The Work and the Glory II: American Zion (2005)

User Rating:

5.7/10   

Director:

Sterling Van Wagenen

Writers:

Gerald N. Lund (novel)
Matt Whitaker (screenplay)

Release Date:

21 October 2005 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

Every Dream Has A Price

Plot:

In November of 1833, the state of Missouri turned a blind eye as hundreds of its peaceful inhabitants...

Plot Keywords:

Missouri | Mormon | Second Part | Sequel | Latter Day Saints

Cast

Sam Hennings	...	Benjamin Steed
Brenda Strong	...	Mary Ann Steed
Eric Johnson	...	Joshua Steed
Alexander Carroll	...	Nathan Steed
Brighton Hertford	...	Melissa Steed
Kimberly Varadi	...	Becca Steed
Colin Ford	...	Matthew Steed
Sarah Bastian	...	Lydia Steed (as Sera Bastian)
Emily Podleski	...	Jessica Roundy
Jim Grimshaw	...	Josiah McBride
Jonathan Scarfe	...	Joseph Smith
Melanie Hawkins	...	Emma Smith
Frank Ashmore	...	Martin Harris
Curtis Andersen	...	Carl Rogers
Jeff Ham	...	Obadiah Cornwell

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for some violence.

Runtime:

USA:100 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

USA:PG-13 | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Johnson City, Tennessee, USA

Company:

Vineyard Productions

Trivia:

The first LDS film to receive a major theatrical release on its opening weekend (not just limited to Salt Lake City and then expanding wider if it does well)

Quotes:

Nathan Steed: At our wedding, you told us something.
Joseph Smith: I believe I told you to kiss the girl.

Movie Connections:

Follows The Work and the Glory (2004)

Brutal History, True History

The riveting depiction of the history of the Mormon church continues via these screen adaptations of Gerald Lund's novels. The founding of the Mormon church clearly fomented intense, irrational hatred from the very beginning, especially vividly exposed in this episode. Some have wondered why? Because they were different? Because they banded together? Sometimes there is no rationale or justification for hatred -- it's just there.

The Mormons apparently wanted nothing more that to be left to themselves and their beliefs. Yet the raw emotion of fear and loathing caused men to perpetrate unspeakable acts of depravity. More so than against any other religious movement in America -- The Amanas, the Quakers, the Mennonites weren't driven out, pillaged, murdered and burned out by the mob! Hang your head in shame America!

This movie portrays this horrendous American period vividly, without exploiting the violence for the sake of shock-value. (We know what happens when hot tar is painted on bare skin without having to actually see it.) The fact that it happened, with the complicity of the government, (Missouri Lieutenant Governor Lilburn W. Boggs) is shocking enough. (The State of Missouri has only just recently apologized to the Mormon Church for the outrages committed against it.) This episode takes the Steed family from New York, to Ohio, then to Missouri, driven out each time because intolerant Americans refused to allow them their constitutionally guaranteed religious freedom and the government refused to do anything about it.

The first movie was dream-like, ethereal, almost idyllic. This movie is not any of those things. This move is gritty. Oh the movie is still very well filmed, acted, scripted and produced. But it is utterly gripping from the first frame to the closing credits. Not a bit preachy or condescending, just good. Much better than most of what Hollywood is cranking out these days. If you are a patriotic American, prepare to be angry that such things happened in our history -- shame on us. Let us resolve that such things will never be allowed to happen again.