This touching, if at times over-sentimental, drama marked the TV movie directorial debut of Diane Keaton. Set in rural Georgia during the Thirties Depression, it's a Whistle Down the Wind-type tale of a teenage sister and brother who discover Alice, a 'wild child' locked in a shed on a neighbouring farm by her brutal stepfather. Taking pity on her plight, Sammy and Ellie decide to care for her and teach her to read and write... All about the power of love and friendship, the story teeters dangerously on the brink of melodrama, but looks wonderful and is graced by a fine cast: Reese Witherspoon and William McNamara, as Ellie and Sammy, and Patricia Arquette, as Alice, are particularly good, while Beau Bridges gives a strong portrayal of the teenagers' father, still grieving over the recent death of his wife.

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