This made for TV movie is about a father and son, who pass unintentionally by a small town. The story begins with the two coming to the aid of an anxious couple who have crashed their car into a ditch, on a quiet stretch of road. They leave a bag behind, so the father and son attempt to return the bag to the couple, as it has an address on it. After successfully locating the address, they become stranded in the town and are forced to stay. On the morning after, the son gets hurt and is forced to spend some time in the local hospital. Forced to prolong their stay, they begin to mix with the locals. Initially unknown to the father and son, everyone in the town does not age physically. This mystery slowly unravels to them as well as the secret to their eternal youth, and what happens when it is time for one to 'continue the journey'.
9 Reviews
Chick-flik masquerading as Sci-Fi Horror
gatebanger13 December 2002
This is the typical "small town with something to hide" story. In this case, the "something" is a spring that keeps the inhabitants perpetually young -- until they reach their centennial. When a townie reaches the age of 100, the community throws a lavish birthday party, the climax of which is the murder of the guest of honor. One way to control the population, I guess.
Shirley Jackson's "The Lottery" is a much better example of the genre.
The most notable thing about this movie is that the author of the book upon which the movie is based, Clifford Irving, did 14 months in jail for defrauding his publisher with a phony "authorized" biography of Howard Hughes.
There's nothing great or really memorable about this movie, but it's a pleasant enough way to kill a couple of hours.
Shirley Jackson's "The Lottery" is a much better example of the genre.
The most notable thing about this movie is that the author of the book upon which the movie is based, Clifford Irving, did 14 months in jail for defrauding his publisher with a phony "authorized" biography of Howard Hughes.
There's nothing great or really memorable about this movie, but it's a pleasant enough way to kill a couple of hours.
Nobody lives forever
sol-kay14 June 2010
Warning: Spoilers
(Some Spoilers) Driving through the hills and valleys of middle America both Dennis Conway, Kayle Maclachlan, and his son Nick, Joseph Cross, come across his couple stranded when their car went off the road. As things turn out the couple Robert & Molly Lovell, Zachary Ansley & Demi Delory, seem scared of something and despite Dennis and Nick helping them out of the ditch their in they both are more interested in checking out of the area then thanking them. In the Lovell's heist they leave a duffel bag at the accident site that Dennis decides to return to them in a place, from checking out the tag on it, called Springville.
It's in Springville where life springs eternal for the people living there and it's not long after their arrival that both Dennis & Nick come to realize that very amazing fact of life. The first thing that Dennis notices at Springville is that nobody seem to have aged beyond their 35th birthday! And even more surprising is that at the Springville Cemetery the gravestones have no day of birth or death dates on them!
It's only after when the town doctor Sophie Weston, Alison Eastwood, got to treat little Nick who was almost crushed to death by a lumber avalanche, from off a truck, that the truth comes out about what exactly Springville is really all about! It's a town that's closed to any new home buyers which has this really groovy spring on its property. A spring, that Springville was named after, that's the fabled "Fountain of Youth" that latter day Spanish explorers lost their lives looking for. A "Fountain of Youth" located not in Florida where it was suspected to be but in the very heart of small town middle America itself!
***SPOILERS*** With all the good news about Spingville there's one very bad thing about it and the people that reside there. After they reach their 100th birthday their given a grand send-off by being drowned in the very spring water that got them to get that far in life. With Dennis falling in love with Sophie and wanting to marry her he soon finds out that not only was or is, were quite not sure, she married to Gus, George Eads, the local car mechanic and gas pump jockey for some 82 years but is, like Gus, about to be put under the waves and drowned on her 100th birthday!
Interesting made for TV movie about eternal life and the drawbacks that come along with it. The wise people of Springville had long ago found out that life isn't worth living when there's no end to it. This creates many problems like population explosions and the using up of the world's natural resources. This in fact can lead to far worse things then death itself which is the normal way of nature keeping checks and balances on the environment and world populations.
It takes a while for Dennis and Kyle to realize what they got, by trying to become Springville residents, themselves into. The two later decide to take their chances on the outside world and face whatever it, in illnesses and accidents, has to offer them then be part of a society that's forced to murder their own, when they reach 100, in order for them to survive!
It's in Springville where life springs eternal for the people living there and it's not long after their arrival that both Dennis & Nick come to realize that very amazing fact of life. The first thing that Dennis notices at Springville is that nobody seem to have aged beyond their 35th birthday! And even more surprising is that at the Springville Cemetery the gravestones have no day of birth or death dates on them!
It's only after when the town doctor Sophie Weston, Alison Eastwood, got to treat little Nick who was almost crushed to death by a lumber avalanche, from off a truck, that the truth comes out about what exactly Springville is really all about! It's a town that's closed to any new home buyers which has this really groovy spring on its property. A spring, that Springville was named after, that's the fabled "Fountain of Youth" that latter day Spanish explorers lost their lives looking for. A "Fountain of Youth" located not in Florida where it was suspected to be but in the very heart of small town middle America itself!
***SPOILERS*** With all the good news about Spingville there's one very bad thing about it and the people that reside there. After they reach their 100th birthday their given a grand send-off by being drowned in the very spring water that got them to get that far in life. With Dennis falling in love with Sophie and wanting to marry her he soon finds out that not only was or is, were quite not sure, she married to Gus, George Eads, the local car mechanic and gas pump jockey for some 82 years but is, like Gus, about to be put under the waves and drowned on her 100th birthday!
Interesting made for TV movie about eternal life and the drawbacks that come along with it. The wise people of Springville had long ago found out that life isn't worth living when there's no end to it. This creates many problems like population explosions and the using up of the world's natural resources. This in fact can lead to far worse things then death itself which is the normal way of nature keeping checks and balances on the environment and world populations.
It takes a while for Dennis and Kyle to realize what they got, by trying to become Springville residents, themselves into. The two later decide to take their chances on the outside world and face whatever it, in illnesses and accidents, has to offer them then be part of a society that's forced to murder their own, when they reach 100, in order for them to survive!
Why is this on TV, let alone Lifetime?
D.S. Lindsey17 April 2002
I'm watching this movie right now on Lifetime. Why it's on Lifetime, I have no idea--there doesn't seem to be a rapist, pedophile, wifebeater or childbeater in the whole thing. It has the predictable quality of most mainstream science fiction, but without the interesting gadgets or effects of most mainstream science fiction. Why am I watching this?
Very bad but better than others
muddphudle6 November 2005
This movie was a confusing piece of garbage. You never knew what was going on. The characters were poorly written and for the most part they were totally unsympathetic except for Gus (played masterfully by George Eads). I hate this movie but compared to others (Dark Harvest, Dracula's Curse) it should have won an academy award. It was particularly sad to see a talented actor like George Eads in such a disgraceful and tacky film. Lifetime you have sunken to whole new low. Someone needs to make sure that this director never works in movies again. Also was this supposed to be a horror film because it was a lot more funny than scary. For shame Lifetime, For shame.
Pleasant Made For TV Movie
claudio_carvalho23 July 2008
While driving on vacation with his son Nick Conway (Joseph Cross) in a lonely road, the widow writer Dennis Conway (Kyle MacLachlan) helps a young couple that crashed their classic car out of the road. Dennis uses his van to tow the car back to the road and later Nick finds a duffel bag with an address forgotten by the couple on the ditch. They drive to Springsville to return the bag and after locating the house, they spend the night in town. On the next morning, while waiting for the breakfast, Nick has an accident with a logging truck in the gas station and breaks his leg. They are forced to stay and Nick has a crush on Dr. Sophie Weston (Alison Eastwood) that is treating his son. When Dennis discovers that the dwellers do not get old or sick due to the water of the local spring, Dennis asks Sophie to convince the council of the town to stay in Springsville. However, when he discovers the dark secret of the one hundredth birthday party of the locals, he evaluates his decision.
"The Spring" is a pleasant made for TV movie about a place like a contemporary Shangri-La. The story has flaws, like for example would the children keep their age forever?; but anyway it is an enjoyable family entertainment. My vote is seven.
Title (Brazil): "O Mistério da Fonte" ("The Mystery of the Fountain")
"The Spring" is a pleasant made for TV movie about a place like a contemporary Shangri-La. The story has flaws, like for example would the children keep their age forever?; but anyway it is an enjoyable family entertainment. My vote is seven.
Title (Brazil): "O Mistério da Fonte" ("The Mystery of the Fountain")
fairly interesting story with a lot of holes
blanche-216 June 2005
Warning: Spoilers
I agree with the poster whose comments are on the home page for this title. There are a few explanations lacking in this film. It did hold my interest, however, though the story was derivative. I think for me it would have been a little more interesting if the young people talked about old things like World War I or II or listened to the big bands or Rudy Vallee. Just a thought.
As it was, this was a rather bland TV movie, though I always enjoy Kyle McLachlan. I didn't think Ms. Eastwood had very much going for her in the acting department. I also wondered about the way the citizens were killed when they turned 100. What would have been wrong with an injection of something? Permanent total immersion seemed a little harsh.
As it was, this was a rather bland TV movie, though I always enjoy Kyle McLachlan. I didn't think Ms. Eastwood had very much going for her in the acting department. I also wondered about the way the citizens were killed when they turned 100. What would have been wrong with an injection of something? Permanent total immersion seemed a little harsh.
Immortality - reality check .........
merklekranz21 December 2013
Town where no one ages, folks are kept forever young by drinking water from a magic spring. Along comes Kyle MacLachan and his Son, Joseph Cross. Enamored with the strange behaving residents, they are gradually enlightened to the price one pays for brief immortality. This bland TV movie really goes nowhere beyond the initial idea, and gradually peters out. The town's bizarre method of controlling overpopulation of the potential immortals is beaten to death with several 100th birthday rituals. There isn't enough material here to maintain interest for 93 minutes. As a "Twilight Zone" episode, "The Spring" would have been totally acceptable, but the reality is, as a full length film it is simply too long. - MERK
a father and son accidently discover a fountian of youth in a small town!!
Doc_Who16 January 2000
This made for TV movie is about a father and son who accidently discover a "foutain of youth" in a small town.The son gets hurts and spends some time in the local hosptial.Unknown to the dad and son, everyone is the town has not aged!!The locals allow people to live up to one hundred years old. When this occurs, the locals hold a party and procceds to kill the birthday party guest!The town offers the travelers to stay but they cannot ever leave again!It was OK for the small screen, I just wish they would of had the idea of explaining about the children living there!?Just how are they born and age?Other than that it also asks us about questions about aging and playing god with people's lives!!?The cast was decent, but I wish Alison Eastwood(clint's daughter) character was better developed!!
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