Little House on the Prairie (TV Series) Remember Me: Part I (1975) User Reviews

A rare television appearance of an Oscar-winning actress

[garrard · 9/10 · 6 October 2006]

Patricia Neal gives an outstanding performance as a dying widow that seeks a home for her three children in the first of a two-part installment of the family drama. The actress's distinctively husky voice and clear articulation perfectly fit the character and the dialog.

Her closing off-screen narration - a poetic farewell to her children - is beautifully executed:

"Remember me with smiles and laughter, for that is how I will remember you. If you can only remember with tears, then don't remember me at all."

Although the regular actors have their moments, the episode genuinely belongs to Neal, familiar to TV audiences as the original "Ma Walton" on the Christmas movie that served as that show's pilot.

David Rose's superb score for this episode would find itself being re-used in subsequent installments with similar "tear-jerking" results.

A Community Grieves...

[ExplorerDS6789 · 9/10 · 29 June 2011]

I should warn you that the beginning of this episode is absolutely gut-wrenching and probably the most tragic scene for any show, movie, what have you. It's drastic even for Little House's standards. A piece of human garbage scooped up some newborn puppies and put them in a burlap sack, then the son of a bitch got on his wagon and took them to the pond where he tossed them in the water! Thank God Mary and Laura were there when it happened and without wasting a minute, they dove in to save the puppies. Good news, everyone, they're okay! Except for being a little shaken up and wet, they're going to be fine. Until they can find suitable homes for the pups, Jack has become their surrogate father. In an unrelated story, the Ingallses get a visit from Julia Sanderson, their kindly neighbor, and her kids John Jr., Carl and Alicia, who instantly fall in love with the pups. Alicia wanted one badly, and since she has the cutest baby face you ever saw, she appealed to her Ma's good nature and was allowed to take one. Now if there's anything that can be said of Julia Sanderson is that she was a very happy woman who loved life, loved her kids and her friends, everything was going perfectly for her... but, as the saying goes, into everyone's life, a little rain must fall. After being examined by Doc Baker, he confirmed that Julia had a short time to live. She had terminal cancer and she wasn't expected to live past a year. She broke the news to Charles as straightforward and bluntly as a person can. The saddened Ingalls patriarch was then given the task of asking around town for a possible new home for the children.

Julia was the definition of trooper. She accepted her fate right off the bat and her main concern was for John Jr., Carl, and Alicia, and not for herself. She wanted normal, God-fearin' folks that would take in her children for love and not out of sympathy for her. Speaking of the children, she broke the news to them in a more sentimental way, saying that she was going to live in Heaven with their father. She wouldn't stand for no crying, saying they were shedding tears for themselves. They should be proud that their mother has been chosen to go home to be with the Lord. Good way of putting it, actually. Think of the good times and don't mourn, which really is easier said that done. At church following Reverend Alden's service, Julia broke the news to the congregation that she was not long for this world and then mentioned that her children will be needing a new home. She advised them not to give an answer right away, but to think long and hard about it. After that, the Ingalls', Edwards and Grace joined her for a fine picnic near the lake. The children played, the men played too and even Julia got a piece of the action. At that moment she never felt so alive. But then one fateful night, Charles and Caroline receive a visit from Doc Baker, saying Julia had taken a turn for the worse and she requested their presence. The Sanderson matriarch lay in her death bed, surrounded by close friends, as she reminded Charles of his promise to find her children a new home. They would be taken care of by Grace for the time being. Couldn't Grace take them in? Well, we'll deal with that in Part II. Julia's funeral came a few days later. Reverend Alden read a passage she'd requested. It went as follows: "Remember me with smiles and laughter, for that's how I'll remember you all. If you can only remember me with tears, then don't remember me at all."

Beautifully done from start to finish. This is probably one of the show's most dramatic and tragic episodes, and certainly one of the best written and acted as well. Michael Landon did an outstanding job writing and directing this episode. It comes straight from the heart and completely catches the human spirit, as well as put something as complicated and mysterious as death into a better perspective. Granted, I think that scene at the beginning with the puppies was overdoing it a bit, but I think it was there as a comparison/contrast moment. We see this farmer who obviously doesn't want the puppies and doesn't care what happens to them, and then we have Julia Sanderson who cares more for her children than anything else in the world and what happens to them is her top priority. As far as acting goes, Patricia Neal stole the show. She was wonderful as Julia Sanderson, one of the show's most positive characters. Her death was indeed a tragic one, although I think she should have been introduced earlier in the series which would have made a much bigger impact. Patricia went home to be with the Lord about a year ago, and it was too soon, I think. So to all you Little House fans, I say go to Costco, buy a bulk pack of Kleenex and check out "Remember Me". This is one episode you won't forget.

A must see episode

[cbest-84323 · 9/10 · 13 April 2017]

Written and directed by Michael Landon......this episode will tug on the heart strings......Patricia Neal plays the lead role Mrs. Sanderson (married to Roald Dahl). This veteran actress does a phenomenal job playing a widowed mother who succumbs to illness. A home is needed for her three children before she dies.......Mr. Edwards and Grace oblige.

Overall, this first of two part episodes shows the depth of all the characters involved including Victor French and the cast members...

One of the best episodes

[Coldspringscreations · 10/10 · 5 October 2021]

Patricia Neal is absolutely amazing. I have watched this episode many times and it still gets me.

Patricia Neal!

[Quinn4077 · 10/10 · 7 December 2021]

This is my favorite of the darker Little House episodes and it's because of Patricia Neal's performance - and this script is stronger, I think, than the other darker episodes, especially the later ones. She is amazing - just as she was on any screen she ever graced. The sad irony of this role being that she herself would die from cancer 35 years later. "I want them to remember me laughing."

wow!!!

[RedRainbowUnicorn23 · 10/10 · 2 October 2015]

This episode is a gem and IMO the star episode for season 2. Its the one and only 90 min special for season 2. This episode also introduces 3 new characters. Jhon Sanderson,Alicia Sanderson and Carl Sanderson. This episode also marks a big event. Grace and Mr Edwards are finally getting married. This episode goes about what a family goes through when the mother and father is dead and they must get new homes. Julia Sanderson is a long time good friend of Charles and one day comes with the news that she is going to die. This devastates Charles and she ask him to start looking for a new home. Charles couldn't find one so grace says that she and Mr Edwards would taker care of the children until he could find one. The following day Julia died.Charles finds a home but he is going to have to split them Mr Edwards doesn't like this so in the last second it was the grass that caught fire when he decides to marry Grace and adopt the children. This most memorable piece of poetry in this episode Will stay with you always "Remember me with smiles and laughter,cause that's the way I'd remember you all.if you could only remember me with tears then don't remember me at all" beautiful. Give this episode a look its a real gem in the little house series. Also that's the little poem that was red on Micheal Landon's own funeral.

Tear jerker

[mitchrmp · 10/10 · 4 March 2013]

This is probably one of the saddest episodes of the entire series (Though May We Make them Proud is probably much, much sadder). In this episode, we are introduced to Carl, John, and Alicia Sanderson, who soon become the adopted children of Isiah and Grace Edwards. Oh, but that's another story!

The story focuses on a widow with three children, Julia Sanderson. She learns early on that she has cancer of the lymph nodes and will soon die. She asks Charles to find a home for her children. The character is played by Patricia Neal, who is a talented actress. She does this part very well.

But with Julia, either you love her or you hate her. I tend to get upset with her a time or two at the way she breaks the news. She just blurts it out to Charles, then yells at her son for crying. I understood her getting upset for saying God's name in vain, but I think she should have let her children cry. It is a sad day, no matter how wonderful Heaven is. Her interesting personality stays with her through the entire episode, even when she announces her fate to the entire church.

The episode starts with a dark cloud over it as Mary and Laura become the rescuers of three unwanted puppies that are thrown into the river. Though a bit overplayed for my taste, it still warms you heart to see the girls in so much turmoil for these small, defenseless animals.

The first part of this episode ends with a sweet poem that Reverend Alden reads. We will hear it again in the second episode, but that time we tend to cry happy tears. Want to know what happens to the children? Have you been waiting for the marriage of the century? Well watch part 2!

Kyle Richards first prairie appearance

[Paulldavidson · 10/10 · 26 April 2022]

This was an emotional episode charles has to find a home for 3 children as their mom passes away the children played by radames pera (grasshopper kung fu) brian part and Kyle Richards. Kyle Richards recently returned to the halloween film saga playing lyndsey wallace a character she played in 1978 in the original halloween film Kyle is the sister of Kim Richards who in turn starred in little house on the prairie. Charles is met with a tough decision he finds a home for the children but it means they'll be spilt up okay Mr Edwards to the rescue he and Grace end up getting married and they take the children on as their own.

Get out the handkerchiefs, part 1

[gregorycanfield · 9/10 · 6 November 2021]

This show seemed to have a thing for projecting actors as younger than their real ages. Referring to the Patricia Neal character, Charles describes her as "about 40." No, Patricia Neal was closer to 50 at the time, and looked even older. The same is true of the Oleson characters. Katherine MacGregor and Richard Bull looked too old to have children as young as Nellie and Willie. As for this episode, the story pulls at the heart strings, for the obvious reasons. Patricia Neal's character finds out that she is about to die. She's not afraid of death, or very worried about what will happen to her three children. She is sure some good-hearted soul will take her kids in. Her bravery and positive attitude becomes sickening! I don't think Patricia Neal was the best choice for this role. I know what I was supposed to take from the story. However, I don't automatically sympathize with a character, just because Michael Landon might have expected everyone to do so. The whole story seems to be a set-up for the events of Part 2, which is a better episode.