A gorgeously photographed short film about two children who live in a shack by the side of the railroad. One day as they're exploring the woods, they stumble across Henry David Thoreau, living in a small, neat house on the shores of a pond.
The famous author is portrayed (by Chris Ackerman) as an impish, charismatic figure who loves to play and conjure flights of fancy. He teaches Eva and Ace (Skyler Nelson and Anders Fillman) not to be ashamed of living in a shanty, since the sun reflects just as brightly off their windows as those of a rich man's palace.
The lush musical score by Brian Mann resonates without ever intruding on the sumptuous visuals by cinematographer David George.
Long on mood and visuals but sparse on story, the 16-minute "Marbles with Thoreau" (written and directed by Melody George) is nonetheless an engaging take on the lessons of simplicity that Thoreau espoused.
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