An Old Fashioned Thanksgiving
Encyclopedia
An Old Fashioned Thanksgiving is a television movie
based on a short story by Louisa May Alcott
. Filmed on location in Canada
, the movie premiered on Hallmark Channel
on November 22, 2008
. It is followed by the sequel, An Old Fashioned Christmas which aired on December 11, 2010.
) and her 3 children have hit difficult times on their farm; it is especially apparent when they cannot even afford a turkey
for their Thanksgiving
dinner. Oldest daughter Tilly (Tatiana Maslany
) writes to Mary’s wealthy and estranged mother Isabella (Jacqueline Bisset
), exaggerating their situation in a lengthy letter. Isabella comes to the farm to offer her help and finds a kindred spirit in Tilly. However, Mary resents her mother’s attempts to help them out of their financial difficulties.
when it premiered. It gained 5.2 million viewers, delivering a 3.2 household rating and nearly 2.8 million homes, making it the highest-rated cable movie of the premiere day and week. It also ranked #1 in the time period for household and total viewer ratings and deliveries, and boosted the network to rank #1 in Prime Time for the day. This made Hallmark Channel
rank #6 for the week. This made the film the fifth-highest-rated original movie in the network’s history to its date, and its fourth-most-watched original movie among households. It is also the network’s most watched and highest-rated November original movie ever.
Critics' reviews, however, were mixed. Star magazine called the film "stuffy,", while the TV Examiner claimed "Hallmark Channel has cranked a sweet, ultimately uplifting old school holiday film" and called it an "old style of made-for-TV film."
Television movie
A television film is a feature film that is a television program produced for and originally distributed by a television network, in contrast to...
based on a short story by Louisa May Alcott
Louisa May Alcott
Louisa May Alcott was an American novelist. She is best known for the novel Little Women and its sequels Little Men and Jo's Boys. Little Women was set in the Alcott family home, Orchard House in Concord, Massachusetts, and published in 1868...
. Filmed on location in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, the movie premiered on Hallmark Channel
Hallmark Channel
The Hallmark Channel is a cable television network that broadcasts across the United States. Their programming includes a mix of television movies/miniseries, syndicated series, and lifestyle shows that are appropriate for the whole family...
on November 22, 2008
2008 in film
This is a list of all major films made in 2008.-Highest-grossing films:Please note that following the tradition of the English-language film industry, these are the top grossing films that were first released in the USA in 2008...
. It is followed by the sequel, An Old Fashioned Christmas which aired on December 11, 2010.
Plot
Widow Mary Bassett (Helene JoyHélène Joy
Hélène Joy is an Australian–Canadian television actress. Her credits include roles in the television series MVP, Durham County, The Secret World of Og, An American in Canada, ReGenesis, Pearlie, and Murdoch Mysteries....
) and her 3 children have hit difficult times on their farm; it is especially apparent when they cannot even afford a turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
for their Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving Day is a holiday celebrated primarily in the United States and Canada. Thanksgiving is celebrated each year on the second Monday of October in Canada and on the fourth Thursday of November in the United States. In Canada, Thanksgiving falls on the same day as Columbus Day in the...
dinner. Oldest daughter Tilly (Tatiana Maslany
Tatiana Maslany
-Acting career:Maslany is one of the stars of the Canadian TV series 2030 CE and is best known in her role as the character Ghost in Ginger Snaps 2: Unleashed...
) writes to Mary’s wealthy and estranged mother Isabella (Jacqueline Bisset
Jacqueline Bisset
Jacqueline Bisset is an English actress. She has been nominated for four Golden Globe Awards and an Emmy Award. She is known for her roles in the films Bullitt , Airport , The Deep , Class , and the TV series Nip/Tuck in 2006...
), exaggerating their situation in a lengthy letter. Isabella comes to the farm to offer her help and finds a kindred spirit in Tilly. However, Mary resents her mother’s attempts to help them out of their financial difficulties.
Cast
- Jacqueline BissetJacqueline BissetJacqueline Bisset is an English actress. She has been nominated for four Golden Globe Awards and an Emmy Award. She is known for her roles in the films Bullitt , Airport , The Deep , Class , and the TV series Nip/Tuck in 2006...
as Isabella - Helene JoyHélène JoyHélène Joy is an Australian–Canadian television actress. Her credits include roles in the television series MVP, Durham County, The Secret World of Og, An American in Canada, ReGenesis, Pearlie, and Murdoch Mysteries....
as Mary Bassett - Tatiana MaslanyTatiana Maslany-Acting career:Maslany is one of the stars of the Canadian TV series 2030 CE and is best known in her role as the character Ghost in Ginger Snaps 2: Unleashed...
as Mathilda "Tilly" Bassett - Kristopher TurnerKristopher TurnerKristopher Turner is a Canadian actor. Most noted for his role as Jamie Andrews on the CTV teen drama Instant Star.-Early life:...
as Gad Hopkins
Reception
The film did very well for Hallmark ChannelHallmark Channel
The Hallmark Channel is a cable television network that broadcasts across the United States. Their programming includes a mix of television movies/miniseries, syndicated series, and lifestyle shows that are appropriate for the whole family...
when it premiered. It gained 5.2 million viewers, delivering a 3.2 household rating and nearly 2.8 million homes, making it the highest-rated cable movie of the premiere day and week. It also ranked #1 in the time period for household and total viewer ratings and deliveries, and boosted the network to rank #1 in Prime Time for the day. This made Hallmark Channel
Hallmark Channel
The Hallmark Channel is a cable television network that broadcasts across the United States. Their programming includes a mix of television movies/miniseries, syndicated series, and lifestyle shows that are appropriate for the whole family...
rank #6 for the week. This made the film the fifth-highest-rated original movie in the network’s history to its date, and its fourth-most-watched original movie among households. It is also the network’s most watched and highest-rated November original movie ever.
Critics' reviews, however, were mixed. Star magazine called the film "stuffy,", while the TV Examiner claimed "Hallmark Channel has cranked a sweet, ultimately uplifting old school holiday film" and called it an "old style of made-for-TV film."
External links
- An Old Fashioned Thanksgiving on Hallmark ChannelHallmark ChannelThe Hallmark Channel is a cable television network that broadcasts across the United States. Their programming includes a mix of television movies/miniseries, syndicated series, and lifestyle shows that are appropriate for the whole family...
- An Old Fashioned Thanksgiving on Hallmark ChannelHallmark ChannelThe Hallmark Channel is a cable television network that broadcasts across the United States. Their programming includes a mix of television movies/miniseries, syndicated series, and lifestyle shows that are appropriate for the whole family...
's press site