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Docudrama highlights faith of Emma Smith

I saw the movie last night, and it was fantastic! A must see for all people who have an interest, curiosity, or reverence for Emma Ssmith. What a grand woman she is.

The movie was fine, however extremely sterile. Emma's life was in constant torment -- mainly over Joseph's polygamy. I was hoping to see a Emma's struggle with polygamy and Joseph's deception about it. Although it was briefly mentioned in the movie, it needed much more in-depth consideration in order for me to label the movie as an historically accurate depiction of Emma's life.

Although beautifully shot, it was lacking in what I think are essential and very significant elements. Overall, I was disappointed.

Emma's faith never waivered!

Only thing was she didn't endure to the end.

So, they're specifically targeting women who haven't a clue about Emma's actual history, but think she was really cool anyway? How can they claim that Emma's denials of plural marriage were due to the time period's social norms? Are we supposed to believe that Emma was too virtuous to discuss it, but all Joseph's other wives, after reaching Utah, were so "immoral" that they would openly declare their relationships with Joseph? We're supposed to believe Emma "was consistent with" all of the statements Joseph made, up through his death? Her published final interview with Joseph III certainly looks otherwise! And what's with all the silly commentary about how Joseph's revelation on plural marriage wasn't about polygamy?? Who do they think they're fooling here? Perhaps this all makes sense, since the producers go on to say they aren't trying to present "technically" correct Mormon history (translation: "We'll tell whatever pretty story we want, about a pretty lady who did pretty things!") Plus, Joseph asked HER about the walls of Jerusalem, she didn't ask him, as these producers say!! This article certainly doesn't bode well for a worthwhile, let alone accurate, film!

Most early LDS were very troubled when first presented with the doctrine of polygamy. Some were eventually able to talk themselves into it.

Here's an important lesson. If someone presents an idea that is deeply troubling and disturbing, chances are it's wrong. It doesn't matter if its a "get rich quick" scheme or a religious doctrine.

God gave us a brain and conscience to help us discern truth from error. We need to learn to use them.

Re:Forrest So you are now Emma's judge well I am glad you are not mine wow you think highly of yourself and to Nick wow what a scholar you are! I will beleive every word you both say. NOT! Who are we to judge anyway. This movie was not the idea of either one of you so if you think you can do it better go for it. But I bet you two don't have two nickels to rub together! Ha Ha Ha

That's intertainment? the direct interposition of divine mercy? Sadly mistaken is an understatement, insanity is a close relitive to divenity. Truely they where all insane by any strech of the imagination. Lets make a beautiful movie about a delusional inn keepers daugter who married and even more delusional country bumpken and the pain and mesery he brought on his family and all who followed his insain attempt to rewrite the bible the way he thought it should be. There's a lesson in there somewhere, something along the line that pilegra is real, then and now although now we give the less reverberating an enternal name ,schizophrenia. Philandering, child molester, for you Hollywood types although be it devine in nature.

So this film serves to further muddy the waters concerning Emma Smith locally, while elsewhere (if it is seen elsewhere) it will only serve to reignite the debate concerning Joseph Smith's polygamy. Because as RMW alluded to, Emma's fight against polygamy is the real story here. She left consciously chose to leave the LDS church over her disagreement with the practice of polygamy and history has proven her to be right. That's what this movie should have been about, Emma Smith's vindication.

The real story of Emma Smith IS the story of polygamy! Her story cannot be told without polygamy being the CENTRAL THEME!

This movie is a farce and a fraud. It is trying to focus on Emma's "faithfulness" - give me a break! If she was so darned faithful, why did Brigham Young hate her and condemn her for not coming West with the Saints?

This is just more LDS Church-sponsored revisionist history, and it makes those who produced this movie into a laughing stock.

Don't waste you money on this film.

Interesting point, BAM. I'm sure that when God commanded Abraham to sacrifice his son, the idea would have been deeply troubling and disturbing to him. Should he not have considered it then? Our "gut reactions" are not always indication of whether or not something is truth or error. Absolutely, let's use the brain and conscience God gave us, but sometimes faith has to be thrown into the mix as well.

Nick, you say that the filmakers are targeting women who havent a clue about Emma....yet the article referes to women who know little about Emma. You think that means the same thing? Your comment is riddled with inaccuracies and distortions. A film critic you are not.

I was privileged to see the film last night, and I heartily recommend it! Emma loved and supported Joseph and helped him become who he was similarly to what Sister Hinckley did for President Hinckley.

If you�re hoping to see controversial topics explored in the film, you will be disappointed, but there is far more to early church history than just polygamy. Real events are portrayed beautifully and movingly in the film. Take a hanky, and enjoy it! Emma was an elect lady.

To Divinity~
Please, learn how to spell!!

I am an active LDS member who agrees that Emma's history has always bothered me. Having said that, I LOVED the movie. See it!

I also talked with some of the people that made the film. The LDS church went through it with a "fine tooth comb" and wouldn't let them use any of their footage from "Joseph Smith Prophet of the Restoration" unless the movie included only "verifiable" content from journals, etc.

The acting was great, the footage from the Joseph Smith movie added an incredible dimension. I know that over 2-1/2 hours of great footage was left on the "cutting room floor" and many of us that loved the Joseph movie are thrilled to see footage used from that wonderful LDS movie effort.

SEE THE MOVIE!

I have yet to see this film, I'm sure it borders on some truth, but the story would have things in to please the anti-mormon crowd just make money, after all the movie companies don't make movies if they think they will lose money.

Two brief clarifications on quotations in the article. First, it was not characterized as a docudrama by the producers, but rather in response to whether this was a documentary we responded that it was not, that is was closer to a docudrama but that it did contain fictionalized elements that one would not typically see in a docudrama per se. Second, the statement that Emma's public statements were consistent with Joseph's public statements about polygamy was not meant to suggest that Emma publicly acknowledged any practice of polygamy. Most of what occurred during that period will probably never be known for sure, but I do not believe that Joseph viewed what Abraham did as being synonomous with what most people would consider polygamy to be. Still, to suggest that polygamy, plural marriage, the "principle" or anything like that should be the central theme of a person's life is just nonsense. It says more about the prejudices and preoccupations of the person holding such a view than it does about Emma. Emma was a remarkable woman, and her contemporaries described her as such. That is all the film tries to show, and ultimately, it is just a movie.

It's not history, folks. It's a story created and presented to make you feel good about yourselves.

Oh good, another fairy tale about Emma. This film is obviously for those who won't read the abundant historical material regarding her life. For those who thought she was faithful to the end need only to skip to those chapters covering her life after 1844. I'm with Brigham Young who essentially said that if Joseph was to have Emma in the hereafter he would have to go to hell to get her. Prophetic words indeed.

The church's role model for women should be Eliza Roxy Snow Smith Young, not Emma who joined an apostate organization with her son as "prophet". Of course, that's just the first verse. The church is definitely in denial regarding her.

ScottAZ, I'm sorry if you feel there is some vast difference between women who "know little about Emma" vs. women who "haven't a clue about Emma." Boy, that sure is one huge "distortion," eh? Why don't you tell us what other "inaccuracies and distortions" you find in my comment? I'd be happy to respond! These film producers made some very inaccurate claims in the article, and I pointed them out.