Michael Landon: El padre que conocí

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.