Priorities in Life at the Heart of ‘Harvest’

Fate brings an FBI agent and an Amish woman together in Sunday’s uninspired CBS movie, “Harvest of Fire,” but this “Hallmark Hall of Fame” presentation serves up female bonding, not another “Witness.”

When Sally (Lolita Davidovich)--a hotshot career-obsessed FBI agent investigating barn burnings in Iowa Amish country--becomes friends with Amish mama Annie (Patty Duke), surprise, she reevaluates her priorities in life.

In particular, surrounded by people with rock-solid family values, she reassesses her relationship with her live-in lover, Scott (James Read), the man whom--in her zeal for independence, naturally--she has refused to marry.

Sally’s road to self-realization begins when she tries to discover who keeps burning Amish barns: an outsider or a disturbed member of the nonviolent Amish community. She’ll go to any lengths to find out, even if it means eating homemade pie and learning to quilt and milk a cow.

As Sally challenges a couple of toughs in a smoky bar, confronts a shady real estate dealer, saves a child from a fire and imposes herself upon Annie’s hospitality, her respect for the Amish grows. She questions Annie, however, about the rigidity of their rules and customs, which she fears may have driven one of their own to commit the crimes, despite their belief in passive resistance.

The tale, directed by Arthur Allan Seidelman, unfolds without much suspense, but writers Richard Alfieri and Susan Nanus’ respectful glimpse into Amish life is fascinating, and Duke does an admirable job as a quiet, dignified voice for Amish faith and community life.

Davidovich fares less well, finding little to do with her cliched, sophisticated career-woman role except strike poses.

* “Harvest of Fire” airs at 9 p.m. Sunday on CBS (Channel 2).