Fallen Angel is a romantic and psychological drama which premiered on US television (the Hallmark Channel) in 2003.
Here is some basic information about this drama:
** Directed by Michael Switzer
** Screenplay written by Don Snyder
** Based on Don Snyder's novel Fallen Angel (2001) (2003)
** Released on DVD in 2004
** Run time: 83 minutes
The cast includes the following:
The first group
** Gary Sinise as the adult Terry McQuinn (age 39)
** Jack Brockman as the boy Terry (age 9)
** Shawn Roberts as the teenager Terry (age 18)
** Joely Richardson as Katherine Wentworth (age 34)
** Ryan Simpkins as Katherine (age 4)
The second group
** Rick Robert as Charles Wentworth – Katherine’s father (age 30)
** Dave Nichols as Charles (age 60)
** Gordon Pinsent as Warren Wentworth – brother of Charles
** Michael Rhoades as Mac McQuinn – Terry’s father
** Jordy Benattar as Olivia – Katherine’s adopted daughter
Fallen Angel is a title that appeals to movie-makers. Here are five examples:
** A movie from 1945
** A television movie from 1981
** A movie from 1997
** The Hallmark movie from 2003 which is under review here
** A mini-series from 2007
This drama is the story of a man who returns to the place where he grew up; a place he has not visited for more than twenty years. His name is Terry McQuinn. He grew up in Rose Point, a small town in Maine. But now he lives in Los Angeles, California.
In this drama, we see him briefly when he is nine and even more briefly when he is eighteen. But the main story takes place many years later, when he is 39.
Terry was raised by his father, because his mother died when he was very young.
His father gave him a place to stay and put some food on the table, but there was no emotional bond between father and son. Terry did not have a happy childhood.
When he turns nine, his father forgets his birthday. When he graduates from high school, his father does not attend the graduation ceremony.
Terry feels ignored. He cannot wait to get out of there. As soon as he has finished high school, he leaves his childhood home and never looks back.
Many years later, when he is 39 and living in Los Angeles, he gets a phone call: his father is in the hospital. It is serious!
Terry travels back to Maine to visit his dying father. But when he gets there, he learns that he is too late: his father has just passed away.
Terry plans to stay in order to settle his father’s estate. But only for a few days. No more than that. He wants to return to his life in California as soon as possible.
But once he is back in his old home town, something is keeping him there. He is not quite sure what it is.
The memories of the past come back to him. The people and the places. He has to face the past in order to move forward. And not only that.
Some of the people he knew and met when he was a child, are still living in Rose Point. This means he also has to face the present in order to move forward.
Should he go back to Los Angeles and continue his life there? Or should he stay in Rose Point and try to start a new life? This is what this drama is about.
I do not wish to spoil the viewing for anyone. I am not going to say much about what happened to him in the past or what happens to him when he is an adult or what he decides to do with his life.
I will, however, discuss one question. What about the title? What does it mean? Who is the fallen angel?
The title is not explained in the drama.
Since I have not read the novel, I do not know if it is explained in the book.
As far as I know, not a single review of this drama explains the title of this drama. Perhaps reviewers do not want to admit that they do not know who the fallen angel is.
I have thought about it, as you can see, but I am still not sure what the answer is.
Terry is the main character. Is he the fallen angel? I do not think so. He was never an angel to anyone, so how could he become a fallen angel?
Perhaps the fallen angel is Charles, Katherine’s father. Many years ago, when Terry was a boy, Charles had a role which could be described as an angel:
Every Christmas he would come to the local hospital and hand out presents to the children who had to spend their holiday away from home.
He was Santa Claus – or some kind of angel. But then there was a terrible accident and everything changed. Charles disappeared. And there were no more presents.
Is Charles the fallen angel? Can a fallen angel be forgiven? Can he become an angel again?
Perhaps. If anybody has a better answer, I would like to know about it.
What do reviewers say about this movie?
Here are some results:
On IMDb it has a rating of 70 percent.
On Rotten Tomatoes it has a rating of 78 percent (the general audience).
If you ask me, this level is quite appropriate. I think this drama deserves a rating of four stars (80 percent).
PS. Gary Sinise plays the main character in a historical drama about President Truman which was shown on television many years ago (1995).
These days he is probably best known for his role on the crime drama CSI New York, which ran for several seasons (2004-2013).
The role he plays in Fallen Angel from 2003 is quite unusual for him. According to an interview with the actor, this was precisely the reason why he chose to take this role: he wanted to do something different.
*****
Fallen Angel
A romantic novel
by Don Snyder
(First published 2001)
(Reprinted 2003)
*****
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