Michael Landon Jr., you've done it again! I viewed this movie with a friend expecting The Dumpies, but I was PLEASANTLY surprised! I can't remember enjoying a movie so much since Bambi was released on VHS! This is definitely a film that will be added to my "For A Good Watch" only shelf! MAJOR props to all the superb actors! Note: If you like movies filled with all the nasty gore and foul language, then this is definitely NOT for you! This movie is for people with higher standards and more cultured tastes. I am not even an old, Mennonite mom trying to preach, I'm just stating the facts... and trying to make this review ten lines long........

The second movie in the Hallmark's 'Love Comes Softly' movie series. The story, the characters and a few casts continued from the first, but leaps forward to a few years where we can see the all grown up Missie. She's a school teacher who is living happily with her two younger brothers and parents. This was a good movie as well and well narrated without hurriedness like the first film that ran just under the 90 minutes.

This is the Missie Davis story. The movie talks about her life as a young woman who encounters her love for the first time. What she expects from it and her experience in the style of between mid and late 1800s. It was not all about the romance, but some drama centers around an accident that happen at the beginning. In the other parallel string story of an another family, connect with the past events introduced a few characters of its own.

Kind of depressing from the story narration to music, but in a good way. Rising from the tragedy and sorrow is the main theme. Like the story moved on to the next generation, the young cast as well performed very well. As the film concentrates around Missie, the involvement of other characters as well very compressed. Thus, looks like the minimal cast movie and the other reason is the most of the scenes were shot in the isolated places like having only two characters around.

"Never despise meager beginning."

I saw the loop, a circle, combining the first two films in the series. I mean this second movie's end was similar to where the first movie was began. That gave me some idea of what might have happened before the first film's commencement. It is only my guessing, who knows, in the next parts the truth could be revealed. As looking at the style of narration, there won't be any flashbacks, not in the pictures, maybe by the remembering the past.

A very good follow-up, cleverly switched to another phase of the storytelling and by expanding, opens more window for the next parts. Slow pace and I'm not complaining that because I was expecting it. Being a television movie, it's given the overall best product. Now I can't wait for the third movie. Okay, goodbye then, I'll meet you in the next parts's review.

8/10

If all one ever watched were the standard fare films Hollywood made about the West, you would have to wonder how it ever really was settled. The rootin' tootin' shootin' Westerns have entertained generations – not only in America, but also across the globe. But if that's what the West was really like, then it's a wonder that anyone lived or that towns in the West ever grew and survived.

Well, of course, many people did survive – the vast majority; and many towns grew up into the Western U.S. that we have today. From pioneer journals, diaries and novels we have the stories of hardship, sorrows and progress of some of those people. Many were people of faith, who took their trust in God with them when they journeyed West. "Love's Enduring Promise" is such a tale and film. It's the second of a series of movies made based on books by Canadian author Janette Oke. Oke's stories include all the rigors and hardships of the hardy pioneers; but they develop around people with strong Christian faith and beliefs.

There are many pioneer and historical museums and centers in the U.S. Two excellent sources for diaries, maps, and stories about the West are the Oregon-California Trails Association in Independence, MO, and The National Oregon/California Trail Center in Montpelier, ID.

"Love's Enduring Promise" is a well-made movie with a fine cast. The cinematography and technical qualities are all very good. Most of the characters are quite natural and lively in their roles. But Dale Midkiff seems to lack energy in his portrayal of Clark Davis. This seems an exaggeration of a pensive person, where he seldom shows emotion or excitement about anything. His character comes across as sedated, where Katherine Heigl and January Jones also have deep faith, but with some spunk.

These are good family stories, but this particular film may be too slow to keep the interest of young boys.