A Pioneer Miracle (2003 Video) User Reviews

Somebody Saved The Richards Kids

[bkoganbing · 6/10 · 19 February 2012]

A Pioneer Miracle focuses on LDS women in this movie, more specifically an event in childhood that was to profoundly impact the life of one little girl.

This film was done with a loving hand by T.C. Christiansen who along with many others involved is a descendant of Belle Richards the protagonist of the event. As a child she disobeyed her father and took her even younger brother on a hike to get to a picnic she had long planned to go to, but her father Dennis Saylor forbid it for lack of room in the family buckboard.

Children obey your parents is the lesson of the film. But in this case if you believe the account some heavenly intervention saved little Caitlin Meyer playing Belle and Kellet Cook playing a three year old Joe Richards from a rock slide that either would have killed them outright or pushed them into a lake to drown. But as Paul Harvey used to say, that's not the end of the story. The real story is how in her adult years she interpreted this story which got itself into family lore and the lore of the Mormon Church.

Very nicely done short film, a tale simply told and wonderfully acted by young people who came off as real kids not Hollywood kids.

If You're Into Angel Stories ...

[sddavis63 · 5/10 · 25 September 2010]

Angels seem to be quite popular these days, from both a Christian and a New Age standpoint, so this short 14 minute film will likely have a fair amount of appeal. Supposedly based on a true story, it recounts what is claimed to be an angelic intervention to save young Belle Richards and her even younger brother, who have defied their father's wishes to head out to collect tree gum. On the way they try to cross an area blocked by a rockslide and have the rocks slide out beneath them. Sure they're going to die as they fall toward a lake below them, they feel themselves lifted by a power and put back on safe ground. While Belle saw nothing, years later her brother Joe says (while in a delirious state due to fever) that he saw an angel during the incident.

It's nicely done and demands little from any of the actors involved. It's a Latter Day Saints (Mormon) production, but unless you know the somewhat nuanced differences, it will come across to many as basically mainstream Christian (one giveaway is when Belle refers to God as "Heavenly Father" rather than "my Heavenly Father" or "our Heavenly Father.") However, it didn't really seem to be evangelizing for the Mormons. It just told a tale that had been passed down through family history.

Beautiful Short Film!!!!

[movieking2003 · 10/10 · 9 August 2003]

I enjoyed this short film very much. The cinematography was beautiful and the story was very well done. I like stories that are true, and this one had been a story that had been in the family of Belle for a long time. The acting was wonderful, I loved the little boy Kellet Cook, his face was so wonderful at the end of the film, when he 'saw' the angels. Caitlin E.J. Meyer was perfect as the young Belle, and Maeve Millard was excellent as the older Belle. Dennis Saylor was also well cast as the father Morgan Richards.

A very enjoyable film for a library to show on Sunday Evenings or in Church.

A good example of Mormon communications

[Steve_Charles · 10/10 · 27 August 2007]

This was an inspiring, excellent morality tale. It seems Christian but it's actually an LDS (Mormon) film. LDS followers most decidedly distinguish themselves from historic Christianity. My first clue that this was not a Christian film was that the heroine say "I cried out to Heavenly Father", not "the" or "my" just "to Heavenly Father". She says she searches "the scriptures" not the Bible. Rather than following Jesus, she is true to "the gospel." Even though the film uses a familiar Christian hymn, the final credits reveal that it was recorded at Brigham Young University. Great lesson on being obedient to your father. Especially for LDS followers since girls can only be saved through a father or husband relationship.

Beautiful Short Film About Christian Inspiration

[FloatingOpera7 · 10/10 · 16 December 2006]

A Pioneer Miracle or In The Arms Of Angels (2003): Caitlin E.J. Meyer, Maeve Millard, Dennis Saylor, Kellet Cook, Brock Holman, Julie Jenkins, Nicholas Nord, Julie Jenkins, Levi Larsen...Director T.C. Christensen, Screenplay T.C. Christensen.

This 14 min independent film, released in 2003, was well-received by film festivals. Director T.C. Christensen is a Christian and this film, though Christian in attitude and targeting a Christian demographic, can still be enjoyed by anyone for various reasons- beautiful cinematography and a theme about faith/spirituality. Based on a true story, the film opens in the American West in 1880, where we meet the Richards family, who live a lot like Laura Ingalls Wilder from Little House On The Prairie. The eldest daughter Belle (portrayed by child actress Caitli E.J. Meyer and by Maeve Millard as an adult) recalls her miraculous encounter with an angel. Disobeying her father's wishes, opting to go out on her own with her little brother Joe to collect gum in the wilderness, the two of them nearly lose their lives crossing a dangerous pass in the mountains. It is then when an angel lifted them up and saved them. Later, as adults, Joe does not remember the experience but for Belle, that incident changed her life. This childhood experience made her into a believer in God. This is a short film which gives the illusion that it's longer, provided the lovely cinematic style and production design by Darin Anderson. But despite its brevity, it's a lovely film and one that is wholly suited to Christian families and or those interested in angels.

Great Short Film

[sistabelle · 9/10 · 18 March 2011]

I watched this video because it was only fourteen minutes long and i was testing a new blue ray player. I enjoyed it so much I wanted to take the extra time to write a review.

Since it was so short I wasn't expecting to get so much out of it or enjoy it so much! This is a beautiful tale with beautiful music and images. If you are a spiritual person this will certainly uplift and confirm your feelings. Since this is a true story as told by the characters in the film, it leaves you wanting to know more about the family and other experiences they shared. I'm so glad I found this and will be sharing it with others that come to visit. AS with other LDS productions it helps us to understand Gods love and protection over all of us, His children.

Excellent family faith promoting film.

[TamiBur · 6 October 2011]

I am surprised to have stumbled upon this film, without prior knowledge it exists. I thoroughly enjoyed this title! I am a member of the LDS Church, but would consider this movie inspirational, regardless of religion...even for those who are not currently Christian, but have a desire to believe God exists. It can instill a realization that we are not alone in the world, a concept, I believe, many are in need of today.

It reaffirms the love of our Heavenly Father for us, his children, his ability and willingness to give assistance when called upon, and his awareness of each of our individual circumstances.

This title is faith promoting for all, without respect to gender, race, or religion. I am certain this is the purpose of the film, to promote faith in God.