah, a soldier without work, is surprised to find his younger brother in jail. He decides to escape from it all, perhaps because what he experienced overseas in Europe, to a more peaceful setting. He finds he has an knack for fishing in rivers and streams where he seems to pull catfish in record numbers. One day he meets Hoke, an older man, who tells him about his ability to see "angels" and who advises him to go into the Valley of Light where nice folks live.At the valley, he finds an ideal place in where to spend time. He endears himself to the local population where he is regarded as something of a marvel because, when prompted, he can fish better than anyone. Noah seems to know where to cast his line with good results. He meets the lovely widow of a soldier that has committed suicide. Noah seems to have everything he hoped for, yet, tragedy strikes taking a young boy who he feels responsible for his untimely death.As directed by Brent Shields, this film fits perfectly in what is expected from the sponsor. Was it me, or didn't Chris Klein, who plays Noah, kept reminding us of Keanu Reeves? Mr. Klein doesn't show the intensity that perhaps Mr. Reeves would have brought to his role, but he is adequate. Lovely Gretchen Mol is perfectly sweet as Eleanor, the young widow who awakens to love after being so lonely. Others in the cast include the excellent Robert Prosky, Jay O. Sanders, Stephen Tobolowsky, in a small pivotal role, Zach Mills and Kevin Chamberlin.This is a film that while not breaking any ground, will delight the audience for which is targeted.

mrmusic23 OK, the plot: a soldier returns from WW2 with bad dreams and finds that the home he's grown up in has been sold and his kid brother is in jail for a youthful prank apparently. He wonders around, by bus I guess and fishes most of the rivers, large and small, of the Southeast. On one of these rivers, he meets an old man who recommends he hike over the ridge where he'll meet some nice people. He does and they are. A pretty widow, (Gretchen Mol) allows him to stay in a fishing cabin her husband frequented before he committed suicide. None of the characters are at all well developed; I guess I have to blame the script.I gave it a five only because I was able to sit through it. I've liked Gretchen Mol in other movies so it's no surprise she was appealing in this one. I question whether a woman in 1946-7(?) would be so forthright about approaching a man who interested her. And there was no need to kill off a perfectly cute kid just for cheap sentiment, before we even get a chance to hear what he has to SAY.

edwagreen Be prepared to bring a box of tissues to this heartbreaking film.A soldier returns home from World War 11 to his North Carolina home. His 17 year old brother is in prison for a crime which is not described. When our soldier, played by Chris Klein, named Noah, asks for leniency, he is denied this. On top of all this, his parents have died during the war years. The farm was sold off so Noah has to become a wanderer.He goes to a small town and meets an angel who directed him to go there. He hears the tale of a big fish in a lake. There he meets a young child who lives with his grandparents. The boy's mother is dead and the father is not there. Noah develops a strong bond with the boy who doesn't talk. Noah lives in a shed provided by widow Gretchen Mol, whose husband came home from the war and promptly put a bullet in his head. She lives with his grandmother who has a fetish for chocolate.The widow gets Noah a shed and shows him the chair where the owner of the latter died.If this isn't enough, tragedy ensues when the silent child pursues the fish. The town mourns by singing a hymn that was sung in the 1953 film version of "Titanic" with Barbara Stanwyck and Clifton Webb. Yes, Noah will leave but will find himself back in the town.The story needed to have much more of a character development. This is sadly lacking here. The viewer must have come away very depressed as I did.The film is a heartbreak. Is Noah doing the same search that Tyrone Power was looking for the meaning of life in 1946's "The Razor's Edge."Life, as we know it, can be very depressing. We don't need to be reminded of it by this production.1945 was never depicted more bleak than this. Maybe, they woke up 3 years later when Dewey was upset by Truman.

g404c Chris Klein, Gretchen Mol, and Zach Mills steal the show in The Valley of Light, which premiered on CBS's Hallmark Hall of Fame tonight.Klein stars as Noah, a soldier returning home from World War II, who is passing through a Southern town. He is a talented fisherman, and learns of a gigantic bass in a nearby lake, which he aspires to catch. Noah meets Eleanor, a young woman with a kind heart, and Matthew, a young boy who sees him as a father-figure. When tragedy befalls the town, Noah is faced with a tough decision.I loved this movie. I cried through some of it, and really it is a powerful, touching drama chock full of talented actors. Klein is number one here, and I really felt the emotions he intended to convey. Quite impressive was the young actor Mills, who's character was completely believable and really resonated. Definitely worth viewing if you happen about it, but keep a box of tissues handy.