Green and Gold

Green and Gold Poster. dwm photo

If you're looking for a movie that examines farming and reveals some characteristics most fans of the Green Bay Packers possess, Green and Gold is worth watching. Frankly, I think it's worth watching even if you aren't.

The independent movie was filmed by two brothers from Michigan's Upper Peninsula who are fans of the Packers and looked for a story that gave a true to life depiction of farmers instead of a caricature.

Craig T. Nelson, know for many roles on TV  and movies (Young Sheldon, Coach, The Incredibles, The Proposal, etc), plays Buck, a Wisconsin farmer.

The movie is set in the early 1990s. Milk prices were low and family-owned dairy farms were an endangered species. Buck's prefers traditional farming methods, like milking by hand and plowing fields with horses that put the farm in financial danger. Thirty-some years later, he might have marketed his own brand of organically grown milk.

The other part of setting the movie in the early 90s is that the Packers had not won a title since 1968 after the 1967 season. As a person who lived in that era, in those days we hoped Green Bay would beat the Bears, Vikings, and Lions at least once, but we didn't dream of the play-offs. That began to change around that time.

Buck's wife loves the farm and embraces the struggle, while their granddaughter dreams of a music career. Their daughter had similar dreams but died years earlier, leaving a hole in the family.

The constant is the Green Bay Packers. Locals love the Pack and their lives revolve around the fortunes of the green and gold.

One line Buck says in the movie, is one I've said. The church he attends was making plans for a Sunday pot-luck dinner and Buck's response was, "On a Packer game day, who thought that was a good idea?" The other wonderful touch was Buck naming his cows for members of the Packers who won the second Super Bowl: Bart Starr, Jerry Kramer, Willie Davis, and so forth. He had an interesting names for his pigs, too.

The Green Bay Packers backed the movie as did another iconic Wisconsin brand, Culver's. Most of the movie was shot in Door County, it's a beautiful place and on display during the 1:45 movie. 

Look for it in a theater that plays independent films near you, if you can't find it, hopefully it will run on the NFL network or play on a streaming service. You don't have to wear green and gold to watch it, but you won't be alone if you do. Go Pack!