Love's Abiding Joy
| Love's Abiding Joy | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Written by |
Michael Landon Jr. Douglas Lloyd McIntosh Bridget Terry Janette Oke |
| Directed by | Michael Landon Jr. |
| Starring |
Erin Cottrell Logan Bartholomew Frank McRae Drew Tyler Bell Mae Whitman W. Morgan Sheppard |
| Theme music composer | Kevin Kiner |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language(s) | English |
| Production | |
| Producer(s) |
Brian Gordon Erik Oslon |
| Editor(s) | Colleen Halsey |
| Running time | 87 min |
| Distributor | Fox Faith |
| Release | |
| Original network | Hallmark Channel |
| Original release | October 6, 2006 |
| Chronology | |
| Preceded by | Love's Long Journey |
| Followed by | Love's Unending Legacy |
Love's Abiding Joy is a 2006 made-for-television Christian drama film based on a series of books by Janette Oke. It was directed by Michael Landon Jr. and stars Erin Cottrell and Logan Bartholomew. It is the fourth movie in the Love Saga, which includes Love Comes Softly (2003), Love's Enduring Promise (2004), Love's Long Journey (2005), Love's Abiding Joy (2006), Love's Unending Legacy (2007), Love's Unfolding Dream (2007), and Love Takes Wing (2009), and Love Finds a Home (2009),[1][2] as well as the 2011 prequels, Love Begins and Love's Everlasting Courage.
Synopsis
Clark goes out West to visit his daughter and son-in-law; during his visit, Willie and Missie's infant daughter Kathy dies. Land baron and mayor Doros hires Willie as town sheriff, since grief-stricken Missie has quit her job as schoolteacher and the LaHayes need the money. Doros uses Willie as sheriff to try to evict ranchers that have fallen behind on payments. Missie helps one family by selling most of her most prized possessions, including the gold locket her mother gave her.
During this time, Doros' daughter Colette begins to like Willie and Missie's adopted son Jeff. Colette is an eastern-schooled girl who is home from school on break. Jeff is a well-read young man who must take over for Willie on the ranch. Colette visits the ranch frequently and helps Jeff with his chores. Jeff also visits her at Doros' ranch. Doros secretly discovers this, but does not let on.
As Colette prepares to leave for school, she and Jeff kiss. Her father lays a trap for Jeff using the unwitting Colette. Upon her departure, Doros charges Jeff with horse theft and demands that Willie arrest his own son. Doros swears that Jeff stole the horse, but Willie produces Colette, whom Doros thought left for school on the stagecoach. In the end, Clark realizes that his daughter Missie is in great hands with her husband Willie and returns home.
Cast
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| Erin Cottrell | Missie LaHaye |
| Logan Bartholomew | Willie LaHaye |
| Frank McRae | Cookie |
| Drew Tyler Bell | Jeff LaHaye |
| Mae Whitman | Colette Doros |
| W. Morgan Sheppard | Scottie |
| James Tupper | Henry Kline |
| John Laughlin | Samuel Doros |
| Kevin Gage | John Abel |
| Brett Coker | Mattie LaHaye |
| Stephen Bridgewater | Mr. Taylorsen |
| Brianna Brown | Melinda Kline |
| Blake Gibbons | Joe Paxson |
| Dale Midkiff | Clark Davis |
Differences From The Novel
- Marty and Clark both visited Missie in the novel, where Clark came alone in the film.
- Missie and Willie have another son, Josiah, in the novel, who is not in the film. They later have two daughters, Melissa and Julia, mentioned in later novels. Missie is pregnant with Melissa at the close of this novel. Melissa comes east to stay with Clark and Marty in Love's Unfolding Dream. They do not have and lose an infant daughter named Kathy.
- Clark is seriously injured while attempting to rescue two boys from a cave-in. He is near death, but his life is saved by a neighbor doctor who amputates his leg.
- Willie does not become the town sheriff in this novel.
- The characters Jeff, Colette, and Doros do not exist in the novel.