Picturing Joseph takes some reframing

OREM, Utah — \"Picturing Joseph\" is actually a compelling piece despite the fact that it takes a while to get to the point: Joseph Smith does not look like the iconic pictures members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have come to know.

In the documentary film being shown this week at the LDS Film Festival 2009 in Orem, experts brought together to compare the death masks — including the ones brought to church leaders' attention several years ago by Provo resident Shannon Tracy — and a daguerreotype recently released by the Community of Christ church as an actual \"photograph\" of the early prophet, agree that this is probably the true likeness of Smith.

According to historian Patrick A. Bishop, the Federal Bureau of Investigation found 32 points of comparison between the death masks and the daguerreotype. Usually 13-15 points of agreement is sufficient to prove two items are of the same person, said Bishop.

Bishop is one of the experts discussing the various images of Smith that through the years have evolved from those of a short, hawk-nosed stout man to a more blondish, fair man currently being used by the LDS Church in CD and film promotions.

Three medical experts weigh in and agree that the recently discovered daguerrotype is probably Smith though he bears little resemblance to earlier portraits and paintings. He's dark-haired with even features and heavy brows.

\"I think we all have to agree, Joseph gets better looking every year,\" quipped one source in the film produced by Nick Galieti and Eborn Publishing LLC with S. Michael Tracy, Bret A. Eborn and LeGrand L. Baker.

Steven Harper, a Brigham Young University historian, said Smith had a phronologist, Dr. Alfred Woodward, take measurements of his head at one point in his life. Those measurements are also being considered as experts analyze the various portraits and images of the LDS prophet.

S. Michael Tracy, author of \"Millions Shall Know Brother Joseph Again,\" said the quest to know what Smith really looked like is complicated by the fact that he and his brother Hyrum's bodies were not buried at the original site where the caskets were buried but in the northeast corner of the Nauvoo House and later in an outbuilding on the Smith family homestead.

Emma Smith is said to have denied that the portrait that hung in the Mansion House looked like her husband.

Tracy said the death masks of Hyrum and Joseph Smith were mistakenly identified as well.

In any event, the journey to define what is truth is an interesting one although the story could be told in less than 48 minutes.

It would also be helpful to present the best evidence early on and then explore the other theories, rather than the other way around.

The Film Festival is held in the Scera Center for the Arts in Orem,

Utah. Movies will be played up until Saturday evening. More information

is available at the Web site, www.ldsfilmfestival.org

E-mail: haddoc@desnews.com