Sacrifices of the Heart
Encyclopedia
Sacrifices of the Heart is a 2007 television film starring Melissa Gilbert
and Ken Howard
that aired on Hallmark Channel
in 2007
. The film is made from a script by Patti Davis
, daughter of Ronald Reagan
.
) is a lawyer who is estranged from her family. Her older brother Ryan (Cyril O'Reilly) asks her to return to the farm he runs with their dad Thane (Ken Howard
), who has become increasingly absentminded. By the time he is formally diagnosed with serious Alzheimer's disease
, Kate realizes how much she doesn't know her family, having run from her past after the trauma of witnessing her mother's suicide
at age seven. She decides to spend the remainder or her father's lucid moments reconciling with him and learning the things she never knew about her own family.
's "Family Approved" Seal. The award is given to movies, DVDs, made-for-TV films and other entertainment programs which portray and encourage positive values. The Dove Foundation lauded the film as handling serious issues in a respectable manner, and that "it's a movie that gets to the heart of family relationships and what families are all about."
Melissa Gilbert
Melissa Ellen Gilbert is an American actress, writer, and producer, primarily in movies and television. Gilbert is best known as a child actress who co-starred as Charles Ingalls's second daughter, Laura Ingalls Wilder, on the dramatic television series Little House on the Prairie...
and Ken Howard
Ken Howard
Kenneth Joseph "Ken" Howard, Jr. is an American actor, best known for his roles as Thomas Jefferson in 1776 and as basketball coach and former Chicago Bulls player Ken Reeves in the television show The White Shadow...
that aired 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...
in 2007
2007 in film
This is a list of major films released in 2007.-Top 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 2007...
. The film is made from a script by Patti Davis
Patti Davis
Patti Davis is an American actress and author. She is the daughter of former President of the United States Ronald Reagan and Reagan's second wife, First Lady Nancy Reagan...
, daughter of Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
.
Plot summary
Katelyn 'Kate' Weston (Melissa GilbertMelissa Gilbert
Melissa Ellen Gilbert is an American actress, writer, and producer, primarily in movies and television. Gilbert is best known as a child actress who co-starred as Charles Ingalls's second daughter, Laura Ingalls Wilder, on the dramatic television series Little House on the Prairie...
) is a lawyer who is estranged from her family. Her older brother Ryan (Cyril O'Reilly) asks her to return to the farm he runs with their dad Thane (Ken Howard
Ken Howard
Kenneth Joseph "Ken" Howard, Jr. is an American actor, best known for his roles as Thomas Jefferson in 1776 and as basketball coach and former Chicago Bulls player Ken Reeves in the television show The White Shadow...
), who has become increasingly absentminded. By the time he is formally diagnosed with serious Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease also known in medical literature as Alzheimer disease is the most common form of dementia. There is no cure for the disease, which worsens as it progresses, and eventually leads to death...
, Kate realizes how much she doesn't know her family, having run from her past after the trauma of witnessing her mother's suicide
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
at age seven. She decides to spend the remainder or her father's lucid moments reconciling with him and learning the things she never knew about her own family.
Cast
- Melissa GilbertMelissa GilbertMelissa Ellen Gilbert is an American actress, writer, and producer, primarily in movies and television. Gilbert is best known as a child actress who co-starred as Charles Ingalls's second daughter, Laura Ingalls Wilder, on the dramatic television series Little House on the Prairie...
as Kate Weston/Anne Weston - Ken HowardKen HowardKenneth Joseph "Ken" Howard, Jr. is an American actor, best known for his roles as Thomas Jefferson in 1776 and as basketball coach and former Chicago Bulls player Ken Reeves in the television show The White Shadow...
as Thane Weston - Cyril O'ReillyCyril O'Reilly (Actor)Cyril O'Reilly is an American film and television actor, writer and producer.O'Reilly was born in Los Angeles, California, the son of Harriet O'Reilly. He has worked in Hollywood for nearly three decades, and is known for his role as a reluctant vampire in Dance of the Damned, and for his role as...
as Ryan Weston
Reception
The premiere of Sacrifices of the Heart earned the top spot as ad-supported cable's highest-rated movie of the day on Saturday, March 3, 9-11 p.m., ET/PT. The movie delivered a 2.3 household rating with 1.8 million households and nearly 3.2 million unduplicated viewers (P2+). The film won the time period among household and ranked in the top 10 in key adult and women demo ratings. The movie also ranked as the fourth highest-rated movie of the week on ad-supported cable. This performance is especially notable since the original movie outperformed blockbuster feature films on other top 10 cable networks."Family Approved" Seal
On April 4, 2007, the film was awarded The Dove FoundationDove Foundation
rightThe Dove Foundation is a registered United States tax deductible non-profit organization based in Grand Rapids, Michigan known among other programs for its activities of rating, reviewing and endorsing films and for campaigning against the portrayal of sexual activity and violence in Hollywood...
's "Family Approved" Seal. The award is given to movies, DVDs, made-for-TV films and other entertainment programs which portray and encourage positive values. The Dove Foundation lauded the film as handling serious issues in a respectable manner, and that "it's a movie that gets to the heart of family relationships and what families are all about."
External links
- Sacrifices of the Heart 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...