Harmony Cramp Movies

Felix King (Zachary Bennett) finds himself torn between holding on to his job at Avonlea's White Plains Hotel and upholding family tradition by becoming a farmer like his dad, Alec (Cedric Smith), in "Fathers and Sons," the fifth-season opener of the popular Canadian drama series Road to Avonlea. Soon thereafter, the 50th birthday celebration of Alec's sister Hetty King (Jackie Burroughs) is tarnished by the likelihood that she will lose her job -- to say nothing of a sudden appendicitis attack. Later on, Hetty helps arrange for her sister Olivia (Mag Ruffman) and her eccentric, slightly impractical brother-in-law, Jasper (R.H. Thomson), to take charge of the local lobster cannery. And as for Hetty's city-bred niece, Sara (Sarah Polley), she does her bit for the greater good by coming to the aid of a young boy who has managed to coast through school without ever learning to read or write. Also, Alec courts trouble when he hires a mysterious farmhand, played by guest star Bruce Greenwood; and another guest performer, the highly respected Canadian character actor Gordon Pinsent, is cast as a noted politician whom Alec idolizes -- until the truth about the politician's clay feet is revealed. Elsewhere, Alec's daughter Felicity (Gema Zamprogna) receives the first of several marriage proposals from Gus Pike (Michael Mahonen), a former drifter now gainfully employed; however, Felicity has her heart set on attending medical school, an extremely lofty goal for a young girl in early 20th century Canada. Other developments include the arrival of a new minister and his wife, Viola (guest star Stockard Channing), who exhibits some mighty peculiar behavior -- and for a mighty disturbing reason; and the concerted efforts by certain interested parties to play matchmaker for widowed schoolteacher Clive Pettibone (David Fox) and provincial school superintendent Muriel Stacey (Marilyn Lightstone). By far the most crucial development during season five is the revelation that Alec and Janet King's youngest daughter, Cecily (Harmony Cramp), is suffering from tuberculosis -- and must be bundled off to a more healthy climate if she ever hopes to recover. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

The early 20th century Canadian village of Avonlea is a busy place indeed during season three of the popular series Road to Avonlea (aka Tales From Avonlea). The first of the season's 13 episodes is "Ties That Bind," in which the domineering but lovable Hetty King (Jackie Burroughs) oversees the marriage of her younger sister Olivia (Mag Ruffman) and erstwhile inventor Jasper Dale (R.H. Thompson) -- however, her well-meaning interference not only puts a strain on the couple's relationship but also causes dissension in the marriage of her brother Alec (Cedric Smith) and his wife, Janet (Lally Cadeau). Elsewhere, Alec and Janet's insecure son, Felix (Zachary Bennett), has trouble saying goodbye to his beloved horse Blackie; when schoolteacher Hetty resigns, her replacement, Mr. Dimple (Christopher Lloyd), wins over his pupils with his delightfully unorthodox teaching methods -- until he is exposed as a fraud; and in the series' only two-parter, "And When She Was Bad," Hetty's headstrong niece Sara (Sarah Polley) tries to duck out of her family duties by trading places with a lookalike street waif named Jo Pitts (also Sarah Polley) -- leading to a not-so-fine mess when Jo turns out to be an accomplished thief, and Sara and her friend Gus (Michael Mahonen) are kidnapped. Also, Janet drives her husband and kids to distraction when she embraces the Woman's Suffrage movement; Christopher Reeve appears as the hero in a gothic novel in which Sara is hopelessly engrossed in the delightful episode "Dark and Stormy Night"; Ned Beatty plays traveling shoe salesman Wally Higgins, who jauntily begins a-courting the highly resistant Hetty; and in another romantic development, low-born Gus decides to campaign for the heart and hand of Alec and Janet's haughty daughter Felicity (Gema Zamprogna). The season ends on a disturbing note, as the sudden death of Avonlea's unofficial matriarch, Marilla Cuthbert (Colleen Dewhurst), leaves a multitude of fates hanging tenuously in the balance. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Season one of the phenomenally popular Canadian series Road to Avonlea (aka Tales From Avonlea) begins in the early 20th century, as Sara Stanley (Sarah Polley), the pampered and privileged daughter of a wealthy Montreal merchant, is sent to the Prince Edward Island town of Avonlea to avoid public scrutiny while her dad, Blair Stanley, suffers through an embezzlement scandal. Sara is to live with her late mother's relatives, the King family, with whom Blair has not gotten along in years. Since there is no room at the home of Sara's uncle Alec (Cedric Smith) and aunt Janet (Lally Cadeau), Sara must stay with her domineering aunt Hetty (Jackie Burroughs), Alec's sister and the town's schoolteacher. At first, Hetty and Sara clash, mainly over the subject of Sara's overprotective nanny, Louisa (Frances Hyland), whom Hetty dismisses out of hand. Gradually, Sara will win over the sharp-tongued but golden-hearted Hetty, and she will also become close friends with her cousins, Alec and Janet's children, Felicity (Gema Zamprogna), Felix (Zachary Bennett), and Cecily (Harmony Cramp). Cementing Sara's acceptance in the community is her newfound reputation as "The Story Girl," based on her skill at weaving imaginative variations of classic fairy tales. This season, Colleen Dewhurst makes her first appearance as Hetty's equal in stubbornness Marilla Cuthbert, who semi-adopts the orphaned Keith children, much to the dismay of her lifelong friend and companion Rachel (Patricia Hamilton). Zoe Caldwell is the first of the series' "special guest stars," playing the eccentric title character in the episode "Old Lady Lloyd." And Sara will perform the first of many good deeds when she saves a foundling, who will subsequently be adopted by Janet's sister Abigail (Rosemary Dunsmore). In another episode, Hetty takes in a young, trouble-prone handyman named Peter Craig (Miklos Perlus) -- one of the few actual "carryover" characters from the Lucy Maud Montgomery novels on which Road to Avonlea was based -- after the boy is pulled through a serious illness by Avonlea's resident "witch," Peg Bowen (Susan E. Cox). The 13th and final episode of the season finds Sara's dad cleared of all criminal charges, meaning that Sara can now return to Montreal...except that she doesn't want to. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi