User Reviews

Some could say this is a feel good film for women. And I guess it is indeed a movie that women's rights types could focus upon to reinforce their views. However, the movie went beyond that narrow thought line. I'm an old geezer with no fear of strong women, and this film was full of them. OK, the book was written by a woman, the movie directed by a woman, the main characters filled by women and there were a few put-downs of men. But the film was so well done that it made no difference. I'm a long time fan of rough and tumble Westerns and this one did not disappoint. It was cleverly put together to appeal to both men and women. It brought forth many elements including strong, resourceful characters, action-packed tempo, sensuality, meaningful dialog, ideals, top notch acting and much more. Much of the movie covers the women holding down their homes and land while the men are of fighting the Texas Revolution at the Alamo and Goliad all the way through the aftermath of the American Civil War. They fight off Indian attacks and other dangers. You cannot, I repeat, you cannot - go wrong watching this movie! OK, now let me get into the actors and actresses themselves. The lead of Sarah was played by Dana Delany and what a professional job. Performances don't get much better. She has had a long line of successes from Broadway and Off Broadway, China Beach TV show with two Emmy awards and movie success as well. Her husband was played by Powers Boothe who was usually off fighting a battle instead of protecting the home front, which seems to be the theme of the movie for the women. Annabeth Gish did a powerful job playing the adult Euphemia. No relation to the Gish sisters, although who knows if she checks her roots. I want to say something about the girl playing Euphemia as a child. Wow! What a bright and professional job was done by Tina Majorino. She was only 11 or 12 at the time and already a growing star. She did not overact her part, she nailed it just right. I remembered her playing the little girl in Waterworld but she also featured in When a Man Loves a Woman, Corrina, Corrina and more recently Napoleon Dynamite. With such a bright future, she will hopefully not get side tracked by the usual Hollywood nonsense and achieve great things. She certainly has the talent. The other young girl was Rachael Leigh Cook who played young Georgia. A beautiful girl who gave a haunting performance as a girl caught between being White and Indian. Angelina Jolie as Georgia? Well, what can I say about Angelina, daughter of Jon Voight? She is a good actress but she is immersed in that Hollywood madness. There were many others of course and there were a couple of quick parts too - John Schneider of Dukes of Hazard played Sam Houston and Lizzie McGuire's Hillary Duff was in this first movie as an extra. The story was engrossing, the acting outstanding and the time well spent - see this one!

True Women is essentially a Western Drama that revolves around the lives and times of 3 women,different in their ideals and personalities but similar in their inner strength and courage.It is a poignant story told vividly and effectively on the plains of Texas.It successfully avoids stereotypes and builds up stong,real characters. I loved this movie and I'd watch it over again in a heartbeat!!!This was one story that was truly moulded and made by its actors.Every actor was seemingly made for their respective character.Delaney,Gish and Jolie gave impressive performances but the most spectacular piece of acting for me was that of Tina Majorino,in every movie I have seen featuring this young actress she has always given a performance far more mature than one does expect of her and her role as young Euphemia was no different.There were times in this movie where certain events didn't exactly fit and moments when certain actors seemed uneasy and slipped out of character but the momentum was quickly regained.This movie I think is one of those few movies that truly and sincerely celebrates WOMEN!

The story is amazing. I loved the book. The history and charecters are absolutely fascinating. I've seen this movie many times, and always enjoy it. That being said, Hallmark was a terrible choice for this. They downplayed all the good parts and in Hallmark tradition, made a sappy soap opera. HBO could have knocked it out of the park. I hope one day someone will make a movie of one of windell's other books, HILL COUNTRY.

I love historical sagas, so it was a sure bet I'd sink into True Women, about brave ladies during the Civil War era. It starts off when Tina Majorino and Rachael Leigh Cook are little, and they grow up to be played by Annabeth Gish, and Angelina Jolie. Dana Delaney doesn't have a younger counterpart, as she's the mature mentor figure, and consequently she ages accordingly as time progresses. If you love Dana Delany, you'll find this a tour-de-force for her and quite the feather in her cap. If you're not a big fan, I wouldn't recommend watching it. She has a very big part, and it's pretty obvious she thinks she's giving an excellent performance, so that might bug some viewers.

I watched this miniseries because it was Michael York's time as Star of the Week, and while he did put on a pretty impressive Southern accent, he wasn't very prominently featured. This story is really all about the women (as the title suggests). As you might expect because of the time period, there's a fair amount of racism and racial violence. As some of the characters move out west, there's also lots of "cowboys and Indians" violence; one might have expected a feminine story to have less testosterone in it. There is a fair amount of romance, though. Since Angelina is supposed to be half Indian, she is stereotypically written to be "hot-blooded" and gets into trouble when she follows her hormones. Don't think this is a fluffy feminine soap opera; there's plenty of everything to keep people interested.

Kiddy Warning: Obviously, you have control over your own children. However, due to racial language, violence, and adult content, I wouldn't let my kids watch it.

Yesterday I bought the VHS of "True Women" just because of the very low price and today I have decided to watch it. What a awesome surprise I have had! This movie is a beautiful melodramatic glance in the American history and a great homage to the pioneer women. The story begins when Texas is being taken from Mexico, and follows two girl-friends, one living in Kentucky and the other one in Texas, along the massacre of the Indians, the civil war up to the fight for women suffrage. The wonderful cast, leaded by the magnificent and underrated Dana Delany, in the role of a very strong character, has outstanding performances. The story has drama, action, romance, war, love, hate, passion, intolerance, shaking the feelings and giving different sensations to the viewers. The movie is also melodramatic like a soap-opera, but it does not diminish its value. I really loved the saga of these warrior-women. My vote is nine.

Title (Brazil): "Prova de Fogo" ("Fire Proof")

True Women is a very well done film. It is about my own ancestors. Sarah and Euphemia were my ggg grand aunts, being sisters to my ggg grandmother [who was not in the fim]...but she was on the runaway scrape. I was thrilled to view this film, among the tears. I so enjoyed this film of my ancestry history, I flew to Texas to Seguin, where the film was made, and went on the True Women tour. As a young girl I had even lived in Seguin, Tx in the 4-5th grades. I met Mrs. King, Janice Windle's mother, took rolls and rolls of film, but the biggest thrill was walking thru the Peach Creek home of Sarah. I could hear the echoes of my ancestors and I peeped thru the rifle slots and could see Tildie and Sarah hanging by their arms under the trees where the Indians had tied them. I heard the cries of their anquish and felt a tremor thru my body that only a bond of kinship could bring. I did a review on this film in my college Film class and got a 4. for it. I watch this film often as I bought it and the book. I await Janice's sequel, Hill Country, to be also made into a film. An excellent job was done in the making of this true historic and ancestry film of my ancestors. I commend the producers and the actress and actors who portrayed my loved ones from the past. thank you..Nena Smothers

A good premise ruined by a simplistic, soap-opera script, weak supporting performances (though Angelina Jolie is, as has been noted, quite good), and low production values, this story of the lives of women helping to settle the West never quite gels. Dana Delaney tries hard to hold it together, but it just doesn't work. The film's habit of sledghammering home whatever points it's trying to make doesn't help much, either. A little subtlety would have been far more effective, along with a more coherent story and characters who were a little less cardboard. Most historians agree that the "taming" of the west occurred when women began arriving in greater numbers--before then, men of the region spent the majority of their time getting drunk and killing each other and the Indians--and someday that would make a really good movie. Not this time, though.

A magnificent look at American history.

Angelina Jolie and Dana Delaney were standouts (as usual).

There was laughter, tears, joy, and excitement - and that was just me!!!

I thoroughly recommend this movie as a well acted, and quite accurate from what I've read, drama about the early west.

I LOVE American history, and this movie transported me back to a time that was not THAT long ago, but far removed from the comforts of modern times.

"True women" was a wonderful surprise. When I read the summary, it sounded very similar to many women drama wannabes that are built behind the belief that anything with the excuse of a different point of view of an otherwise often told story will sell, but they often lack strong characters and, well, a convincing and catchy story. "True women" has all of the above and more: well-written characters, a solid storyline with several dramatic climaxes, and enough emotion to keep the viewer sympathizing and empathizing with the characters, or at least understanding them, even if one might not always agree with them.

The story is subdivided in two subplots: the story of Euphemia, who grows up learning to fight the Indian tribes still surviving in the Texan territory; and the story of Georgia, a beautiful girl who finds out she is of Indian descent, a fact that will condition her whole life. The two girls are close friends, though separated early on. The film follows each one's story, which will often intertwine with that of the other's. It's all set in the War of Independence and in the American Civil War, and the film adequately portrays the social and political turmoil of those years.

This movie is an amalgam of western, adventure, romance, drama, and it also takes a feminist standpoint, though it will also be enjoyed by men. I recommend it.

True Women is one of the best movies of all time. I saw it when i was 8 years old, when it first came out on TV i just happened to be flipping the channels and came upon this. I am still rather young, but i do not think i will EVER forget this movie. Great for feminists AND History buffs, like me lol. I am disappointed that this movie is not as well known because it is just extraordinary ad i hope they put it on TV again, since this time i will tape it! Wonderful, wonderful movie, try to get a hold of it if you can.

This is a story of not just womens rights but their struggle getting those rights. The western frontier was hard gained by men and more importantly women. So many women were left alone while men hunted or sought their riches, leaving them to take care of the home, children, maintaining the farms , while fighting the elements and the natives. This show gave a picture of all of this. It was well acted and showed the women as well as the men as strong people. It seemed that the storyline was accurate with the settling of Texas. The Civil War was felt deep in the heart of Texas , with both North and South being fought for by the Texan men.

The role of women in the settling of the frontier has always been, to say the least, underreported. Most films about the settling of the west portray women as either saloon girls--in other words, prostitutes--or virginal school'marm types. One day someone is going to make a good movie about the role of women in the settling of the frontier. Unfortunately, this one isn't it.

There are several major problems with this film. First, the script. It's simplistic, overwrought, overheated, preachy and loaded with phony dramatics. Second, there's the sttitude. While most films on this subject pretty much inexcusably ignored women at the expense of men, this one does just the opposite, which is just as inexcusable. There's no real chemistry between Dana Delaney and Powers Boothe, who plays her husband. The rest of the cast is weak, too, and the performances range from adequate to junior high school level. The movie also, for some reason, LOOKS cheap. It has that cheesy look to it that a lot of spaghetti westerns had in the '60s. The whole production looks rushed, like they were running out of money and had to get it done on time.

There's a good story to be told here, but the people who made this movie haven't the slightest idea of how to go about it. Avoid this one.

I thought this mini-series based on a true story was earthy and factual. One writer complained of all the deaths... well a lot of deaths were a part of life in that era. All one has to do is visit an old cemetery to realize many lost their children to cholera and other diseases. But it has it's balance of joy and sorrow and it will be thoroughly enjoyed by most.

Someone said the movie was a liberal politically correct portrayal. I disagree and I am not a liberal. A liberal could not have researched a movie like this without a rude awakening, to find Republicans were the ones who fought to free the slaves and give women the right to vote, while the "liberals" fought to keep them in bondage. While I know this to be a fact, I appreciate that it did not put a partisan spin into the film, it would have alienated rather than had someone enjoy the movie.

I'm also intrigued watching Angelina Jolie, I find her to be a deep actress with a very pleasant countenance and I think this was the most meaningful film she's ever done, though I just recently saw it in 2010 while I believe it had been filmed as a mini series in the 90's. If someone wants to claim it was politically biased, I would say shoveling this film under the rug may have been politically motivated, because it showed not all slave owners were whips-on-blacks monsters that the race baiters tend to rely on. They were human and the masters and slaves often ate at the same table and formed close family like bonds with one another, which happens to be historically correct.

Ignore the negative comments, they seem to mostly be by men insecure in their masculinity, taking a bite at something that put emphasis on the woman and her often overlooked role in history.

I saw this movie when it first appeared on television, and when renting videos recently, I saw this title, and remember being impressed. I rented it, and was delighted all over again! What a wonderful movie! It is interesting to watch - The stories evoke curiosity and passion for history, something seldom seen in movies, much less made-for-television movies. The acting was beautiful! Every actor performed with realism, and with a passion for their characters.

I have only one complaint: Not enough of Matilda Lockhart´s story was told. I found her character to be most interesting, and her fate to be the one that stuck with me long after I saw it. Anne Tremko, the actress who played Matilda, is spectacular! She was understated yet interesting, and her enthusiasm for the role lit up the screen. After seeing this, I rented the few other movies she was in. While only two were particularly good (The Member of the Wedding and My Antonia), she did a great job with what she had in each and every picture.

I thoroughly enjoyed this movie, and Anne Tremko´s performance, as well. I recommend this movie to anyone who enjoys history, movies, or being uplifted.

This is one of the greatest movies I've ever seen.

I grew up between the Pacific rim nations and Texas. Yes it could have had done better on some parts, but let's be honest here, this film transmits a positive message to the females of not only one generation here. It's wholesome and truthful. And that ladies and gentlemen is hard to find now a days. My 13 year old daughter loved the book and the movie. What makes it even more special is that it was written by a descendent of these two amazing women who actually lived and moved in these events, times, and places.

I see a lot of bad reviews on here about this movie but what many people are not understanding Is that this movie is based on true events that these women actually existed and these events really did take place. I guess you had to grow up in Texas to hear about these things.

This odd two part television movie leaves no stone unturned or bed un-rumpled when depicting the lives of pioneer women. We see them confront the evils of racism, we see them comfort each other after children die, they stare down Comanches, we see them in the sack with their men folk. This is not your grandpa's (or grandma's!) western.

Still, it's a pretty good watch. It's definitely of the Lonesome Dove-style of production design. I was hoping for somewhat better characterizations beyond the "I want to have your baby" variety. Almost all female characters are seen wearing off-the-shoulder nightgowns, seconds before characters gripe about the lack of histories written by women, which is kind of ridiculous. There are many cringe scenes.

Notable for Angelina Jolie doing an okay southern accent.

True Women is a genuinely great movie. i happened to be flipping through the channels and luckily landed at the beginning. i started watching it and couldnt get up until it was over which was 4 hours later, and i am not one for long movies but i was absorbed. i found this movie intersting for many reasons: the acting was great, the setting was great, the script, was great exc.

i am a big angelina jolie fan and like pretty much all of her movies. now i loved this movie before the character even aged to her part of the role, when it did i was stunned because i had never even heard of this movie before. there were so many really talented actors and famous ones at that and i guess that this movie didnt do very well because i know i would have watched it a lot earlier. and im not even attracted to these kinds of movies, so i guess it is proof that it broke the genre.

i will recommend this movie to anyone. True Women made me cry, laugh, it made me scared and anticipated. it was very entertaining!!

This was a great western with strong, but very different women as lead characters, as well as a strong a male lead. Why Powers Booth isn't listed as one of the top main charactgers is quite surprising, and insulting. He was incredible! His character exemplified a strong man who treasured his family. He was brave with a quiet, sultry sexiness making him one of the most memorable characters in the whole film. Dana Delaney's character was my favorite. She was what I'd consider the perfect kind of woman you'd have to be to survive during that time without becoming too hardened and bitter. Angelina Jolie's complex character came in second. Her termoil hiding her indian heritage while holding onto her beliefs of slavery was quite an oxymorone, but very believable. Her cousin, a black slave played by Salli Richardson-Whitfield (who was also amazing,) shows how people viewed the meaning of family. Despite Jolie's character, she was still able to portray a likable character. Euphemia was the least believable character for me but she holds the belief system which we hold today which would appeal to many. My issue is believing there were those who were that vocal about human rights issues in the south during that time.

This movie offers a glimpse of life during this era which included different ethnic and financial backgrounds. It tells a great story which holds your interest all the way through, and stays with you after it's over. The casting and acting by everyone was top notch. Just wish it wasn't so hard to find now. I hope to see it offered again on Prime.