Review of Another PBS Frontline Documentary

Last week, I reviewed Country Boys, a PBS Frontline documentary by David Sutherland. Well, this week I've been watching another Sutherland film. It's also a Frontline special, and it's called The Farmer's Wife (1998, David sutherland Productions, Inc.). I first saw this on TV when it aired a decade ago. I was intrigued then and am completely gripped now.
This three-part series chronicles the struggles of Darrell and Juanita Buschkoetter, a Nebraska farm couple, and their three young daughters over the course of three years (1995-97). Tom Pantera of The Forum (Fargo, North Dakota) calls this film: "Norman Rockwell's America interpreted by John Steinbeck... it's a truly amazing piece of filmmaking." According to Tom Walter of The Commercial Appeal (Memphis, Tennessee), The Farmer's Wife is: "Extraordinary... As heartwrenching and real a documentary as you'll ever see." Both Pantera and Walter are completely correct in their assessments. This film is totally raw and does not glamorize or sugarcoat the farm lifestyle in any way, shape, or form.
There were many things I liked about this documentary. For one thing, I loved its aforementioned grittiness. Secondly, nothing is staged, and the film is not edited to be blatantly biased for or against the Buschkoetters. The best thing about the movie, however, is Juanita. Juggling motherhood, the duties that accompany being a farm wife, a menial job cleaning rich peoples' houses, and college, she is the film's undeniable heroine. Juanita is not only devoted to her family and making her troubled marriage work, but she is also strong-willed and intelligent and does not pull punches or mince words about her situation. For example, she always stands up to Darrell, who has trouble standing up to his domineering parents and is consequently upset and frustrated most of the time.
Now, for what I didn't like. For starters, I wish viewers could see more interaction between Darrell, Juanita, and Darrell's parents. At one point, for example, there is going to a be family mediation session about the fate of the family farm, but the elder Buschkoetters refuse to allow the camera crew in on it. Also, Darrell and his family are just plain terrible to Juanita at times. I hate it when Darrell gets angry and jealous at her for going to work and school in order to better herself and the girls. Finally, I was disappointed in the DVD's special features. For instance, I was looking forward to seeing the "new" interviews with the family, but these interviews were conducted right after the documentary was made. (I recently read an update on the PBS website that Darrell and Juanita are now divorced and remarried to other people.)
Despite these relatively minor flaws, The Farmer's Wife is well worth the six hours it takes to watch it. This is a haunting portrait of a way of life that many believe no longer exists.