Morning Glory (1993)

Set in the Depression of the 1930s, an ex-convict (Christopher Reeve) answers a newspaper advertisement for a husband by a young widow (Deborah Raffin) with two children and one on the way. Based on the novel by LaVyrle Spencer and directed by Steven Hilliard Stern. This is a rather sweet and touching drama until the film's last half hour when it focuses on a murder trial that renders the film trite. It's a pity because up until then, the movie had a rich atmosphere that replicated a small rural town in the Depression quite well. The slowly burgeoning romance between two disparate and lonely individuals is also handled delicately and believably. Then the murder comes out of the blue and suddenly we're in Perry Mason territory. It's wonderfully acted by Reeve and Raffin in the central roles but the supporting cast is good except for Helen Shaver, who overdoes the town tramp. The synthesizer underscore by Jonathan Elias is weak, it sounds like warmed over Vangelis. With Nina Foch, Lloyd Bochner and J.T. Walsh.