"Country" Tour - The Ivy's Traditional Cache

The cache is placed near what remains of a long lane up to Ivy farm where the heart of the film takes place. If you look carefully to the north not far from the crest of the hill and if the crops are not too high, you can still see the old pump that stood at the farm location.

In the movie, Gil (Sam Shepard) and Jewell (Jessica Lange) Ivy and their three children, Carlisle (played by Dunkerton teen, Levi Knebel), Marlene (Theresa Graham), and baby Missy (played by local twins, Stephanie and Stacy Poyner) are a happy, loving family struggling to make ends meet during the farm crisis of the 1980's.

A pivotal scene in the movie takes place at this driveway. Jewell is seen cheerfully pushing her baby daughter in a stroller down the long lane to get the mail. She thumbs through the mail at the mailbox and finds a letter from the FmHA, which she tears open to read as she stands in the driveway. Gil arrives home in his pickup a few minutes later and sees Jewell's stricken face as she clutches her daughter and wordlessly hands her husband the letter. The family's lives begin to crumble -- the FmHA has demanded that the Ivy's farm loans be paid in full.

The Ivy's farmstead during the filming of the movie Country. The mailbox with "G. IVY" stayed in place for quite awhile after the movie opened in 1984, then eventually disappeared.

The farm house used in Country.

Many local people had the opportunity to play "Hollywood" and filled bit parts and extras in several scenes. My husband and my father were both extras in the dramatic auction scene at the end of the movie. They spent a frigid week in November 1983 wearing the same clothing every day to film the 5-10 minute scene that ended up in the movie. Of the stars, they most enjoyed talking with Wilford Brimley (Otis in the film) who was not above coming out of his warm trailer and jawing with the common folk.

Jewell Ivy (Jessica Lange) holding Missy (Stacy or Stephanie Poyner) with Carlisle (Levi Knebel) behind her and looking down. Readying for one of the final auction scenes.

Marlene Ivy (Theresa Graham) with my husband, Rob, who was one of the many local extras in the auction scene.

Marlene (Theresa Graham) and Otis (Wilford Brimley) preparing for the scene when Carlisle (Levi Knebel) buys his Grandpa's harness back for him.