''Foxfire'' is an American

drama Drama is the specific Mode (literature), mode of fiction Mimesis, represented in performance: a Play (theatre), play, opera, mime, ballet, etc., performed in a theatre, or on Radio drama, radio or television.Elam (1980, 98). Considered as a g ...

television film A television film, alternatively known as a television movie, made-for-TV film/movie, telefilm, telemovie or TV film/movie, is a film with a running time similar to a feature film that is produced and originally distributed by or to a Terrestr ...

that premiered on

CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS (an abbreviation of its original name, Columbia Broadcasting System), is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainme ...

on December 13, 1987, as part of the ''

Hallmark Hall of Fame ''Hallmark Hall of Fame'', originally called ''Hallmark Television Playhouse'', is an anthology program on American television, sponsored by Hallmark Cards, a Kansas City, Missouri, Kansas Citybased greeting card company. It is the longest-ru ...

'' anthology series. It is directed by

Jud Taylor Judson Taylor (February 25, 1932August 6, 2008) was an American actor, television director, and television producer. Early years Born in New York City, Taylor graduated from the University of California, Berkeley. Career Taylor is perhaps best ...

from a teleplay by

Susan Cooper Susan Mary Cooper (born 23 May 1935) is an English author of children's books. She is best known for '' The Dark Is Rising'', a contemporary fantasy series set in England and Wales, which incorporates British mythology such as the Arthurian ...

, based on the play of the same name by Cooper and

Hume Cronyn Hume Blake Cronyn Jr. (July 18, 1911 – June 15, 2003) was a Canadian-American actor, screenwriter and playwright. He appeared in many stage productions, television and film roles throughout his career, and garnered numerous accolades, includ ...

. The film stars

Jessica Tandy Jessie Alice Tandy (7 June 1909 – 11 September 1994) was a British actress. An icon in the film industry, she appeared in over 100 stage productions and had more than 60 roles in film and TV, receiving an Academy Award, four Tony Awards, a BAF ...

, Cronyn, and

John Denver Henry John Deutschendorf Jr. (December 31, 1943 – October 12, 1997), known professionally as John Denver, was an American Country music, country and Folk music, folk singer, songwriter, and actor. He was one of the most popular acoustic m ...

, with Tandy and Cronyn both reprising their roles from the 1982

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street ** Broadway Theatre (53rd Stre ...

production. The film was honored with the

Peabody Award The George Foster Peabody Awards (or simply Peabody Awards or the Peabodys) program, named for the American businessman and philanthropist George Foster Peabody, George Peabody, honor what are described as the most powerful, enlightening, and in ...

and was nominated for a

Golden Globe Award for Best Miniseries or Television Film The Golden Globe Award for Best Limited or Anthology Series or Television Film is one of the annual Golden Globe Awards given to the best miniseries or made-for-television film. Winners and nominees 1970s Best Television Film 1980s Best Minise ...

. It won two

Primetime Emmy Awards The Primetime Emmy Awards, or Primetime Emmys, are part of the extensive range of Emmy Awards for artistic and technical merit for the American television industry. Owned and operated by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS), the P ...

, for Outstanding Lead Actress for Tandy and Outstanding Art Direction, from a total of eight nominations (including Outstanding Drama/Comedy Special).

Synopsis

John Denver plays the country singer son of Annie Nations (Jessica Tandy), a woman passionately committed to both her farmland in the

Blue Ridge Mountains The Blue Ridge Mountains are a Physiographic regions of the United States, physiographic province of the larger Appalachian Highlands range. The mountain range is located in the Eastern United States and extends 550 miles southwest from southern ...

and to the revered memory of her late husband, Hector (Hume Cronyn). Ultimately, she must make a life-changing decision, to accede to her son's wish that she move off the Mountain and sell her land to a real estate developer, or to spend her remaining years cloaked in her memories. According to Hume Cronyn, the older people living in the mountains led lives "which were to some degree narrow, parochial, insular - but also enormously rich. These pioneers carved both a living and a tough joyous way of life out of unwelcoming mountain soil". The character of Annie Nations is based on real-life

Arie Carpenter Arie Carpenter (1885-1978) was a resident of Macon County, North Carolina, in the Southern Appalachian Mountains, United States. She was interviewed for the Foxfire Book published in 1972, through which she became known to thousands of readers. H ...

. "Aunt Arie" told young students who came to interview her, "They want me to sell an' move away from here, but I won't do it. It's just home - That's all".

Cast

as Annie Nations *

as Hector Nations *

as Dillard Nations *

Gary Grubbs Jon Gary Grubbs (born November 14, 1949) is an American character actor who has appeared in 178 credited shows and films since the 1970s and is still working steadily. He is best known as Captain Steven Wiecek in ''For Love and Honor'' (1983-19 ...

as Prince * Harriet Hall as Holly * Collin Wilcox as Madge Burton * Joshua Bryson as Heckie * Jenny Whitter as Becky *

Kenny Kosek Kenny Kosek (born 1949 in The Bronx, New York), is an American fiddler who plays bluegrass, country, klezmer, folk music and roots music. In addition to his solo career, he has performed with many other well-known performers and contributed to ...

as Fiddler *

Tony Trischka Anthony Cattell Trischka (born January 16, 1949) is an American five-string banjo player. Sandra Brennan wrote of him in 2020: "One of the most influential modern banjoists, both in several forms of bluegrass music and occasionally in jazz and ...

as Banjo * Roger Mason as Bass

Production

''Foxfire'' was filmed on locations in

North Carolina North Carolina ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, South Carolina to the south, Georgia (U.S. stat ...

Reception

Critical response

The film received positive reviews from critics. John J. O'Connor of ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

'' stated, "although the surface of ''Foxfire'' is gentle, as basically decent people try to understand each other and themselves, the subtext is far from comforting." O'Connor concluded his review by writing, "''Foxfire'' is a sturdy vehicle. Heartily urged on by Mr. Cronyn, Miss Tandy takes it for a memorable spin." Don Shirley of the ''

Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' is an American Newspaper#Daily, daily newspaper that began publishing in Los Angeles, California, in 1881. Based in the Greater Los Angeles city of El Segundo, California, El Segundo since 2018, it is the List of new ...

'' called the film "immensely affecting" and opined, "the holidays are when many people pause to ponder the themes of then and now, holding on and letting go, living and dying. And ''Foxfire'' illuminates these themes with an irresistible glow." Shirley also wrote that it "preserves the gorgeously tuned performances of Cronyn and Tandy."

Accolades

References

External links

* * {{Jud Taylor 1987 films 1987 drama films 1987 television films 1980s American films 1980s English-language films American drama television films American films based on plays CBS films Films about marriage Films about father–son relationships Films about mother–son relationships Films about old age Films about widowhood in the United States Films directed by Jud Taylor Films scored by Johnny Mandel Films set in Georgia (U.S. state) Films set in North Carolina Films shot in Georgia (U.S. state) Films shot in North Carolina Hallmark Hall of Fame episodes Peabody Award–winning broadcasts Primetime Emmy Award–winning broadcasts English-language drama films