# Non-LDS-produced films about Joseph Smith **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 8, 2010, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-lds-produced-films-about-joseph-smith/563466 "2010-12-08T20:41:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2010, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-lds-produced-films-about-joseph-smith/563466/1 "2010-12-08T20:41:00Z")
I can’t find any through google, but I’m wondering if there’s ever at least been _talk_ of producing such a film, or if there are any current such projects floating around out there? I think it could make an interesting story, though it would almost have to be controversial no matter how sympathetic the film was to Smith. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2010, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-lds-produced-films-about-joseph-smith/563466/2 "2010-12-08T20:47:08Z")
Well, the writers of South Park are writing/producing a Broadway Musical based on the Book of Mormon. Probably not what you’re looking for, though, eh? 😉 I am very intrigued, though! ---
**Author:** ![bienville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4bbf92/32.png) [@bienville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bienville)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2010, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-lds-produced-films-about-joseph-smith/563466/3 "2010-12-08T23:59:30Z")
> [@IvoryTowerDenizen](#): > > Well, the writers of South Park are writing/producing a Broadway Musical based on the Book of Mormon. > > Probably not what you’re looking for, though, eh? 😉 I am very intrigued, though! Winking Smilie noted. Still wanted to point out that the story for the [Parker/Stone Broadway Musical _The Book of Mormon_](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Book_of_Mormon_%28musical%29) is not about Joseph Smith. It is the story of [QUOTE=linked Wiki article] two young Mormon missionaries sent off to spread the word in a dangerous part of Uganda. [/QUOTE] To the topic of the OP, I don’t know of any non-LDS-produced films about Joseph Smith but I thought I had heard a few years ago about a film about [The Utah War](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Utah_War). As I heard about it I thought along similar lines as the OP that it would be impossible to avoid major controversy based on the subject matter. Googling around I can find no such evidence that such a film was ever planned, so it is possible that my “memory” just invented this information. ---
**Author:** ![handsomeharry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9c0ed/32.png) [@handsomeharry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handsomeharry)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2010, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-lds-produced-films-about-joseph-smith/563466/4 "2010-12-09T02:32:36Z")
I’m wanting to say there was one with Gregory Peck in it…I also may be imagining it. Something from his era, or, I dunno, Raymond Massey…something like that. Best wishes, hh ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2010, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-lds-produced-films-about-joseph-smith/563466/5 "2010-12-09T03:31:52Z")
There was **Brigham Young, Frontiersman** from 1940. It wasn’t about Smith, as you’d expect, but he was in it played by… Vincent Price! > **[Brigham Young (1940) ⭐ 6.3 | Adventure, Biography, Drama](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0032281/)** > > 1h 54m | Approved > **[Brigham Young (film)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brigham_Young_-_Frontiersman)** > > Brigham Young (also known as Brigham Young – Frontiersman) is a 1940 American biographical western film starring Tyrone Power, Linda Darnell and Dean Jagger that describes Young's succession to the presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints after founder Joseph Smith was assassinated in 1844. The supporting cast features Brian Donlevy, Jane Darwell, John Carradine, Mary Astor, Vincent Price and Tully Marshall. > The story begins in frontier-town Nauvoo, Illinois, in 1844. It ... This is probably the one **hh** was trying to think of. I’ve never seen it, but it reportedly ism’t disrespectful of LDS (it played at the Center Cinema in downtown SLC when it first came out, I understand), but apparently it wasn’t completely accurate, either. I can’t think of any other flicks with J. Smith in it, but the iMDB lists four (bottom of this page): > **[Find - IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/find/?s=all&q=Joseph%20Smith)** > > IMDb's Find Results Page These may all be LDS-produced, though. ---
**Author:** ![Erdosain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/erdosain/32/7284_2.png) [@Erdosain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Erdosain)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2010, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-lds-produced-films-about-joseph-smith/563466/6 "2010-12-09T04:16:22Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > I can’t think of any other flicks with J. Smith in it, but the iMDB lists four (bottom of this page): > > [Find - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/find?s=all&q=Joseph+Smith) > > These may all be LDS-produced, though. Yes, those are all produced by the LDS church, except for maybe “American Prophet: The Story of Joseph Smith” (1999) which was directed and produced by a member of the church. It doesn’t say where he got his funding (although I have a suspicion!). Oddly, this documentary was narrated by Gregory Peck. Maybe that is what hh was thinking of. I guess Gregory needed the paycheck. Much more popular at the movies is Brigham Young, who was portrayed by Charlton Heston in 1995’s “The Avenging Angel” and Terrence Stamp in the recent, reportedly execrable “September Dawn.” Actually, looking at IMdb, “September Dawn” features Dean Cain as Joseph Smith, but I haven’t seen the movie so I can’t say how big the part is. Anyway, I don’t see a big-screen feature focusing on Joseph Smith any time soon. Mormons have deified him and no one else really cares. Sure, there would be lots of sex, but the religion in between is really dry material. Movies about confidence men usually veer towards the humorous, and it just doesn’t suit the subject matter. ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2010, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-lds-produced-films-about-joseph-smith/563466/7 "2010-12-09T04:24:09Z")
A new coen brothers treatment ala true grit… except Mr. Young is the anti-hero. ---
**Author:** ![Rhodes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhodes/32/273_2.png) [@Rhodes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhodes)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2010, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-lds-produced-films-about-joseph-smith/563466/8 "2010-12-09T04:31:52Z")
[PBS American Experience: The Mormons, Part I](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1023354/) [PBS American Experience: The Mormons, Part II](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1023353/) [American Prophet: The Story of Joseph Smith](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0233200/) ---
**Author:** ![Rhodes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhodes/32/273_2.png) [@Rhodes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhodes)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2010, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-lds-produced-films-about-joseph-smith/563466/9 "2010-12-09T04:39:44Z")
(missed the edit window) PBS Part I above is about Smith. Part II is about the modern LDS Church. Both are available on DVD from Netflix. American Prophet’s Netflix availability is “Unknown.” ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2010, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-lds-produced-films-about-joseph-smith/563466/10 "2010-12-09T05:56:00Z")
Well, Brigham Young’s _in_ 1995’s [The Avenging Angel](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0112423/), but it’s probably not what you’re looking for. Awesomer, though. ---
**Author:** ![bienville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4bbf92/32.png) [@bienville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bienville)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2010, 6:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-lds-produced-films-about-joseph-smith/563466/11 "2010-12-09T06:52:52Z")
> [@Erdosain](#): > > Brigham Young, > \ > Terrence Stamp in the recent, reportedly execrable “September Dawn.” Actually, looking at IMdb, “September Dawn” features Dean Cain as Joseph Smith, but I haven’t seen the movie so I can’t say how big the part is. Ah! [September Dawn](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/September_Dawn) has got to be what I was thinking about when I mentioned earlier that I had heard about a film about the Utah War. ---
**Author:** ![not\_alice](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/not_alice/32/7283_2.png) [@not\_alice](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_alice)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2010, 7:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-lds-produced-films-about-joseph-smith/563466/12 "2010-12-09T07:10:32Z")
> [@Erdosain](#): > > Anyway, I don’t see a big-screen feature focusing on Joseph Smith any time soon. Mormons have deified him and no one else really cares. Sure, there would be lots of sex, but the religion in between is really dry material. Movies about confidence men usually veer towards the humorous, and it just doesn’t suit the subject matter. Jon Krakauer’s book Under the Banner of Heaven seems to me as a film producer to be ripe for licensing. Someone could do it. It would have some cachet, as it was his Into the Wild that did OK for Sean Penn. Apparently there is a related documentary: [http://www.freshfilm.com/damnedtoheaven/](http://www.freshfilm.com/damnedtoheaven/) I am no Mormon fan, as a same-sex marriage activist in California, but I do think there is an increasing market for the story as the fight goes on. I bet someone has optioned the Krakauer book… ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2010, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-lds-produced-films-about-joseph-smith/563466/13 "2010-12-09T17:15:14Z")
I saw _Brigham Young, Frontiersman_. IMNSHO it wasn’t very good. It sure glossed over a lot of the ugly parts in Mormon history. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2010, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-lds-produced-films-about-joseph-smith/563466/14 "2010-12-10T05:35:10Z")
Another vote for the Krakauer book. It’s terrific - basically even-handed, while showing the absurdity of some church doctrines (and the conveeeeniently-timed revelations some early LDS leaders got from God), and strongly critical of the church for now whitewashing its early history. ---
**Author:** ![Rhodes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhodes/32/273_2.png) [@Rhodes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhodes)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2010, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-lds-produced-films-about-joseph-smith/563466/15 "2010-12-10T16:22:01Z")
I understood Krakauer’s book a little differently. He seemed to be implying that the modern mainstream LDS church, while somewhat absurd, is trying to eradicate the immoral doctrines and practices of its past. The book is really “strongly critical” of the early LDS leaders who created the unfortunate history, and even more critical of the fringe groups that keep digging up and practicing what the modern LDS church has been working so hard to abolish. By whitewashing its early history, the LDS church is deceiving its members but steering them _away_ from polygamy, racism, and blood atonement. ETA: I’m another vote for the _Under the Banner of Heaven_. It would make a great movie, whether the filmed focused on LDS history, or on the FLDS, or on the Lafferty family. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2010, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-lds-produced-films-about-joseph-smith/563466/16 "2010-12-10T16:25:23Z")
> [@Frylock](#): > > I think it could make an interesting story, though it would almost have to be controversial no matter how sympathetic the film was to Smith. **Being** sympathetic to Smith would be far more controversial than any other approach. Most Americans like Mormons well enough but have zero respect for their faith. A substantial minority are flatly hostile to it. ---
**Author:** ![Erdosain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/erdosain/32/7284_2.png) [@Erdosain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Erdosain)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2010, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-lds-produced-films-about-joseph-smith/563466/17 "2010-12-10T16:47:24Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > **Being** sympathetic to Smith would be far more controversial than any other approach. Most Americans like Mormons well enough but have zero respect for their faith. A substantial minority are flatly hostile to it. I doubt this very much. A sympathetic movie about Smith would appear and sink without a ripple. Sure, Evangelicals hate Mormons, but not enough to be outraged over a movie that isn’t aimed at them. On the other hand, a film detailing Smith’s sexual exploits and brushes with the law would provoke howls of outrage from a very vocal, very defensive, Mormon minority. You’d have unbearably earnest fresh-faced teenagers in white shirts and modest skirts picketing around the block. And frankly, I’d bet the church leadership would love it. Anything to reinforce the notion that Mormons are persecuted and misunderstood is gold to a controlling religious movement. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2010, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-lds-produced-films-about-joseph-smith/563466/18 "2010-12-10T18:49:47Z")
I’m not so sure. A pro-Smith movie, with a big enough budget and a Hollywood Name or two, would probably lead to controversy as to what role, if any, the LDS had in its creation. There would also be stories about what unsavory aspects of Smith’s life the movie left out, and analyses of what impact the movie would have on Mitt Romney’s presumed 2012 run for the White House (much as the movie _The Right Stuff_ was dissected for its impact - ultimately negligible - on John Glenn’s 1984 candidacy). I agree that an anti-Smith movie would probably be blasted by the LDS but also happily used to rally sympathy and/or public support for the church. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2010, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-lds-produced-films-about-joseph-smith/563466/19 "2010-12-10T19:08:25Z")
> [@Erdosain](#): > > I doubt this very much. A sympathetic movie about Smith would appear and sink without a ripple. Sure, Evangelicals hate Mormons, but not enough to be outraged over a movie that isn’t aimed at them. > > On the other hand, a film detailing Smith’s sexual exploits and brushes with the law would provoke howls of outrage from a very vocal, very defensive, Mormon minority. You’d have unbearably earnest fresh-faced teenagers in white shirts and modest skirts picketing around the block. And frankly, I’d bet the church leadership would love it. Anything to reinforce the notion that Mormons are persecuted and misunderstood is gold to a controlling religious movement. So, there’s no reason **not** to make such a movie. Box-office gold! And if I were a non-Mormon Californian – a category which includes most Hollywood directors – I would **love** a chance to piss off the Mormons! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![not\_alice](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/not_alice/32/7283_2.png) [@not\_alice](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_alice)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2010, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-lds-produced-films-about-joseph-smith/563466/20 "2010-12-10T20:17:48Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > **Being** sympathetic to Smith would be far more controversial than any other approach. Most Americans like Mormons well enough but have zero respect for their faith. A substantial minority are flatly hostile to it. I think most non-Mormon Americans know very little about their faith (me included, that’s why I have stuff like this and even some internal church stuff I have picked up on my desk), but are hostile because of the Church’s clear and effective work towards removing the rights from disfavored minorities. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-lds-produced-films-about-joseph-smith/563466.md?page=2)