A Home of Our Own (1993 film)
Encyclopedia
A Home of Our Own is a 1993 drama film. It is the story of a mother and her six children trying to establish a home in the small town of Hankston, Idaho
in 1962.
When the car breaks down, Frances trades her wedding ring to pay for the repairs. She claims it does not have sentimental value, and calls her husband a "no good, vagabond, Irish Catholic son-of-a-bitch." However, she is clearly upset about giving the ring away. When they finally stop, in Idaho, it's because she has seen the house she wants for her family. It's a shack, really, and a half-built one at that; but she sees potential there. The owner of the property, Mr. Munimura, is reluctant to sell, especially because the Lacey family clearly has no money, but Frances is stubborn and persuades him. She offers to clean his dishes and wash his laundry and have her children do any other chores for him.
He reluctantly agrees, but soon finds joy in helping the family build up the little house. He eventually tells Frances that the house was supposed to be for his son and daughter-in-law. He never finished it though, because his son died in the Korean war. Along the way the family slowly each make new friends and acquaintances, and Shane even gets a Love Interest, although she does have a Boyfriend at the time. Other adventures that the family have is when Murray, the youngest son, gets an odd job at a Garbage tip, and brings home any items that can help with the building of the house, such as a working indoor toilet; and when their youngest brother falls on a nail one day when Frances is at work, which necessitates Shane to "grow up" and take his brother to the hospital.
Eventually Frances gets a job as a waitress at the local bowling alley, where she is very happy, and here the townspeople get to know the Lacy Family. When school starts, the family goes to the local church to buy clothes. The priest tries to get them to come to Sunday services, but they are not very religious. He also offers Frances weekly food donations and other assistance, but she refuses. She is too proud to accept charity, especially from someone who is condescending to her. She gets most upset when he specifically calls her family "needy," even though they are. The children have trouble at school because their clothes are obviously second hand, and some of them are handmade. Shayne is not allowed to participate in gym because he needs a white shirt, and his only one got dyed pink in the wash by accident.
Frances is persuaded to go out with Norm, one of the men who works at the bowling alley. He seems nice at first, but then he tries to take her to a motel. She refuses to go to bed with him. He basically says that he figured a woman with six kids must be easy, and that he can make her do what he wants. She says "You can try." The next time we see her, she is sitting in her car in the front yard. Her son comes out to check on her and sees she is crying and has a cut lip and bloody nose. She has been pretty beaten up, but it is unclear whether or not she was raped. She tells Shayne that his father was a great man, and he was never mean to her; but ever since he died, she has only been able to find bastards who want to take advantage of her.
Enraged Shane storms around to the Bowling Alley and accuses an unrepentant Norm of Rape; the two then fight and for a time Shane is winning until Norm disables Shane from behind by hitting him with a chair; before kneeing him in the testes, leaving the Bowling Alley to the Scorn of the town's people.
The next day, she goes to tell her boss that she can't work at the bowling alley because of Norm. The boss tells her that Norm has been fired, and that if he was the only problem, then he hopes she has no reason to quit. When Christmas rolls around, Frances tells the children that they should all ask Santa for presents for the house instead of toys. They write the letter, but Shayne is certain that Frances has plans to get them some real presents anyway. Lynn knits socks for her mother, and the other children buy her a shirt that she liked from the church. The priest comes to their door on Christmas Eve and offers Frances presents for the "needy family." Again, she refuses his help.
On Christmas morning, all they have are tools and nails instead of toys. The children really thought they would get something more and begin to cry. Shayne gets very upset and tells his mother that all she cares about is the stupid house, and not about her children. Mr. Munimura comes over, just as she is about to hit Shayne with the belt. He takes her to town to see if the church has any presents left, but there are none.
One of the boys, Murray, gets a job helping a man who owns a salvage shop. He gets used items, like couches, or french doors, in return for his work. One day he brings home a toilet. The family is excited, because they have been using an out house. The next day, the boys decide to burn down the outhouse. A spark catches the canvas roof of their home. The entire thing burns to the ground. The fire department arrived too late to do anything.
The family is picking through the remains of the house, salvaging nails and whatever else they can, when Mr. Munimura comes driving up. Behind him are lots of people from town. They are there to build the Lacey family a house whether Frances likes it or not. She says they can help, but she will pay all of them back. They also bring toys, clothes, and blankets for the children. Frances only lets them build the house as far as it was before the fire. Shayne, narrating, says that it took them six months to finish the rest of the house, and four years to pay everyone back, but that it brought them all closer together as a family. Even though he hated Idaho at first, he still lives there, and has never been back to LA.
Idaho
Idaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....
in 1962.
Synopsis
The Film begins in Los Angeles, CA in 1962. It is narrated by the oldest son, Shayne Patrick Lacey. The family is very poor, and living in a small apartment. Frances Lacey, a widow, works at a factory. She is fired when one of the men gropes her, and she hits him in return. The same day, her son is brought home by the police, for stealing change from payphones, but they don't press charges. Shortly after this, Frances decides that LA is not the place to raise a family. She packs the kids up, sells everything they can't carry, and starts driving. She figures she'll know where she's going when she sees it.When the car breaks down, Frances trades her wedding ring to pay for the repairs. She claims it does not have sentimental value, and calls her husband a "no good, vagabond, Irish Catholic son-of-a-bitch." However, she is clearly upset about giving the ring away. When they finally stop, in Idaho, it's because she has seen the house she wants for her family. It's a shack, really, and a half-built one at that; but she sees potential there. The owner of the property, Mr. Munimura, is reluctant to sell, especially because the Lacey family clearly has no money, but Frances is stubborn and persuades him. She offers to clean his dishes and wash his laundry and have her children do any other chores for him.
He reluctantly agrees, but soon finds joy in helping the family build up the little house. He eventually tells Frances that the house was supposed to be for his son and daughter-in-law. He never finished it though, because his son died in the Korean war. Along the way the family slowly each make new friends and acquaintances, and Shane even gets a Love Interest, although she does have a Boyfriend at the time. Other adventures that the family have is when Murray, the youngest son, gets an odd job at a Garbage tip, and brings home any items that can help with the building of the house, such as a working indoor toilet; and when their youngest brother falls on a nail one day when Frances is at work, which necessitates Shane to "grow up" and take his brother to the hospital.
Eventually Frances gets a job as a waitress at the local bowling alley, where she is very happy, and here the townspeople get to know the Lacy Family. When school starts, the family goes to the local church to buy clothes. The priest tries to get them to come to Sunday services, but they are not very religious. He also offers Frances weekly food donations and other assistance, but she refuses. She is too proud to accept charity, especially from someone who is condescending to her. She gets most upset when he specifically calls her family "needy," even though they are. The children have trouble at school because their clothes are obviously second hand, and some of them are handmade. Shayne is not allowed to participate in gym because he needs a white shirt, and his only one got dyed pink in the wash by accident.
Frances is persuaded to go out with Norm, one of the men who works at the bowling alley. He seems nice at first, but then he tries to take her to a motel. She refuses to go to bed with him. He basically says that he figured a woman with six kids must be easy, and that he can make her do what he wants. She says "You can try." The next time we see her, she is sitting in her car in the front yard. Her son comes out to check on her and sees she is crying and has a cut lip and bloody nose. She has been pretty beaten up, but it is unclear whether or not she was raped. She tells Shayne that his father was a great man, and he was never mean to her; but ever since he died, she has only been able to find bastards who want to take advantage of her.
Enraged Shane storms around to the Bowling Alley and accuses an unrepentant Norm of Rape; the two then fight and for a time Shane is winning until Norm disables Shane from behind by hitting him with a chair; before kneeing him in the testes, leaving the Bowling Alley to the Scorn of the town's people.
The next day, she goes to tell her boss that she can't work at the bowling alley because of Norm. The boss tells her that Norm has been fired, and that if he was the only problem, then he hopes she has no reason to quit. When Christmas rolls around, Frances tells the children that they should all ask Santa for presents for the house instead of toys. They write the letter, but Shayne is certain that Frances has plans to get them some real presents anyway. Lynn knits socks for her mother, and the other children buy her a shirt that she liked from the church. The priest comes to their door on Christmas Eve and offers Frances presents for the "needy family." Again, she refuses his help.
On Christmas morning, all they have are tools and nails instead of toys. The children really thought they would get something more and begin to cry. Shayne gets very upset and tells his mother that all she cares about is the stupid house, and not about her children. Mr. Munimura comes over, just as she is about to hit Shayne with the belt. He takes her to town to see if the church has any presents left, but there are none.
One of the boys, Murray, gets a job helping a man who owns a salvage shop. He gets used items, like couches, or french doors, in return for his work. One day he brings home a toilet. The family is excited, because they have been using an out house. The next day, the boys decide to burn down the outhouse. A spark catches the canvas roof of their home. The entire thing burns to the ground. The fire department arrived too late to do anything.
The family is picking through the remains of the house, salvaging nails and whatever else they can, when Mr. Munimura comes driving up. Behind him are lots of people from town. They are there to build the Lacey family a house whether Frances likes it or not. She says they can help, but she will pay all of them back. They also bring toys, clothes, and blankets for the children. Frances only lets them build the house as far as it was before the fire. Shayne, narrating, says that it took them six months to finish the rest of the house, and four years to pay everyone back, but that it brought them all closer together as a family. Even though he hated Idaho at first, he still lives there, and has never been back to LA.
Cast
- Kathy BatesKathy BatesKathleen Doyle "Kathy" Bates is an American actress and director.After several small roles in film and television, Bates rose to prominence with her performance in Misery , for which she won both the Academy Award for Best Actress and a Golden Globe...
as Frances Lacey - Edward FurlongEdward FurlongEdward Walter Furlong is an American actor whose best known film roles are John Connor in Terminator 2: Judgment Day and Daniel Vinyard in American History X. He is a two-time Saturn Award nominee, winning the 1992 Saturn Award for Best Performance by a Younger Actor for his performance in...
as Shayne Lacey - Clarissa Lassig as Lynn Lacey
- Sarah SchaubSarah SchaubSarah Schaub is an American actress from Salt Lake City, Utah.She has appeared in such productions as Stephen King's The Stand and A Home of Our Own with Kathy Bates...
as Faye Lacey - Miles Feulner as Murray Lacey
- Amy Sakasitz as Annie Lacey
- T.J. LowtherT.J. LowtherT.J. Lowther is an American actor. He started as a child star, appearing in Neon City in 1991 at the age of 5. In 1993, he appeared in his most famous role, as Philip Perry in Clint Eastwood's film A Perfect World, alongside Kevin Costner, for which he received significant praise...
as Craig Lacey - Soon-Tek OhSoon-Tek OhSoon-Tek Oh |M*A*S*H]], Charlie's Angels, Airwolf, Magnum, P. I., Hawaii Five-O, Kung-Fu, Zorro, and Touched By An Angel....
as Mr. Munimura - Tony Campisi as Norman