'Young Pioneers' Christmas" is an ABC TV film that aired in 1976. It's set in the Great Plains of South Dakota in the 1870s. "Sodbusters" are settling down with claims granted by the government in the prairie land. But the railroad is now coming through and threatens some of the settlers. Most of these people live in sod houses because there is no lumber. Indeed, true to history, the scenes show nary a tree on the land.
A young couple, David and Molly Beaton have lost their baby son. They each keep their grief bottled up inside. In the meantime, neighbors have their own problems, including a widower, Mr. Peters, whose oldest daughter, Nettie, is now the woman of their home with two younger children - a boy and a girl. And, a single friend, Dan Gray has his property taken for the railroad. Nettie has eyes for Dan, but he's a little stand-offish - for the time being..
This is a story about them all weathering the tough year of 1874 among friends, and finding love and peace together. The acting is fair, nothing special and wooded in a couple of places. The small town and country settings look authentic enough. The one thing that is clearly not right is the several teenage-looking boys in the cavalry unit with the government agent. There isn't a sergeant or even a corporal there in charge of them. Nor are they properly uniformed.
This will do as a Christmas story if one has nothing else to watch. It's a family film but one for which most with young children may find it hard keeping interested and watching.
Here's a favorite exchange of dialog from the film.
David Beaton, "You know I'm all for a man marrying. Why, I made up my mind when I was only 10 that you were gonna be my wife when I got to marrying age." Molly Beaton, "Ah, well I decided that when I was only eight."