Both of my grandfathers and one of my grandmothers homesteaded in eastern Montana the same time as this film is set. I have performed all of the chores shown in this film and they are shown in a starkly realistic way, to the discomfort of some viewers. Conchata Ferrell as a big brawny homestead woman also is refreshingly realistic. What a terrific performance she gives us.
There's a reason Wyoming was the first state to give women the vote and Montana was the first state to elect a woman to Congress. Women were landowners, they worked and suffered hardships like everyone else and they were respected as deserving equals.
The only nit I have to pick is that the ranch house in this film is much nicer than the hovels most homesteaders lived in. This movie speaks to me of my family's history, which is why it ranks number one on my personal list of 10 best movies.
There's a reason Wyoming was the first state to give women the vote and Montana was the first state to elect a woman to Congress. Women were landowners, they worked and suffered hardships like everyone else and they were respected as deserving equals.
The only nit I have to pick is that the ranch house in this film is much nicer than the hovels most homesteaders lived in. This movie speaks to me of my family's history, which is why it ranks number one on my personal list of 10 best movies.