Sunday, June 14, 2015

DVD Review: When Calls The Heart: Heart And Soul

When Calls The Heart is a Hallmark Channel television series based on the book by Janette Oke, taking place in the early 1900s. It stars Erin Krakow as Elizabeth Thatcher, a young woman who comes from a rich family in the city but who takes a teaching position in a small frontier town. There she has fallen for a constable named Jack (Daniel Lissing) and befriended many of the townspeople, including Abigail (Lori Loughlin). Heart And Soul is the second episode of the second season, following Trials Of The Heart, which was released on DVD in May.

As this episode opens, Jack returns to the town, now re-named Hope Valley, without Elizabeth, as she is still in the city taking care of her mother. Leland (Kavan Smith) begins interviewing men for jobs at his timber company, and is told by Henry (Martin Cummins), the man who ran the mine, that he’d like to be on Leland’s payroll. “You don’t want me as an enemy,” Henry tells Leland. And Rosemary is offered a role in a production in San Francisco.

In the city, Charles, Elizabeth’s lifelong friend, expresses an interest in her. Meanwhile, one of Elizabeth’s sisters is interested in Tom, Jack’s ne’er-do-well brother. And Elizabeth’s mother is on the mend, after seeing a second doctor. Abigail arrives in the city, looking for Clara, her son’s widow, who is in some trouble of her own.

A humorous side-plot involves a con-artist arriving in town and immediately being mistaken for the new pastor when a suitcase full of bibles accidentally falls open. He and his daughter seize upon the opportunity, which includes free board and a way to make off with some cash. And he has to officiate a wedding. I love that his daughter is even more eager to earn money than he is, immediately mentioning that the wedding service carries a five dollar fee. And when the real pastor arrives, it seems he might have some secrets of his own.

This show has a ton of warmth, and this episode is much better than the first episode of the season. Also, it contains two Shakespeare references – to The Merchant Of Venice and Hamlet. This episode was directed by Michael Rohl.

When Calls The Heart: Heart And Soul is scheduled to be released on June 23, 2015 through Shout! Factory. The DVD contains no special features.

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