A Mormon president? New film shows links between Smith, Romney

Providing a balanced portrayal of either LDS Church founder Joseph Smith or former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney has proven daunting for even the most experienced historians, political scientists and journalists.

But keeping that balance while intermingling the stories of how both Mormon men became candidates for president of the United States isn't something anyone has accomplished yet — let alone in only 60 minutes on film. Yet that's exactly what a young filmmaker said he has attempted in a new documentary, "A Mormon President," scheduled to premiere in Salt Lake City next month.

Adam Christing, the film's producer and director, told the Deseret Morning News that skeptics who may like Romney's politics but can't get past his faith will find a broader understanding of what makes him tick, while supporters also may learn facts about Smith and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints that could present challenges.

In fact, the film is much more about Smith than it is about Romney, he said, but uses the presidential quest as a common link.

"Very few people realize that Romney is not the first Mormon to run for the White House," said Christing, a comedian popular in Christian circles who studied theology at Biola University in Los Angeles and has made only one other documentary film. Raised as a member of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (now known as the Community of Christ), Christing is a member of the Mormon History Association and cited his "total passion for the subject" as his biggest qualification to make the film.

He admitted to being surprised that there has been little skepticism regarding his credentials to produce it but said many have been wary of his approach, trying to gauge whether he was working on "an anti-Mormon film or a puff piece" that favors Romney and the LDS Church.

Christing said he's been mulling a balanced film portrayal of Smith for a long time, because "I don't think it has been told in a really balanced way that I'm aware of. ... In my experience, it's such a puff piece or like something like Fawn Brodie's book ('No Man Knows My History'), an all-out attack."

He became fascinated with Smith after learning of his presidential aspirations long before Romney came onto the national political stage, he said.