Radiant "Song of the Lark" from PBS American Collection

"I reluctantly watched this last evening and am glad to report I was more than than just pleasantly surprised. It had that good old-fashioned Masterpiece Theatre feel to it which I remember from when I watched more PBS in my youth. In fact watching this, in a very big way, returned me to my youth, reminding me of my own innocent passions. I can picture other kids living in "nowhereville" watching this and sense their growing youthful aspirations of achieving greatness and leaving those stifling towns for Great Things.

As a highschool fan of Willa Cather - after being forced to read "My Antonia" - it was nice to see such a fine treatment of this moving novel. 

Allison Elliot's Thea is a strong young woman, as she would have to be in the world which the film shows - mostly dominated by men. In fact the film has its own late romantic operatic touch in that Thea, a Swedish minister's daughter, is the only central female character, and she fits into this "men's world" quite easily.

It is no small irony that the men in Moonstone with whom she identifies live somewhat unhappy lives and dream of something more: her suitor, Ray who sees that Thea is bound for great things which he cannot begin to understand and who's death provides the opportunity for her to leave and begin her studies in earnest; her piano teacher, Professor Wunsch, the once "almost famous" musician who drowns his tortured failings in the bottle; and most of all Dr. Archie, who, hopelessly trapped in a loveless marriage with a "sour" wife see's Thea as the possible vicarious escape in which dreams can be achieved.

There is also Mexican Johnny who teaches her the folk songs from his homeland, which neighbors and even her own family find some disgrace in. Though the film does not delve into race relations - in more than one scene we are shown that those involved in the arts have the opportunity (if not always the inclination) to rise above racism and sexism. 

Though Thea faces some hardships they are given that nice Masterpiece Theatre glow which doesn't necessarily diminish their importance, but rather provides an opportunity to show growth and strength of character.

Director Karen Arthur had a few good tricks up her sleeve - our first image of Thea is in work clothes on a hill, dusty, unkempt - an image she will see herself in at the start of her new life when she visits the Art Institute of Chicago and out of all the treasures there is drawn to Jules Breton's painting "The Song of the Lark." I don't know if it's my bad eyes or if a certain technique was being used, but at key moments - the turn of a head, a look out the window, a glance towards the audience - the film speed seemed to alter, slowing down almost to the quality of a nickelodeon picture, which given the time period of the story was another perfect touch.

Lori Stinson provides the voice of the character and we hear the raw beauty of it in some old Swedish hymns, some Mexican folk songs as it blossoms into youthful maturity in Che faro senza Euridice, Let the Bright Seraphim, a Queen of the Night aria, among other things. Marilyn Horne is credited as the vocal coach.

While I found all of the actors uniformly top quality, the performance that moved me the most was Arliss Howard as Dr. Archie. As played by Howard, here is a man who could easily be tortured by his life's circumstances, but remains a gentleman, through strength of purpose is able to maintain both his dignity perspective. Howard's range of confined respectable emotions vasilate between what must remain a secret tortured love for Thea, a parental tenderness, and the true love and respect of a friend. At her debut in Chicago, it is Dr. Archie that leads the ovation - the years of joy and pain now register in his face through pride. It is not just Thea's debut, it is, in a way, his triumph. 

The film's penultimate scene is his his most moving, as.bidding Thea farewell, for what he realizes will be forever, he fights back his tears and with voice choked tells her "You were three, the first time I saw that little blonde head of yours ... I couldn't imagine all the wonder, all the wonders it contained. There is so little that is truly fine in this world ... Life would have been a pretty bleak stretch for me, if you were left out."

Bravo to Masterpiece Theatre on this fine innaugaral effort of its American Collection.