Many people know Brenda Strong from her role on ABC’s Desperate Housewives. She plays the deceased Mary Alice Young, who narrates the events of her friends’ and neighbors’ lives from beyond the grave. She can be heard narrating nearly every episode of the series (which was sparked by Mary Alice’s death). But you may also know Brenda from her roles on Seinfeld, Party of 5, and Lost.

Since I’m not much of a TV person, I know Brenda Strong best from her role in the movie A Plumm Summer, which was just released on DVD last week. I got the chance to speak with Brenda recently about her role as Viv, who is Happy Herb’s wife in the movie.

Wendy: Brenda, my kids are very unpredictable when it comes to their taste in movies. A Plumm Summer obviously didn’t have a lot of action, special effects, or glitz & glam. But I have to tell you that they were absolutely enchanted by this movie, watching it over and over again. Why do you think kids love this story so much?

Brenda: A Plumm Summer is based on the true story of Happy Herb, a puppeteer who had a very popular TV show in the 1960’s in Montana. Someone thought it was a ‘good idea’ to kidnap the main character of his show, a puppet named Froggy Doo. It actually involved the FBI as the kidnappers faced embezzlement & extortion charges.

But the real story in this movie is the Plumm family, and how they heal through the story. Two young brothers, who couldn’t be more different from each other, set out to find the puppet themselves. Their journey evolves as the family is nearly torn apart, culminating with a loss of innocence which was portrayed in a very elegant way. I believe kid’s imaginations are quite stimulated by the emotions and the connection they feel with the young brothers Elliott and Rocky Plumm.

Wendy: I loved how the movie dealt with the very serious issue of alcoholism, which touches millions of lives every day.

Brenda: The family dynamic was extraordinarily well played by William Baldwin and Lisa Guerrero. The alcoholism was dealt with in a very mature manner, yet was never too much for a young child to understand. Though, I know as a parent that kids can handle a lot more than we give them credit for.

Wendy: Not to give too much of the story away, but your character ended up being somewhat of an antagonist in the story. Do you like being the ‘bad guy’ as an actress?

Brenda: I love being the antagonist, it is so much fun! But I do love how this character was used as a tool to teach that almost anything is forgiveable, and that sometimes people do bad things as a way of getting love.

Wendy: What was your favorite part of being in A Plumm Summer?

Brenda: Working with Henry Winkler, William Baldwin, and the rest of the amazing cast was wonderful. And I loved being in Montana, it was such a beautiful setting. I also loved how this movie returned us to a simpler time, as the story was set in the 1960’s. It proved that emotion, love and a family bond creates a great story no matter what.

How to Win a Copy of A Plumm Summer on DVD

Have we sparked your interest in A Plumm Summer? I hope so, because I absolutely loved it! Then enter to win by leaving a comment below to win a copy of it on DVD, or buy A Plumm Summer on Amazon.

Entry Deadline: May 20, 2009

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