User Reviews

Some of the critics said it was like a revenge movie. The son was just saying how he felt. People still want to see Landon as little Joe, pa Ingalls and the angel on highway to heaven, and he definitely wasn't a angel. To me the son wrote a truthful story of a man who did have problems.

This film is about the life and times of Michael Landon, fifties teenage b-movie actor and star of successful and long-running TV series like "Bonanza", "Little House on the Prairie" and "Highway to Heaven". It focuses on the private life of Landon, reaching from his early "Bonanza" days in the sixties to his sad cancer death in 1991.

Directed by his son, Michael Landon jr., it is rather an autobiography about a tragic father and son relationship. As Landon left his family very early for another younger woman, it's the only thing that this movie is really about. What could have become an interesting portrait of a TV actor is just a boring and cheesy kitchen sink drama and a bit of an autotherapy of the director. You won't learn much about Landon or his works, but more about his hair styles during all those decades. And that's not enough for an interesting movie.

So, the film lacks all of the hype of recent Tv movies. But makes up for it in good performances. I was truly impressed with John Schneider's performance. At first, I didn't even know it was him. He melts into the character of Michael Landon with ease. The film revolves around Michael Landon Jr.'s memories of his father and his life growing up as the son of a famous actor. His father is portrayed as the wholesome figure we all knew from his shows, but grows into a cheating husband and throws his families away, again and again. It was refreshing to see a different aspect of Michael Landon's life.

Shame on the son. Shame for bringing personal life of his father to light whether true or not. It's all for money right. ?? Well I hope u made a lot of money of this movie but when it comes your time you will know that disgracing your own father for money comes at a price. Yuck !! Micheal Landon was a great actor and i love little house on the prairie. His personal life should stay that way.

I liked the movies. It wasn't bad.The only think I didn' like was that Michael Landon didn't get any older. He stayed young. I remember he let his hair go gray. The character reminded me of welfare moms that like to have baby after baby because they love having some one that young around. it means you don't have to get old. I kept wondering why didn't he get a woman who liked having babies and then he wouldn't have to pay child support for all those wives. Glad the son got clean and sober and made a life from himself..

While I never was a big fan of Michael Landon's TV work, I do remember liking his Little House on the Prairie when I was a kid, the longer it did run, the more tedious it became, not to speak of Highway to Heaven. But it gets worse with this Michael Landon jr directed TV movie about his father... or more precisely: about the son. It's a family drama, OK, but what a boring one it is. You never get to like any of its characters nor do you get a view into Landons work as actor and director. All of it is so superficial it gets quite silly to the end. Yes, it could have been interesting, maybe Michael Landon was not the Mr. nice guy he liked to portray in his shows, but with this terrible TV movie neither of it really gets a deeper look. Don't bother to watch it.

While I was prepared for a nasty tell-all in the form of "Mommy Dearest," as the reviewer in TV Guide had written, I was pleasantly surprised to see a poignant story of the son of a once-loving father having to come to terms with his own and his father's imperfections.

While it was a joy to see the depicted Michael Landon, Jr. eventually triumph over many life-controlling problems, and learn to love his father, the viewer will be compelled to use up a box of Kleenex when he learns that his father, the nationally-beloved Michael Landon, must inevitably die of inoperable cancer. Even though many of us lived through it ourselves as we watched Michel Landon's courageous fight against pancreatic cancer in the news, it was even tougher this time; we had to see the process through the eyes of a loving son who is unable to help his father fight a relentlessly progressing disease.

Most surprising of all is the clarity of Michael Landon, Jr's directorial vision. From the first moment, his style easily drew the viewer in to the point that the audience could actually experience what it was like to be part of the Landon family. That makes watching the family deteriorate later on even more involving and immediate. He will grow to be a true master of the art of film as he matures. I look forward to more of his work.

This was a wonderful documentary! Michael Landon Jr. did a great job at directing these characters. Also, he chose actors that really fit the roles. John Schneider fit into the role of Michael Sr. like a duck to water.Fifteen minutes into the movie I forgot that wasn't Michael Sr. standing on the screen once again! The three actors playing Jr,too, did a great job in their roles. The actors were fairly young but acted with such skill as a Hollywood Veteran. This movie is perfect for anyone even if your not a fan of either Landon man. Still for the fans it shows the Hollywood icon being what he really was good at and thats just being a real human being! For the first time we see the Michael Landon few saw while he was behind closed doors. Bravo to Michael Landon Jr. for a superb film.

All of Michael Landon's other children, as well as his sister and his wife, his co-stars, agents and friends...have refused to have anything to do with this latest project of the kid who turns everything he touches into coal. This movie was poorly made, poorly written and poorly directed. Michael Landon JUNIOR makes one wonder how the child of such an incredibly talented man can be so diametrically opposed in every way. Complete lack of acting skill...no directing ability and writing that would make any tabloid editor smile....Junior once again alienates family, friends and the professionals who worked with Michael Landon as he spins his tale of Rich Little Boy Gone Bad and now blaming Dead Daddy... Not worth watching..but, the A and E special done several weeks later in response to this film gets an A plus! Junior's siblings and family are interviewed as well as Michael Landon Senior's...business partners and co-stars.and we see a much different picture than the one portrayed by Junior. Family and friends and business associates of Michael Landon Senior report openly on this special that JUNIOR acted alone and in the face of discouragement from anyone else who knew Landon.

In summary, SILLY TABLOID MOVIE....waste of electrical energy in any home that watches it.

I was quite impressed with John Schneider's performance of the late-great star. His portrayal was honest and well acted. This role shows the entire world that John has gone beyond the slick talking Bo Duke and is capable of so much more.

It's quite sad that such a great man's memory should have been in any way tarnished by such a b-grade tabloid piece of work. Every interview I have ever read suggests a contrary view of Landon. He should be remembered as the man who was capable of writing and acting in such uplifting positive shows as "Highway To Heaven" rather than the view of a bitter son blaming his father for the problems he had in his life.

No doubt it can be hard being the child of a famous film or TV star, but there's one big advantage these offspring have that the rest of us don't - they can use their Hollywood clout to make a heavily-biased, thinly-disguised hate movie about the parent who slighted them, be it in real life, in a changed will, or in the child's own tortured imagination. And if, by dint of being dead for eight years before the movie's release, the subject parent has no right of reply to what amounts to a good dose of celluloid libel, how much sweeter the slighted one's revenge must feel.

There are two things about this movie I am grateful for: that I didn't pay money to see it and that Landon Jr qualified the title with the words "The Father I Knew". If he hadn't, I would never had recognized the main character as Michael Landon Sr.

John Schneider's portrayal of the charismatic and charming Michael Sr is so shallow it results in a comic caricature that is painful to watch and tosses credibility straight out the window. Cheryl Ladd as Lynn Noe Landon limps along in a soap-opera role tiringly over-weighted in the opposite direction of wronged innocence that finally wanders into weary saintedness. Boring! Some more thoughtful moments of human complexity are revealed in the problems developed by Landon Jr and his sister Leslie. Her behavioural responses to the family dynamics ring true until we remember that research has shown the causal factor to be a dysfunctional relationship with the mother rather than the father.

If Landon Jr's movie was an attempt to garner sympathy for his difficult life, it failed. If its aim was to inform the public of the objective truth about Michael Landon Sr, Wikipedia does it better. If it had audience enjoyment or entertainment as a goal, it missed that mark as well, although the younger kids were cute, the sets were nice, and the scenery eye-pleasing. If making this movie served to work out Landon Jr's psychological devastations, let's hope it succeeded because a high price was paid in the character assassination of the highly-regarded Michael Landon Sr.

It is interesting that the main thrust of Landon Jr's argument is his father's hypocrisy. Landon Sr played well-loved television characters of impeccable integrity, most notably in this film the beloved and near-perfect Pa Ingalls in the Little House on the Paririe series. Meanwhile in real life he apparently destroyed his first two marriages through an affair. He allegedly barely functioned as an emotionally-resistant parent who either refused to hear or chose to ignore his older children's pleas for love and recognition.

These days his son, Landon Jr, enjoys a successful career as a film-maker. His movies win Camie awards. Family groups applaud his life choices. He actively promotes Christian values of love, respect, loyalty and forgiveness. It seems a tad hypocritical on the Junior Landon's part that he could not apply these very principles to his one and only film memorial of his father. If nothing else, it would have made for a much better movie.

It's a heart-rending story from the perspective of an older child on divorce. Very realistic on divorce. There is no such thing as a 'civil' divorce - especially when children are involved. It tears at their hearts for years. People forget that stars, even their favorites are still fallible people and some of the choices they make devastate loved ones around them. I liked Michael Landon Sr. and the pictures he made. And I still enjoy watching them. I've also recently watched his son's movies and have enjoyed them too. I hope he is a good father in real life and uses the pain his father caused to stay committed to his wife. Too many throw away marriages today... every one looking for the "happily ever after" that is unrealistic and won't work at making a good marriage and a stable family home for the next generation. It is work - but the dividends are well worth it. Hollywood has glorified adultery for too long, ignoring the pain it causes or portraying the hurt party as deserving of the disloyalty... and portraying the third party as an innocent. There is nothing innocent or pure or noble about having a sexual relationship with someone else's spouse. It's selfish. But enough of the soap box. It was sad, but good. Dr. J. Wraye

I mean in the 8 years prior to this been made and the love fest special Michael Landon: Memories with Laughter and Love he did on his Da in 91/92.

These wonderful actors made me feel as though I was right there in the Landon home, watching everything unfold! I even cried a couple of times. Great job to all involved 👍🏾👍🏾

This is the worst movie made about one of the best men of Hollywood. I knew Michael Landon personally and worked with him on the set of Highway To Heaven. This movie was obviously a money making venture. Michael Landon was always a loving father. He was a gracious and very kind man who would give you the shirt off of his back. Sure, he was divorced but he was also married for 20 years to the same woman and gave Michael Jr. more love and affection in those years than most kids will ever get from both parents combined. Michael was truly the most remarkable man I have ever known. His love for his family and his heart was one of PURE GOLD. He had faults, sure...but Jr. needs to take a close look at himself and be careful lest he falls as well. I DO NOT recommend this movie to anyone who is a fan of Michael Landon. Bad film all around.

Michael Landon, junior did a good job, as his life with a very famous father seems to have brought him maturity. Meaning that he is able to love his father, whose warts abound as much as any of us. Most times, we find it more than a little hard to love our parents when we discover that they are as human as we are!

I think "his" account (personal viewpoint) of his dad is told as honestly as he was able to tell it. I hope he follows this movie up with a sequel. It would be nice to know how all of the Landon children survived the death of their dad. I imagine that the writing and the directing of this life experience was more than a little helpful to the author.

If there is one thing that stands out in the movie, it is the work ethic his father had. The movie show us how Michael junior learned how to work hard instead of sponging off of his wealthy parents. There are a few things like the example of "hard work" in the movie that make it more than just merely beneficial to watch.

The pros, Schneider, Ladd and rest of cast all did fantastic job. Clearly this was a made for TV lower budget but was presented well.

The cons, the story is completely biased, telling us this sons sniveling simpering whining outlook on life when his Father and Mother divorce. Yes its tough on kids when parents divorce, my issue was we only, and the world, saw only his view. Omitting defense for his Fathers actions, nor did he recognize absolutely no faults on his Mothers end for their relationships problems, this was literally a tunnel view of anger against a Father, like a little kid standing in a living room hearing your parents argue, makes you sad, your Dad appears to be the bad man, but you really have no facts or reality to base your feelings on.

I believe Michael Landon Sr. Deserved better than this, especially since Jr mad this film long after he was dead. Although it came together at the end of the movie, by that time it too late youve already put a bad taste in our mouths, I for one am spitting it back out. I hope you found you life Jr, likely by Standin on your Fathers back.

I thought I was going to be watching a heartfelt, true telling of Michael Landon's off camera life with character traits that resemble something of his TV writings. Instead I learned he was much less than perfect and broke his son, Michael's heart, which lasted throughout every scene.

There was nothing I learned about his father other than he was an intensely selfish, lying cheater. He hurt his children, and that hurt was made to be the blame for Michael Jr's failure at SC, his inability to grow up, to move on, to be his own person minus all the financial favors his parents provided him.

How I wish the rich could walk just a few blocks in my shoes, or those of others whose blue collar, alcoholic, bigoted Archie Bunker fathers were never, one day, there for them. Many of us chose to enlist in the military and from there build our lives as we knew best, never expecting a handout, never having the sort of support the TV industry provided.

Try reaching Masters level while being the poorest pauper in the county who collected soda bottles lying alongside the highway as he made his way to class. With those bottles, I redeemed them for enough money to eat in a supermarket buffet - the one meal of my day. Such a cry baby this Michael was,

I read somewhere that Michael Landon used to give boxes of T-bone steaks to special friends, that he craved and ate red meat constantly. Could that not have created the development of his illness?

A homage from a son to a deceased father. It is always regretable to knock a tribute movie but due to a bad script the acting is flat and on occasions well over the top. (No children welcome their father in such a manner unless he has been away for a couple of hundred years.) Incidents like Landon Sr. bending a cheeky guy's finger for swearing in front of his children appear contrived and incidental to the story. As a whole the movie sprawls over too long a time period. I feel Landon Jr. should have focussed more tightly on key incidents and looked deeper into his own emotions, maybe then, the viewer could have more sympathy with his (Landon Jr's), predicament. The editing lacks sharpness and slows a boring movie down to a snail's pace. Even for daytime TV this movie has very little to engage the interest.

This film vilifies Michael Landon, a man of extraordinary talent, guts, compassion,intelligence, and empathy for the downtrodden. I am a big Michael Landon aficionada...and I watched and taped the movie when it was aired years ago. It was completely biased. For example, it made Lynn Landon look like a poor betrayed wife...well, that is partially true, but nowhere did Michael, Jr. mention that Lynn was married to two men before Michael!!! Mr. Pontrelli...and then Mr. Manny Baier...She was older than Michael and more experienced...in many ways. She was said to be more concerned with her Beverly Hills status than with enjoying life with Michael. She wouldn't cook, and she apparently couldn't even be bothered to learn how to make a cup of coffee. Michael,Jr. also neglected to mention that he was heavily into drugs as an older teen, and that he was asked to leave the college he attended. Cindy was made out to be a teenybopper type; I have met Cindy, and she was warm and sensible..and she truly loved Michael. Such a superficial treatment by Landon, Jr., with bad acting, poor casting, hackneyed direction, and poor-me writing...makes this "daddydearest" a real loser. Avoid it; spend the time watching repeats of "Bonanza"..."Little House" and "Highway to Heaven".... Betsy

I'm sorry Mr OhioBonanza - it seems you are too emotionally involved with the Landon's for any impartial reasoning. Did you fail to read the title : 'The Father I Knew' / 'A Father's Son' ???????

It's a son's recount - who was clearly taken for granted and at times, forgotten by his self-indulgent, hormone-crazed father - of this man who was his parent. & for someone who wasn't there to disregard what he experienced growing up being Michael Landon Jnr - is very selfish, arrogant and mean spirited.

**************A stale piece of hogwash, 16 May 2004. This film vilifies Michael Landon, a man of extraordinary talent, guts, compassion,intelligence, and empathy for the downtrodden. I am a big Michael Landon fan...and I watched and taped the movie when it was aired years ago. It was completely biased. For example, it made Lynn Landon look like a poor betrayed wife...well, that is partially true, but nowhere did Michael, Jr. mention that Lynn was married to two men before Michael!!! Mr. Pontrelli...and then Mr. Manny Baier...She was older than Michael and more experienced...in many ways. She was said to be more concerned with her Beverly Hills status than with enjoying life with Michael. She wouldn't cook, and she apparently couldn't even be bothered to learn how to make a cup of coffee. Michael,Jr. also neglected to mention that he was heavily into drugs as an older teen, and that he was asked to leave the college he attended. Cindy was made out to be a teenybopper type; I have met Cindy, and she was warm and sensible..and she truly loved Michael. Such a superficial treatment by Landon, Jr., with bad acting, poor casting, hackneyed direction, and poor-me writing...makes this "daddydearest" a real loser. Avoid it; spend the time watching repeats of "Bonanza"..."Little House" and "Highway to Heaven".... Betsy