The Mountain Minor

The wonderful mountain music is highlighted by the scenery and beauty of Appalachia, and the importance of family tradition. Charlie's fiddle may be the 'MacGuffin' that drives the story of the Abner family forward, but in many ways the music IS the story. Hop in the back of the pick-up, and let this multi-talented cast take you on a nostalgic trip down that ole dirt road. You can't help but tap your foot along the way.

The core of the story couldn't be simpler. The scenario is rural Kentucky during the Depression. Charlie, a pre-teen boy is interested in bluegrass and learning the art of fiddling from his elders and neighbors in his spare time. The family moves to Ohio where there are job opportunities for Charlie's father. In another time frame, Charlie is a grown man in Ohio and longs for returning to his roots and his birthplace in Kentucky. As for the title, "mountain minor" is a way to tune the banjo used in bluegrass.

Director Dale Farmer has woven a fascinating film from this story casting the main roles with professional bluegrass musicians like banjoist and fiddler Dan Gellert, singer and banjoist Elizabeth LaPrelle and singer and guitarist Ma Crow. As the director (a musician himself) remarked, "musicians would be better actors than actors make musicians" The idea works like a charm. The professionals make beautiful music, do their acting chores flawlessly and the wittily scripted dialogues touch upon the magic of folk music and its relations with one's family, life and roots. The ending is an improvised, exhilarating family hoedown. I enjoyed every minute of this movie.

If you like the mountain music you'll likely love the movie... if not... you probably will critique the acting and plot pretty harshly. In my humble opinion the acting is pretty good for having no big Hollywood names in it. I happen to like the music so I gave it a ten. I don't know how factually correct it is for the depression era mountain people but I think it's entertaining. I kind of like the way it moves back and forth in time with all of the actors being very gifted musicians as both younger kids and older adults.

This movie is a sweet homage to a lost way of life that was not idyllic but it had its good points. This movie celebrates the music that brought the people together as they lived their lives in the beautiful, hard Appalachian hollows. Yes it's kind of slow but just sit back and listen and watch. Enjoy the slow pace.

The acting was independent. The music, playing and story were awesome! Must watch for anyone in Appachia, or anyone who isn't sure what that means, or anyone who appreciates fantastic music!