Lifetime's VC Andrews Movies Topic (Flowers In The Attic, The Dollangangers, The Casteels, etc) - General Discussion

[TattleTeeny]

1 hour ago, Scarlett45 said:

I kind of think not, moving away and just pretending to be married would be emotionally easier than having to "hide" their relationship and be siblings in public but not in their bedroom. It wasnt just a sex thing, Cathy and Chris were in love with each other- tons of opposite sex siblings are emotionally close, but they behave in a completely different way than a romantic couple (even a romantic couple that may not be sexually active for religious reasons or something). Chris also wanted to raise Bart and Jory with Cathy, be seen socially as a father and not an uncle. 

Also this was the 1970s, there was a greater expectation for people to be married, and as a young beautiful woman with small children people would've expected Cathy to want to be married, and Chris being a handsome Dr, certainly would've had women after him. Best case they may have thought Chris was gay and thats why he wasnt interested in marrying anyone. Living as a married couple kept up social boundaries with others. So yes the "moving away and pretending to be married" would be intellectually and emotionally easier than living together, pretending to be "just siblings sharing resources" all the time except for when they were alone in a bedroom.

I just can’t agree, at least not when there were still people in their lives who knew. And honestly, who even cares what Chris wanted to be known as? Haha, I guess Cathy eventually did! But no, all that subterfuge is a whole lot of work, man. I think faking a death, changing names, and having plastic surgery would be easier (though neither would dare change their perfect appearances!).

Edited March 26, 2021 by TattleTeeny

[Scarlett45]

2 hours ago, TattleTeeny said:

I just can’t agree, at least not when there were still people in their lives who knew. And honestly, who even cares what Chris wanted to be known as? Haha, I guess Cathy eventually did! But no, all that subterfuge is a whole lot of work, man. I think faking a death, changing names, and having plastic surgery would be easier (though neither would dare change their perfect appearances!).

I thought Jory's grandmother and the housekeeper were the only people in their lives who knew? I might be wrong.

[TattleTeeny]

Yeah, I guess; they had no clue Corinne was an issue, even though they knew she was alive. But other people from the Foxworth circle like John Amos or someone at the Christmas party/fire or people from Paul's town or anyone else who may have known about them without them knowing they were known about. Yes, I am speculating, but also yes--still way too many! Maybe when it comes to falsifying my identity and marrying my brother, I’m a bit of a Nervous Nellie, haha!

Edited March 26, 2021 by TattleTeeny

[CountryGirl]

13 minutes ago, Scarlett45 said:

I thought Jory's grandmother and the housekeeper were the only people in their lives who knew? I might be wrong.

Same. Although that reminds me of the memoirs Cathy was writing. Was it "fiction?" Andplusalso, if your goal was to keep the truth from your kids, don't you think writing a book and leaving the manuscript pages lying around kind of flies in the face of that?

[JAYJAY1979]

Back in the 70s, I guess it would be easier to fabricate this (pre internet)...now not so much

[qtpye]

4 hours ago, Scarlett45 said:

I kind of think not, moving away and just pretending to be married would be emotionally easier than having to "hide" their relationship and be siblings in public but not in their bedroom. It wasnt just a sex thing, Cathy and Chris were in love with each other- tons of opposite sex siblings are emotionally close, but they behave in a completely different way than a romantic couple (even a romantic couple that may not be sexually active for religious reasons or something). Chris also wanted to raise Bart and Jory with Cathy, be seen socially as a father and not an uncle. 

Also this was the 1970s, there was a greater expectation for people to be married, and as a young beautiful woman with small children people would've expected Cathy to want to be married, and Chris being a handsome Dr, certainly would've had women after him. Best case they may have thought Chris was gay and thats why he wasnt interested in marrying anyone. Living as a married couple kept up social boundaries with others. So yes the "moving away and pretending to be married" would be intellectually and emotionally easier than living together, pretending to be "just siblings sharing resources" all the time except for when they were alone in a bedroom.

I remember when Paul told Cathy to go be with Chris, because Jory was 8 and that would be young enough to forget that Chris was actually his biological uncle.

I was like...is Jory stupid? I was a kid when I read these books and remembered being 8. I would definitely remember if my biological uncle married my mother. Also, Chris and Cathy supposedly looked like brother/sister.

Jory was supposed to incredibly bright and this just seemed like wishful thinking on the part of the adults.

[CountryGirl]

I think it was more Jory was an easygoing kid and would follow whichever way the wind blew. 

[ElectricBoogaloo]

1 hour ago, qtpye said:

I remember when Paul told Cathy to go be with Chris, because Jory was 8 and that would be young enough to forget that Chris was actually his biological uncle.

I was like...is Jory stupid? I was a kid when I read these books and remembered being 8. I would definitely remember if my biological uncle married my mother. Also, Chris and Cathy supposedly looked like brother/sister.

Jory was supposed to incredibly bright and this just seemed like wishful thinking on the part of the adults.

When Paul had that conversation with Cathy, Jory was six. Paul said, "Jory will be 7 soon."

[qtpye]

2 hours ago, ElectricBoogaloo said:

When Paul had that conversation with Cathy, Jory was six. Paul said, "Jory will be 7 soon."

I still think I would have remembered but the younger age would have helped.

[TattleTeeny]

I would remember; I recall shit from before my sister was born and that was when I was 4 (however, I apparently have gotten to the age where I run to kitchen as if something is important...and then stop and wonder what that was). Which reminds me...

the blind guy in Ruby—his story feels like a Tommy ripoff!

Edited March 27, 2021 by TattleTeeny

[Scarlett45]

So what did we THINK of All That Glitters?

Firstly- I understand why Ruby went to Paul for help, especially after Buster tried to rape her (no she couldn’t stay in that shack any more), but she didn’t have to MARRY HIM; I don’t doubt he would’ve let her stay for a few weeks or something while she figured out her next steps. Maybe loaning her some money until she could get some paintings sold etc. But I understand why Ruby married Paul more than why Beau married Giselle. Ruby did have a baby to raise and the need for social/physical protection. 
 

Secondly- what did they think would happen with this “swap scenario”??? Like really?? Beau and Ruby were very selfish. Giselle was awful but she didn’t deserve to have her life stolen. 
 

Thirdly- Paul was a little unstable but I do think he was a kind person who did want to do the right thing by Ruby and Pearl. I was sad when he committed suicide. Beau and Ruby really used him- I blame Ruby more so because she had a personal relationship with him and owed him some emotional consideration. 

[TattleTeeny]

It was so boring that I did 29 things around the house without even bothering to hit “pause”!

[JAYJAY1979]

what Ruby and Beau did...isn't  that considered a crime?

Also, Kristian Alfonso was perfect as Gladys...and she had Ruby's number.

I would have ended the series with All that Glitters in written form..imho.

 

 

Edited March 28, 2021 by JAYJAY1979

[Scarlett45]

55 minutes ago, JAYJAY1979 said:

Didn't what Ruby and Beau did...isn't  that considered a crime?

Also, Kristian Alfonso was perfect as Gladys...and she had Ruby's number.

I would have ended the series with All that Glitters in written form..imho.

 

 

Yes that’s a crime. I’m 2021 it would be identity thief and fraud, in 1967 (I’m guessing the year based on Pearl’s size) at the very least fraud. I’m not sure if identity thief was a crime as we know it today back then. 
 

I saw Kristian Alfonso and thought “hey isnt that Hope from Days???”(I never watched Days but I remember the ads). She did have their number, those two WERE pathological liars, and she had a point about Pearl’s well being. However I do agree with Octavius that as awful as what Ruby and Beau did, Paul went along with it, and their lying/scheming/fraud didnt mean they were a danger to Pearl or unfit to raise her. Morally bad people are allowed to raise their children all the time (so long as it doesn’t rise to child abuse or neglect), and doing a morally bad thing (which they did), doesn’t mean they were doomed to be morally bad people in perpetuity. 
 

However, what did they think would happen?? Did Beau and Ruby think they could play house until Giselle woke up and switch back???? Paul really got the short end of the stick in caring for her, and of course had an emotional connection to Pearl and he lost her too. 
 

At the end of all this, everyone was selfish, but the only person honest about who they were was Giselle, and Paul got the short straw. 

[Spartan Girl]

You can spin it any way you want, what Beau and Ruby did was fucked up. And I thought it was a little too convenient that Giselle fell into a coma. Beau was a little too quick to come up with the “let’s switch the two of you do we can be together” plan. I was waiting for a reveal that Beau poisoned Giselle on purpose. That would have made it more interesting. Because what kind of guy marries your evil twin just to pretend it’s you? That’s pretty sick too.

[CountryGirl]

Possibly UO but I vastly preferred Paul to Beau. Except for the whole half-brother thing. 😉

[TattleTeeny]

Oh, that’s alright—if these people can overlook that tiny detail, why shouldn’t you, haha!

[Scarlett45]

2 hours ago, CountryGirl said:

Possibly UO but I vastly preferred Paul to Beau. Except for the whole half-brother thing. 😉

No it’s not unpopular- I preferred Paul too! Beau was a selfish prick who wanted to have his cake and eat it too. 

 

3 hours ago, Spartan Girl said:

You can spin it any way you want, what Beau and Ruby did was fucked up. And I thought it was a little too convenient that Giselle fell into a coma. Beau was a little too quick to come up with the “let’s switch the two of you do we can be together” plan. I was waiting for a reveal that Beau poisoned Giselle on purpose. That would have made it more interesting. Because what kind of guy marries your evil twin just to pretend it’s you? That’s pretty sick too.

Yup!! Beau marrying Giselle made NO SENSE. They fucked around a bit when they were teens but he wasn’t in love with her EVER. For her money? His family had money and I’m sure there were other girls in his social circle he could’ve married for money.

 

If he really wanted to be with Ruby, he should’ve told her that at Daphne’s funeral services and suggest she divorce Paul since he knew that he (Beau) was Pearl’s bio dad. THAT would’ve been sensible. That would’ve hurt Paul- but in a normal people way, not a sick twisted way. 

[Kiki777]

The previews for Hidden Jewel look awful.  They teased out Ruby’s hair - I guess to make her look older - but she looks like Kimmy Gibler from Full House.

[CountryGirl]

I think Beau was way more into Giselle than she was into him and Ruby was as close as he could get. I never bought into them having some great love or even mediocre love. 

Paul sacrificed his own life and chance for a life of his own to marry Ruby and give Pearl legitimacy. Yes, some of his motives weren’t what I’d call altruistic, but he really did seem to love Ruby and Pearl like his own child. 

[Spartan Girl]

Wow Pearl looks the same age as Ruby. At least in the FITA/Heaven movies they at least recast older actors for the roles.

[Kiki777]

Pearl looked familiar to be - turns out she’s the same actress who played Leigh in Web of Dreams.

[TattleTeeny]

OK, so I admitted earlier to not paying close attention to this last Ruby episode, but exactly how fast did Beau graduate, go to Europe, meet some royal chick, and get engaged (married?) (per the letter that blew out the window, hahahahah!). 

[Scarlett45]

10 hours ago, Kiki777 said:

Pearl looked familiar to be - turns out she’s the same actress who played Leigh in Web of Dreams.

Yup. 

 

8 hours ago, TattleTeeny said:

OK, so I admitted earlier to not paying close attention to this last Ruby episode, but exactly how fast did Beau graduate, go to Europe, meet some royal chick, and get engaged (married?) (per the letter that blew out the window, hahahahah!). 

Beau went to France and started dating the royal chick during Ruby's pregnancy. When Giselle comes to the house to tell Ruby that Beau is engaged, Pearl is still a small baby (so less than a year).

 

Hidden Jewel was a SNOOZE FEST. OMG. I missed Katrina Banno as Giselle! At least she brought some pizzaz and watching the actresses play off of each other was fun. Pearl was completely flat and had no personality. It had to be the writing, because the actress was fine in Web of Dreams.

If I had to rank the movies here we go:

4. Hidden Jewel

3. Ruby

2. Pearl in the Mist

1. All that Glitters (with 1 & 2 being close). 

 

Ive noticed the 2nd and 3rd movies of these series are the best because we have established characters/backstory and can get into some campy drama.

[JAYJAY1979]

2 hours ago, Scarlett45 said:

Yup. 

 

Beau went to France and started dating the royal chick during Ruby's pregnancy. When Giselle comes to the house to tell Ruby that Beau is engaged, Pearl is still a small baby (so less than a year).

 

Hidden Jewel was a SNOOZE FEST. OMG. I missed Katrina Banno as Giselle! At least she brought some pizzaz and watching the actresses play off of each other was fun. Pearl was completely flat and had no personality. It had to be the writing, because the actress was fine in Web of Dreams.

If I had to rank the movies here we go:

4. Hidden Jewel

3. Ruby

2. Pearl in the Mist

1. All that Glitters (with 1 & 2 being close). 

 

Ive noticed the 2nd and 3rd movies of these series are the best because we have established characters/backstory and can get into some campy drama.

I remembered reading All that Glitters years ago..and I had assumed it would be the last book in the series since Daphne, Giselle, and Paul were killed off...and Gladys lost her bid for custody of Pearl.

When I saw that Hidden Jewels was going to be published...I was concerned it would be a boring book because all the interesting characters were killed off...and I was right.

Imagine Giselle as the flashy fun aunt determined to make Pearl like her better than ruby.  And imagine Daphne coming back into the picture after some tragedy leads to ruby and Beau being without money..etc....and also Paul vs Beau over being a parental influence over Pearl.

And at the center would be Pearl..confused over all this tension.

[Scarlett45]

2 minutes ago, JAYJAY1979 said:

Imagine Giselle as the flashy fun aunt determined to make Pearl like her better than ruby.  And imagine Daphne coming back into the picture after some tragedy leads to ruby and Beau being without money..etc....and also Paul vs Beau over being a parental influence over Pearl.

And at the center would be Pearl..confused over all this tension.

Yeah- or what if Giselle was the one haunting them??? And we actually had her has a character. That could've at least been interesting!

 

All that Glitters wrapped everything up and gave Ruby her happy ending, she is with Beau, Giselle is gone, they have money/security etc....something would have to shake that up to make Hidden Jewel interesting.

[Daisy]

1 hour ago, Scarlett45 said:

Yeah- or what if Giselle was the one haunting them??? And we actually had her has a character. That could've at least been interesting!

 

All that Glitters wrapped everything up and gave Ruby her happy ending, she is with Beau, Giselle is gone, they have money/security etc....something would have to shake that up to make Hidden Jewel interesting.

Why are they doing hidden jewel? that was boring. 
I just assumed they'd go to Gabrielle's story. not like there was one there either

[Scarlett45]

25 minutes ago, Daisy said:

Why are they doing hidden jewel? that was boring. 
I just assumed they'd go to Gabrielle's story. not like there was one there either

It was BORING AF.

[Daisy]

8 minutes ago, Scarlett45 said:

It was BORING AF.

like if i remember rightly. 

.... one of Ruby's twins got bit by a snake (and died or just stupid sick). 
.... Ruby has a nervous breakdown 
.... Pearl runs into the bayou for some dumbness reason. and i think she either falls in love with a bayou person or someone from New Orleans

and then NOTHING HAPPENS. 
I'd have to imagine they are putting in a good chunk of Gabrielle's story in there because Pearl was the normalest of the daughters in the entire franchise. I don't even think she gets raped/molested . 

[Scarlett45]

27 minutes ago, Daisy said:

like if i remember rightly. 

.... one of Ruby's twins got bit by a snake (and died or just stupid sick). 
.... Ruby has a nervous breakdown 
.... Pearl runs into the bayou for some dumbness reason. and i think she either falls in love with a bayou person or someone from New Orleans

and then NOTHING HAPPENS. 
I'd have to imagine they are putting in a good chunk of Gabrielle's story in there because Pearl was the normalest of the daughters in the entire franchise. I don't even think she gets raped/molested . 

No. One of Ruby's twins dies from a snake bite, the other twin becomes very sick, Ruby seeks out Mama Dede to figure out what's going on, Beau falls and hits his head and needs surgery, Pearl meets a guy that works for the gas company in the bayou and falls for him, Ruby paints a picture of Paul, admits she loved him during witching hour and then all the bad stuff stops happening, and everyone lives happily ever after.

 

The only bad thing was the twin dying near the beginning. 

[Daisy]

2 minutes ago, Scarlett45 said:

No. One of Ruby's twins dies from a snake bite, the other twin becomes very sick, Ruby seeks out Mama Dede to figure out what's going on, Beau falls and hits his head and needs surgery, Pearl meets a guy that works for the gas company in the bayou and falls for him, Ruby paints a picture of Paul, admits she loved him during witching hour and then all the bad stuff stops happening, and everyone lives happily ever after.

 

The only bad thing was the twin dying near the beginning. 

lol and they are gonna make a movie outta that? 
smokes.

[Scarlett45]

22 minutes ago, Daisy said:

lol and they are gonna make a movie outta that? 
smokes.

No they did make a movie, I just gave you the plot of the movie! It aired Sunday March 28th. And it was BORING AF.

[Daisy]

8 minutes ago, Scarlett45 said:

No they did make a movie, I just gave you the plot of the movie! It aired Sunday March 28th. And it was BORING AF.

 

🤣 I didn't realised they aired that! geeeezeeeee.  thanks Scarlet. I am clearly as thick as poop today

are they going to air Gabrielle's story or are we done with the Landrys?

[JAYJAY1979]

They're done....Gabrielle was a poor choice for the 5th book.  Grandmere or Daphne would have been better 

 

 

Edited March 30, 2021 by JAYJAY1979

[Scarlett45]

1 minute ago, JAYJAY1979 said:

They're done....Gabrielle was a poor choice for the 5th book.  Grandmere or Daphne would have been better 

Yeah, I think the Casteel series was the only one to do the prequel book.

[CountryGirl]

With the exception of Seeds of Yesterday, which really didn't follow the later pattern of Book 4 being from the daughter's perspective as it was from Cathy's, the 4th books from the later series (and I stopped with Landry in terms of reading each book) were, for me, completely boring and unnecessary. If There Be Thorns did have a story from a child's point of view, in this case, Jory and Bart's POV but the other child's POV books make ITBT look like Tolstoy.

Casteel - Gates of Paradise (I hated that they immediately kill off Heaven although I was fine with Logan going bye-bye). We get boring Annie's boring story of being paralyzed and in love with her (assumed) half-brother/half-cousin and going off to boring downtrodden Farthy and almost getting raped by her grandfather, Tony, just like he had tried to rape Heaven while pregnant with Annie. Yawn. As I pointed out upthread, the only good part of GoP was Fanny coming to the rescue and telling Tony he was "loco," which hell yeah he was.

Cutler - Midnight Whispers (Dawn/Jimmy are killed in a fire - gee, that sounds familiar) and boring Christie is forced to live with evil Uncle Phillip who rapes her just like he did Dawn. I forgot if that version included ripping off FITA word for word when Chris rapes Cathy and I am too lazy to look it up. Oh and we have another inappropriate relationship with Christie crushing on her uncle (by marriage) Gavin. And has the Tony Tatterton creep factor by Phillip walking in on Christie while she's bathing (I don't think he offered to wash her back but could be wrong) and gives her a nightgown. The only interesting thing that happened was when Fern showed up at The Meadows and raises hell. Oh and she oh-so-kindly commiserates with Christie about being raped by Phillip if whining about trying to bed him but failing is even remotely related?

Ruby - Pearl in the Mist where Pearl is boring as hell and almost raped by Buster just as her mother was almost raped by him. And I honestly can't remember else happened in that book, except tossing it aside and knowing I would make good on the vow to never re-read that shit again.

[CountryGirl]

What in Britney Spears "Slave 4 U" hell is going on in that still from Hidden Jewel?

I haven't had a chance to watch the latest 2 movies, obviously.

[Daisy]

On 3/29/2021 at 2:24 PM, Scarlett45 said:

No they did make a movie, I just gave you the plot of the movie! It aired Sunday March 28th. And it was BORING AF.

 

geeze. you warned me.
I am soooo bored

 

Also, Ruby's teased hair. Yuck. 
also I always wondered how Ruby did this total 180 on being All Bayou Religion All the Time when you didn't really see it except that one visit to Deedees

[tinderbox]

Hidden Jewel was just plain....awful.  

[andromeda331]

The twin switch makes no sense in All that Glitters. Divorce was an option. Poor Paul. Yeah, he should have moved on from Ruby but he really did try to do everything to make her happy. The poor guy ended up committing suicide. Beau was better in the first two movies. In this one he really doesn't make much sense. He was the one who got engaged in France and then comes back to marry Giselle. Why? He was also a jerk every time Paul called. Hey, Beau, Paul's taking care of your legally married wife so you can be with Ruby. Ruby should have done better by Paul too. 

Hidden Jewel was as boring as the book. Not much happens and not much makes any sense. At least Ghostwriter didn't kill off Ruby and Beau like he killed off Heaven and Logan and Dawn and Jimmy. But one of the twin dies, the other gets sick and Ruby goes crazy. Pearl really is boring. In the movie she's even more boring. And seems oddly confused by her mother's voodoo interests. Why? She would have been exposed to that her entire life. 

The first two movies/books were better. They had more to work with. Killing off Giselle was a big mistake. 

[andromeda331]

On 3/29/2021 at 12:54 PM, CountryGirl said:

Casteel - Gates of Paradise (I hated that they immediately kill off Heaven although I was fine with Logan going bye-bye). We get boring Annie's boring story of being paralyzed and in love with her (assumed) half-brother/half-cousin and going off to boring downtrodden Farthy and almost getting raped by her grandfather, Tony, just like he had tried to rape Heaven while pregnant with Annie. Yawn. As I pointed out upthread, the only good part of GoP was Fanny coming to the rescue and telling Tony he was "loco," which hell yeah he was.

That was really the only good part of the book. Fanny coming to the rescue! I was fine with killing off Logan but pissed that he ends up killing Heaven. Just when you think they can't make Logan any worse he drives drunk and gets both of them killed. Plus they didn't even bother to mention Fanny's daughter Darcy despite the fact she should have been growing up in the same town. Annie and Luke were both boring. The whole we're no longer related so we can date is too weird and makes no sense. 

Edited April 3, 2021 by andromeda331

[ElectricBoogaloo]

3 hours ago, andromeda331 said:

Annie and Luke were both boring.

ITA - so I guess in a sense they kind of deserved each other since they were both so freaking boring, but still ewwww. I felt like the ghostwriter was trying to make Annie similar to Audrina (outwardly quiet but with an active inner curiosity) but he failed miserably because Annie was dull in every way. What little we saw of Luke was that he was shy and quiet and a good student. There's nothing wrong with any of that, but he had no personality in the book. Hell, Drake was more interesting than Luke and Drake was just a caricature of a rich boy.

3 hours ago, andromeda331 said:

I was find with killing off Logan but pissed that he ends up killing Heaven. Just when you think they can't make Logan any worse he drives drunk and gets both of them killed.

Arden is the #1 worst VC Andrews boyfriend/husband. He's right up there with Julian the wife beater and rapist who also hooked up with sweet innocent Carrie. But Logan sucks for being such a judgmental asshole and cheating on Heaven with her own sister. UGH.

* I'm only counting the series written by VCA in my list of Worst Men Ever. Honorable mention goes to Malcolm Foxworth because most of the terrible stuff we know about him came from Garden of Shadows but we still know he was a shit person based on how much the slut shaming asshole hated his mother thanks to Bart reading his journal in If There Be Thorns.

[Steph Sometimes]

I'm in the minority, but I didn't hate Hidden Jewel. I liked that Ruby and Pearl looked about the same age. I liked that the scenes went from "Hey, a snake." to 'DEAD." And "I don't feel so good" to "ALMOST DEAD."

I also want to give major props to Pearl, who had both intense reading scenes and intense lock a creepy guy in a cage scenes, for managing to find a hot guy in between her family members dying/being near death/injuring themselves. And even better and rarer for a VC Andrews heroine, he wasn't a relative!  Or even someone she thought was a relative at some point! 

[Daisy]

i wonder how long we have to wait for the next VC Andrews Lifetimeness lol

[Scarlett45]

On 5/7/2021 at 7:51 PM, Daisy said:

i wonder how long we have to wait for the next VC Andrews Lifetimeness lol

Me too. What would you all want to see next? I don’t think I’m familiar with any of the other series. 

[CountryGirl]

The Cutler series (Dawn) as that’s the only other full series I’ve read. I stopped midway through the Melody series. 

[andromeda331]

I wonder if they will go back to Dawn since they skipped over it to do Ruby. 

[qtpye]

Dawn and Rain could be interesting.

Also, they could do Garden of the Shadows (prequel to FITA).

[CountryGirl]

I really, really hated that they skipped Garden of Shadows. I wanted to see Olivia before she became the evil Grandmother.

[CountryGirl]

I almost forgot. I finally got around to watching the last two Ruby movies and they weren't bad.

I felt so sorry for Paul being stuck with comatose Giselle. He really was a true friend and honestly, better husband to Ruby than Beau who got on my last damn nerve. He deserved better than to drunkenly wander into the swamps and die. 

Yes, I know there's was a marriage of convenience, especially with the half-brother detail, but I liked them as a couple and yes, tre risque, I thought they had wicked-hot chemistry.

I found Beau dull as dirt and not nearly as good-looking as Paul. And an ass since he was content to let another man raise his child so he could play around in Paris.

I also hated how they cheated on their spouses, even if Giselle was a nasty bitch (although that didn't bother Beau enough to keep from marrying her) and again, the half-brother bit. And yes, Paul was deluded. Maybe he read that book about those kids in the attic and how the oldest two kids, brother and sister, ended up together in the end. 😁

But he cared for Ruby when she didn't have a penny to her name and also loved and cared for Pearl like she was his own. And he was a far better husband to Giselle.

Is it any wonder I was Team Gladys (played to perfection by Kristian Alfonso) re the custody suit?

I don't think Beau gave two shits about Pearl and if Giselle hadn't succumbed to a mosquito bite, something tells me he would have been happy to screw them both (because don't tell me he wasn't sleeping with Giselle before she became incapacitated). 

As for Hidden Jewel, well, it was more entertaining than the book, which I'd long since forgotten.

It did bug that they had the same actress playing Pearl as who had played Leigh in Heaven and that she was a redhead vs blond like her erstwhile father, Beau. But they did get Ruby/Giselle and Paul/Beau's hair colors right (although Beau's hair could have been lighter). I won't touchPearl's awful bangs. They do score points for Ruby's Harper Valley PTA hair. So 70s.

It also didn't bug that Ruby and Pearl appeared to be the same age but Ruby gave birth to Pearl around 16-17 so she would have only been in her mid-30s as of Hidden Jewel. And I LOL'd at this line from Ruby to Pearl to acknowledge it to the audience: "I remember when I was your age; it doesn't seem that long ago at all." And it cracked me up how Beau would sometimes look like he had gray hair and you'd blink and the gray would be gone. Sometimes in the same scene.

Beau was about as useless and boring as he's ever been, letting the women work to save Pierre. I also didn't like that he wanted Ruby to forget about her bayou roots and acted like she was white trash or something. Can you tell I hate Beau?

Thank goodness they shelved him with a broken arm so the ladies could carry the rest of the movie on their more than capable shoulders as finally, the seeds Ruby sowed came back to bite her re Paul. WTF to Ruby or Beau, Ruby especially, to never tell Pearl about her uncle Paul and all he did for her as a young girl. And how did she end up calling Paul's sister her aunt?

My favorite parts were the moments in the bayou, with Pearl finally learning about her Cajun roots and history. 

We also get to see Pearl kick Buster Trayhaw's ass and cage him in fine Landry women tradition.

And she got a man worthy of her in John. although them sleeping together within 48 hours of meeting and it being her first time was a little head-tilty.

The wrap-up with Ruby and Ghost Paul was pretty short and sweet and hokey, but it's VC Andrews Lifetime style, so I'll forgive it.