The Flamingo Rising [VHS]
The Flamingo Rising, a Hallmark Hall of Fame Presentation, is a funny and poignant tale of laughter, love, and, ultimately, forgiveness. The narrator, Abraham Lee, is a young Korean boy adopted and brought to America along with his sister Louise by war veteran Hubert T. Lee (Brian Benben). Hubert is a kind and endearing free spirit who, as the story begins, brings his wife Edna (Elizabeth McGovern) and his two children to Florida to build the world's greatest drive-in movie theater."The Great Wall of Life," as Abraham calls the Flamingo Drive-In, is instantly successful. Hubert's fun-loving (if sometimes irresponsible) business ideas draw crowds to the theater but also increasingly antagonize neighboring mortician, Turner Knight (William Hurt, playing awkward and charming as he does so well). Knight quickly becomes Hubert's nemesis and Hubert dubs him "death personified."McGovern gives a strong performance as Edna, who is both the emotional and rational core of the story. She considers it her job to "save Hubert from himself" and maintains peace within her family and with Mr. Knight throughout the film. Among the many themes inThe Flamingo Risingare issues of life, death and reconciliation. Given the initially lighthearted tone, the film's final turn is sudden and unexpected. Ultimately, it demonstrates that no secrets are insignificant and that in order to save oneself, forgiveness is crucial.--Mindy Ruehmann