This movie was based on Janette Oke's novel, Love Comes Softly, and was directed by Michael Landon Jr.
He also wrote the teleplay along with Cindy Kelley.
Marty Claridge (played by Katherine Heigl), along with her husband Aaron (played by Oliver Macready),
is headed west to start a new life. However, an unexpected tragedy happens when Aaron is thrown from his
horse and as his head is dashed against a big stone. Marty finds herself in the midst of what seems to be
unbearable grief. With Aaron dead and with the winter season approaching, she has no place to go and no
where to turn.
However, the day Aaron is laid to rest, a man by the name of Clark Davis (played by Dale Midkiff) approaches Marty with an offer.
He offers her a marriage of convenience so she will have a roof over her head for the winter until spring comes and he will help
her get home to the east and in exchange his nine year old daughter, Missie (played by Skye McCole Bartusiak) will have a Mama and a teacher.
Marty is reluctant, but a woman by the name of Sarah Graham, whom she had befriended earlier, tells Marty she has no choice; that she
needs a roof over her head for the winter.
Marty agrees to the deal, but it is a big challenge. Missie is less than thrilled by the arrangement. She still mourns for deceased mother
and she wants no part of Marty's mothering or teaching. She does all she can to turn Marty away. Marty almost gives up, but with Clark's
encouragement, Marty continues and eventually Marty steals Missie's heart. The two begin to love each other like a mother and daughter and the
three become close like a real family. They become even more so when Marty gives birth to a son she had conceived with her husband, Aaron.
The baby was named after his father, Aaron.
As time goes by and as Clark still encourages Marty, she realizes she has found love in him and decides she wants to stay. So she writes him a
note and sticks it in his bible. However, when Missie goes out there to get Clark's dirty clothes, she accidentally knocks his bible off a table
and the note falls out of it, but Missie doesn't notice. When Clark comes in that day, Marty is expecting him to ask her to stay, but since he doesn't,
she takes it like he doesn't want her to stay. So her plans to head home to the east go on as planned, even though she doesn't want to go and Missie
doesn't want her to go and Clark doesn't want her to go.
The day finally comes for Marty's departure. It is a very heartbreaking day for all. As the wagon train leaves, Clark and Missie watch on with long
faces. As they arrive home, Clark goes to the room he's been staying in and says a heartfelt prayer that he doesn't understand Marty's leaving but asks
God's help to accept his plan. It is then he sees Marty's note on the ground. He picks it up and reads it and decides to go after Marty.
Marty is as shcoked as she can be when Clark comes riding up to them. She thought he wanted her to go but he asks her to stay with him and Missie because
he loves Marty. Marty tells Clark she loves him and she rides off with Clark, carrying baby Aaron in her arms. As they arrive back at the farm, Missie looks
ahead and says, "Mama," smiling real big. Thus everyone found new love.
