'Little House on the Prairie' movie: What's behind the series' lasting appeal?
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Molly Driscoll Staff writer
Will the Ingalls family soon be coming to the big screen?
A film version of the 1970s TV series, which itself was based on the bestselling series of children鈥檚 books by Laura Ingalls Wilder, is reportedly .听
Sean Durkin, who helmed the film 鈥淢artha Marcy May Marlene,鈥� is set to direct the movie and 鈥淪uffragette鈥� writer Abi Morgan is set to pen the script.听
Wilder published the first book in her series, 鈥淟ittle House in the Big Woods," in 1932. Several others followed, including 鈥淧rairie鈥� and such titles as 鈥淟ittle Town on the Prairie.鈥澛�
The books told the story of Wilder鈥檚 childhood and her family鈥檚 moves to areas including Wisconsin, Kansas, and Minnesota.听
The TV show, which aired for nine seasons, proved popular and the TV program is reportedly the basis for the movie.
Interest in Wilder鈥檚 stories has apparently not waned. When the South Dakota State Historical Society Press published Wilder鈥檚 autobiography 鈥淧ioneer Girl鈥� in 2014, the book quickly went through multiple printings.听
Publishing previous works like a biography about Wilder but not written by her 鈥渄idn鈥檛 really prepare us for the kind of interest that [Wilder's] name on a book would bring,鈥� at the time.
What is behind the continuing appeal of Wilder鈥檚 stories? writes that Wilder herself, as represented in her stories, may be part of the draw. 鈥淭he reason for this popularity is, first and foremost, the timeless appeal of Laura's spirited, push-the-envelope character (a true reflection of Wilder's personality),鈥� she wrote of the book series. 鈥淟ike many children, Laura is eternally curious and restless, traits that were frowned upon at the time, but which immediately engage young readers.鈥�
, in separating fact from fiction in Wilder鈥檚 life, writes of the appeal of the book series, 鈥淧ioneers could be cold, dirty, or hungry without whining. They faced down adversity. They made do with little鈥�. The books inspired whole generations of women, and Americans of all political persuasions admire the tenaciousness of settlers like Ma and Pa Ingalls and their four daughters.鈥�
