Hallmark Channel to Premier 'Love Takes Wing' on Saturday, April 4, 2009

When a frontier town is devastated by an unknown illness, a young woman must stand up for those who need her help the most, even if it means standing alone. Academy Award, Golden Globe and seven-time Emmy winner Cloris Leachman (“Malcolm in the Middle”), Sarah Jones (“Big Love”), Haylie Duff (“Backwoods”), former Backstreet Boy Kevin Richardson and Patrick Duffy (“The Bold and the Beautiful”) star in the Hallmark Channel Original Movie “Love Takes Wing,” premiering Saturday, April 4 (9/8c). Golden Globe nominee Lou Diamond Phillips (“Stand and Deliver”) costars in and directs the seventh entry into the film series based on the hugely popular Love Comes Softly novels by Janette Oke.

Wounded by the recent death of her husband, Dr. Belinda Simpson (Jones) arrives in the tiny town of Sikeston to take up the post of town physician. Once there, she discovers that many of the town’s residents, including children at an orphanage run by Miss Hattie Clarence (Leachman), have fallen ill to or died from an unknown ailment. Soon, Belinda begins to worry that she is in over her head, despite reassurances from her best friend, Annie (Duff), and the town blacksmith, Lee (Jordan Bridges, “Turn the River”).

Unfortunately, the residents of Sikeston aren’t as trusting of Belinda’s abilities as a doctor – mainly because she’s a woman. As well, many of them don’t even want her to help the orphans, who they blame for infecting the rest of the town. Indeed, they would be happy to see the orphanage close altogether. Opposed by what seems like the entire town, Belinda must trust in her abilities, her friends and her faith to guide her.

“Love Takes Wing” is an LG Films Production in association with Larry Levinson Productions and Faith and Family Entertainment. Larry Levinson is the executive producer and the co-executive producers are Randy Pope, H. Daniel Gross and Michael Moran. Kyle Clark and Stephen Niver are the producers. Lou Diamond Phillips directed from a script by Rachel Stuhler, based on the book Love Takes Wing by Janette Oke.

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