User reviews

Went with my family to see W&G. I haven't read the whole series but still enjoyed the movie more than I expected to. It was by far the best movie in its genre to date, but still not up to Hollywood caliber. The cinematography and sets was very good and some of the actors were really impressive--especially Joseph and Benjamin. Others did well although at times felt forced. But no cheesy acting which was a relief. Although one or two scenes felt a little too preachy for my taste, overall I thought the spiritual topics were handled tastefully. Especially those moments I would have most wanted to be handled respectfully--i.e. the retelling of the first vision. I'll likely go see it again.

An enjoyable movie. The story is well told with very few exceptions, and the characters are moving and likable. Good sets, very good period work, and very good acting from all involved. Also nice creativity in directing the film. It generally felt like a quality cinematic work, and it did a good job of eliciting emotions and spirit.

I actually would've preferred another 20 minutes or so to help develop the characters a little further. The pace was good and the story engaging; there were just so much to tell, that at times one would've liked to see or know more.

I particularly liked the Joseph Smith portrayal - well and tastefully done.

I hope this one does well enough to warrant an even better budget for the next installment.

I have read 6 of the 8 books in The Work and the Glory series and have been awaiting this movie. I thought the photography was excellent and the music was moving. The acting was good although Joshua Steed rolled his eyes and huffed just a bit too much in the beginning. But his blue eyes make you forget the bit of over acting.The costumes were great.I enjoyed this movie very much I hope that it is successful enough to make a sequel.The movie stayed very close to the plot of the book so as not to disappoint those of us who couldn't put the books down.I don't know where they filmed it but the landscapes were gorgeous. I liked the shot of Lydia Mcbride's walking up the hill it was beautiful.I have had fun looking up the actors to see what they have been in. Mary Ann Steed or Brenda Strong was a surprise to know that she was Sue Ann Mishkie on Seinfeld. What a versatile actress she is.She did a great job as the mother of the Steed family.

My wife and I had just completed reading all nine volumes of TW&TG just a month or so previous to our taking in the motion picture. We are fortunate that we live in one of the few areas outside the Wasatch Front that is privileged to get these films for short engagements at one single Mega-plex here in west Houston.

I had read reviews here and elsewhere that had led me to believe the quality of the acting would be "below average," but I have to say that I cannot agree. No one is bucking for an "Oscar" here but the acting is at least on the level of your typical made-for-TV miniseries, the like of which were popular in the late-70s and 80s. Even some of the minor characters like that of "Will Murdock" were played quite believably; I did not note much in the way of "hammy" quality even in those scenes where you might expect it (crowd scenes e.g.) With minor changes the story was faithful to the first volume of Lund's "nonology," and although I thought the part of Joseph Smith Jr. was ably played the focus really was on the Steed family and friends and the reactions of those protagonists to what was transpiring.

They spent a good amount of script-time on the conflict between the family members--especially Joshua and his father--and I thought did a good job of efficiently moving the story along without the benefit of "backstory" that the novel affords.

I think I enjoyed most of all the seemingly accurate depiction of American frontier life in the 1830s (even though like the book, the dialog is glaringly "modern"), and the score.

The music's effectiveness was accompanied by a very good audio track that allowed a clear understanding of what was being said (even asides by "extras" during crowd scenes). The sound quality overall was just superb.

The camera work was likewise. I am amazed at how well-lighted even a low-budget film like this can be given current technology. There were a few scenes that were rather dim, but I thought this actually contributed to the feeling of being there at a time when coal-lamps were the source of light after dark. One scene of this type that comes to mind was that of Mary Ann Steed reading the concluding verses of the Gospel of John early on an Easter Sunday.

All in all, I quite enjoyed this film and will be sure to pick it up on DVD when it is released. I am quite critical of independent LDS films because I think too many of them fail to measure up to the standards set by the BYU Film Department/LDS Film Studios' official releases for the Church, most of which are about as good as they come.

I thought The Work and the Glory set the bar a little higher, and hope that the production company is able to realize a profit on the release so that we might possibly look forward to a continuation of the Steed saga in future releases based on the Lund series of books.

Gerald Lund's fictionalization of the origins of the Mormon Church gets its start in The Work And The Glory. His character creations, the Steed family move west from their farm in Vermont and go to the fresh area of Western New York and as fate would have it, settle on a tract of land near the town of Palmyra.

Where they hire Hyrum and Joseph Smith as laborers to clear the rather large plot of land they've acquired. Joseph is a figure of controversy in the community, he has said that at the age of 14 angels appeared to him and promised that some gold tablets telling the story of a lost North American civilization would be given to him and he would be given the ability to translate from the lost language of said civilization.

Joseph Smith as played by Jonathan Scarfe is a figure who has divided his community of Palmyra. Some see him as divinely blessed, others feel his inspiration is from an evil source. That division spills over into the Steed family.

As if that isn't enough the two older Steed brothers, Eric Johnson and Alexander Carroll are divided not only about Smith, but are also rivals for the local merchant's daughter played by Tiffany Dupont. Johnson starts running with some of the local toughs as well and he's alienated from his parents Sam Hennings and Brenda Strong. But Carroll believes that Smith is the real deal and Hennings is against Smith while Strong wants to see he gets an even break in the marketplace of ideas. It's what Carroll says their grandfather fought in the American Revolution for.

You don't have to be a believer in the Latter Day Saints church to appreciate a well written story that a well crafted piece of cinema was made from. You couldn't have shot The Work And The Glory in present day Palmyra as the place doesn't look anything remotely like it was during America's Era of Good Feelings. The makers of this film did a remarkable job in making Johnson City, Tennessee look like 1820s Palmyra with the Erie Canal running down the center of the town.

I'm sure this film is shown at LDS gatherings a lot and well it should as it brings their history alive and renders it understandable. And its good for us Gentiles who want to know about such things.

Religion as a subject for movies can be very tricky. On the one hand, some people often dismiss out of hand any movie that has a religious theme. They think of them as nothing more that an effort at proselytizing and preaching. Many people avoid these movies like the plague. However, on the other hand, over the years many movies with religious elements have been made which won wide acceptance. The epics such as The Ten Commandments come to mind, but also along the way there have been historical little movies that manage to be appealing to a wide audience in spite of their religious themes. Movies like Boys Town, The Bells of St. Mary and The Song of Bernadette come to mind. These are movies that inspire and uplift us, but also entertain us at the same time. The Work and the Glory is a worthy new entrant into this category.

The Work and the Glory can't avoid the subject of Mormonism. That is what it's about. So they just present the Mormon facts honestly and sincerely, without preaching, or excuses, or embarrassment. The movie is about the founding of the church by Joseph Smith as seen through the eyes of the fictional Steed Family. Their introduction to Mormonism and Joseph Smith causes family rifts and tensions that provide the dramatic action for the movie.

The movie is beautiful; with wondrous cinematography, a glorious soundtrack, solid acting by a professional cast and exquisite attention to period detail. (This period in US history is sandwiched between the American Revolution and the Civil War and hardy ever gets any attention. This movie transports you back to that age and time splendidly and effortlessly.)

The love triangle between the two Steed brothers and the wealthy merchant's daughter are genuinely and tastefully portrayed, but the real genius of the movie lies in its depiction of the almost reluctant person of Joseph Smith. The boy who saw the vision, and almost against his own will and at great personal peril, was selected to be the vessel for the founding of Mormonism.

He has a very human spirit and an accessible warmth that is very appealing.

There is nothing of the austere and pompous personality you would expect in a religious icon.

Anyone, Mormon or not, who wants to be enthralled by a beautifully staged, historically significant slice of Americana would do well to see this movie.

You shouldn't let your prejudices, pro-Mormon or anti-Mormon color your experience. Just let the movie wash over you and take your breath away. It's worth it.

I was browsing for something to watch when I came across this movie. I had NO IDEA what it was about. Overall I thought the movie was OK but I bumped up its rating a bit because it got me curious to learn more about Joseph Smith.

I thought the acting was mostly adequate. The scenery was beautiful and I appreciated the filmmakers efforts to make the sets and costumes feel authentic. I never felt like I was being preached to. But, for me, the story didn't have much emotional impact. There wasn't one character I could relate or connect to. Nor, do I feel that the movie really explored the inner feelings of the main characters. Perhaps there were too many main characters and the movie failed to focus in on one.

My chief complaint about this movie is that the advertising is ambiguous and misleading. It gives you the impression that it is an early American faming/romance movie when it is actually a Mormon recruiting film. I like learning about other faiths and I am proud to say I was one of the few adventurous soles who saw "Mohamed messenger of god". I am glad I learned about the formation of the Mormon faith but I do like being tricked into seeing it.

If you judge this film solely as a religious film then it is better than average. However, if you judge it by normal standards then it falls short. It is a bit melodramatic with a weak plot that is contorted to show the founding of the Mormon Church. The acting is mediocre with inexperienced actors in key roles. In one particular scene it was obvious by the eye movements that they were reading lines. The main plot of two brothers vying for the same girl just sinks into nonsense. The cinematography was nice and the best part of this effort. In summary, see this movie if you would like to learn about the founding of the Mormon faith otherwise avoid it.

I would warn that judging by the huge number of glowing recommendations on this website that Mormons are piling on the praise partly with pride in their faith and partly as a missionary effort. There is nothing wrong with that but you should be aware of it. My observation of Mormons is that they are fine people and a credit to their faith. If you doubt my observation, note that no credible source reviewed it.

Finally, I say that the producers did this film a disservice by disguising the true nature of it. There are thousands of Mormons in my town yet the theater was empty probably because they did not know about it. Proper marketing would have done it better service and brought in a lot of people like me who like knowing about the religious diversity of this country.

I was so happy to see that the story line hardly changed at all! These books have been some of my favorite since I was in 5th grade. I thought that everything was wonderfully done. The actors outdid themselves, and it came together very nicely. In fact, it was so good, I had to go see it again.

I disagree about the movie being bland. The first book in it's self is not a climatic book. It is more of a character introducer. Photography was great, story line was great, acting was great, and I would recommend this movie to anyone and everyone! I think we can expect great things to come from these movies.

Read about 6 reviews here about viewers' responses to this flick T W & T G which were highly laudatory. I very much did appreciate the cinematography and the amount of detail put into making this historically accurate. But the story was weak. The acting for the most part was painful to watch and the people who were supposed to be the founding members of the M church were so nice and polite and industrious that they weren't believable.

In watching the scenes, particularly those with Nathan Steed, I felt embarrassed. I felt so embarrassed because of how sanitized the scenes seemed and how awkward his character was even though he was supposed to be so sensitive and loyal and nonjudgmental. The scenes reminded me of another young man who struggles with social and family situations, namely Napoleon Dynamite! But I knew it was okay to laugh out loud at his missteps. Napoleon was a comedy.

A matter that was glossed over, I felt, was that in this period of American development quite a few men "found" amazing historical "finds" that today have mostly been proved to be fabrications. There is a petrified man, a giant, who was found during this same period on display in Cooperstown, NY. This crude statue that was supposedly dug up in NY has now been judged as a crude attempt at at creating an antiquity. I believe Mark Twain writes about a similar "discovery."

I am not a mormon, but have heard of this movie and wanted to see it. I thought it was beautifully done, full of texture and depth visually.

Not being a mormon, I was afraid it would not be interesting. But it was. I liked the story line, and the plots that were developed within the story. I thought the character of Joe Smith was played well, innocence within his mission.

But I thought the character of Nathan Steed was brilliant. He had intensity and made me really care about his love for Lydia and the conflicts in his family. Wow. I researched the guy, and he is a newcomer to the screen. I can't wait to see him in more films.

I also liked Joshua. He had a look about him that enhanced the conflicts in the story. I felt that the subtlety of their acting (his and Nathan's) made the story more real, and helped to enhance the uniqueness of the character of Joe Smith.

Yuk! This is pure schlock!

An LDS soap opera, Little House on the Finger Lakes. It would appeal to love-struck teenage girls because of the treacly romantic story, but there is nothing of good value to people with an interest in learning more about the historical base of the beliefs of LDS members!

Pretty pictures (not all that good either) do NOT make good cinematography.

I wanted to learn, got crap. It is not educational, as I sincerely hoped it might be.

The person previously reviewing it might be an LDS church member, or possibly very young. I have no problem with either, but I believe this saccharine film was made as a form of propaganda. It is obvious where the viewer is expected to go.

I say, NO, NO No

Zelda

The movie was as great as the the book it was based upon. I sincerely hope they make the rest of the series into movies as well.

The Work and the Glory has beautifully captured the hopes, fears, and prejudices of that era, and woven them into a fictional account as only Gerald Lund can do.

The entire cast was wonderful, and they couldn't have picked a better actor to play Joseph.

Emotions run high in this film, and you'll find yourself laughing, crying, and wanting to shout for joy.

If you are looking for a great movie with good family values, this one is certainly worth seeing.

Because I was very disappointed in this movie. This movie to me was no better than any daytime made-for-T.V. special on some religious channel. The acting and storyline were so horrible and forced my friend and I laughed and joked throughout the whole flick. At the beginning of the movie we were surprised and glad we were alone and the only people in the whole theater; ten minutes into the movie we found out why. The actors had absolutely ZERO credibility, the dialog was inane, and just how did everyone seem to have the most beautiful, shiny, perfectly shaped, pearly white teeth when dentistry was almost non-existent back then? Hmmm...The only thing I did like was the great cinematography, as there were some really gorgeous Tennessee landscapes. Good scenery, bad script.A sugary, homogenized waste of what could have been a really good movie. Two thumbs down.(unless you are Mormon then you'll probably LOVE this movie, easy now...it's only my opinion) ;)

I couldn't finish it. I rarely bail on a movie, but I bailed on this one. The acting was poor, but it didn't matter because the characters were stereotypical and not at all nuanced. The villainous canal riff-raff were painted as comically evil. The plot and dialog were trite.

I don't mind a movie with sentiment or religious elements, but this seemed like pure propaganda to me. I felt like I had been tricked into watching what I had hoped would have been an interesting historical dramatization of life in New York's "Burned Over District" in the first half of the nineteenth century.

In short, if you are a Mormon yourself and not too discriminating about what makes a good movie, you might like it. I don't think anyone else will.

This was very well done and is obvious that a much larger budget was used than what is typically used on an LDS movie. The setting was beautiful and the acting was very good also. The actor that portrayed Joseph Smith left us with a greater sense of the kind of person he may have been and some of the persecution he endured (although I believe it was on a much larger scale than what was shone). The characters that played the part of the Steed family couldn't have been a better cast. I also enjoyed the occasional subtle humor that rounded out the movie. I will definitely add this one to my DVD collection when it is released. Go see it! Now, excuse me while I "go get some more eggs"!

Several years ago, when the LDS Church presented the 70mm LEGACY at the Joseph Smith Memorial Building in downtown Salt Lake City, I was drawn back to see it several times. That film, which ran around 60 minutes, had, so the grapevine said, been edited down to that length from a much longer first cut. After seeing it I had wished that a longer version could have been prepared and somehow shown. Well, THE WORK AND THE GLORY has all of the beauty and power of LEGACY, plus the added strength that it gains with a 110 minute length.

THE WORK AND THE GLORY is a beautiful film in everyway. The cinematography and score rank with the best that Hollywood has done. However, it is the script, direction and acting that make the difference in a film like this -- the heart and soul that goes beyond the surface look -- and the film shines in all departments.

Word-of-mouth from members of the LDS faith will carry this one further then any other independent LDS themed movie to date. I have not read the books that the film is based upon, but I would predict that those who have will be very pleased with what they see on the screen. And those who have not read them (like me) will drawn in by the power of the story and its masterful presentation.

I truly believe that a new era for LDS cinema has been ushered in with this film.

We are reminded of the need to be tolerant. This is a topic that has been applied in film and across society to most persecuted minorities. Finally it is being addressed to the Mormons, and is long overdue. Since I am a Mormon and an adherent to the Latter-day Saint teachings, I can vouch for the fact that the film is about the need for tolerance amongst us all, and not a vehicle for evangelism. Even the Mormon victims themselves show tolerance toward their persecutors. There is a vital lesson there, though again it is not preachy or didactic by any means.

The word "lesson" may be a misnomer; perhaps "underlying message" is the key phrase. Thus the film's "underlying message" is not intended to teach, but to captivate the mind as an essential element in the human experience, much as any other basic element would be applied in building a story's interest: Just as intolerance is used to strengthen the story behind "Bridge on the River Kwai," or "Holocaust." The cinematography is absolutely excellent; even stunning and entrancing. I can think of no film that would be its superior in that regard. The acting is superb, incisive, and balanced. I disagree with the one commenter who suggested some acting was fine, though some was forced. The director has achieved a masterpiece of cohesive, balanced, and momentous acting.

The period is perfectly recreated in historic and scenic detail. I saw viewers at the theatre of ever age and social background perfectly entertained and satisfied with this film. The audience even applauded, an event I have not witnessed at a cinema in decades.

Love is also wonderfully dealt with in the film. There are periodic and well-timed flourishes of romance the way it used to be acted out in films decades ago: with decency and enchantment, and with no need for sleeze. Moreover, the romantic scenes show true human love and passion can be bounteously enjoyed within the bounds of decency and self-restraint.

This is a period-piece of cinematic charm that transcends time barriers, to enchant the mind, fascinate the eye, and provoke sincere thought.

I came away from this film anxious to read all about the real people from the time, in those circumstances, and to better understand what they really went through. It's been an amazing week since seeing it twice (in two days), reading Joseph Smith's History, and researching all kinds of early Mormon history. What a powerful testimony I've gained that the story told is a true one; that Joseph Smith in fact received the Book of Mormon from a Heavenly Being, and that he was instrumental in changing the world by facilitating the restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It was thrilling to think that others might be inspired to personally reflect on the story, and find that the Gospel is back. And that it's real.

I loved the work and the glory! It was so well made! It stayed true to the book, and brought it to life. It made me laugh and cry. And it made me come out of the theater and want to become more spiritual. The actors were really convincing. When Joseph was talking, you could just feel the truth of what he was saying. Even though the actor of Jospeh is not LDS in real life, he was way convincing. All of the actors and actresses were well picked. They stayed true to the characters they were portraying. I really loved the movie so much! I'm going to buy it when it comes out. It really is one of my all-time favorites! I would tell anybody to go see it. It's the best!

I saw the movie at it's "world premier" complete with many of the stars, the director, writer, Gerald N. Lund and Larry H. Miller on hand to add hype to the whole production.

The movie IS well done. None of the actors are horrible (only a couple truly shine, though, such as the actors who portray Joseph, Hyrum, Lydia and Lydia's Aunt). The cinematography is awesome - lots of beautiful stuff to look at, great close-ups, etc. The story is engaging - the double story line of the Steed Family and the unfolding of Mormonism.

But the film is just, well, bland - even slow at times. It wasn't moving. The music, though nice, was not adequate to enhance the moods of the scenes.

The emotionally climactic parts were, well, simply not weighty enough to truly be engaging. I WANTED to care about the characters - but for the most part the lines simply weren't there to bolster that care. There is one notable exception - the scene where Lydia makes up her mind is actually quite well done, well foreshadowed in the movie and, well, truly engaging.

I had hoped non-Mormons would find Mormon-centric entertainment here (such as in The Other Side of Heaven), but I fear the film will mostly only be celebrated by those who loved the books and think that translating the books to beautiful film is heaven-mandated. Though not Mormon-preachy, the film does attempt to be preachy (in a good way) on the topics of feminism (surprising, perhaps), open-mindedness and (anti-)bigotry.

But for all the strengths of good actors, great scenes, nice music and excellent story material, this attempt at telling the story is simply not moving enough for me to be overly thrilled with. Sort of like being thankful for 2 inches of snow (hey, something is better than nothing) when 2 feet is needed to eliminate the drought.

Maybe the next movie will be even better. I hope so.

Like other commentators, I am biased. I have not read the books, but I am LDS and I was on the set for a couple of days when it was filmed last spring. This is only the third non-LDS sponsored film with LDS backgrounds,(Brigham Young, The Other Side of Heaven) that I have felt was done with compassion and without undo bias on either side of the issue. While melodramatic, I felt it fit the time and the subject of the story. I also felt that the actors were well chosen for their parts and that the scenery of east Tennessee lent itself well to the setting of the story, (which was supposed to be New England area). The score was wonderful, the addition of the peripheral sound was just the right touch. In short, I was impressed and hope that a sequel is made. I would recommend this to anyone. No language, no sex, nothing to be afraid to take the older kiddies. (The historical backgrounds might be a bit difficult to explain to very young children.)

I thought this movie was really good I just got to see it tonight. I really do think that the members of The Church Of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints or if u would like to call us Mormons needs to take a none member to go and see this movie. I'm a member of the church and I really thought it was really good and I hope that they make a second movie for the second book and just to let u all know their are 9 books of this movie and I also thought the guy that played Joseph Smith was a Hottie and I really do think everyone should go out and see this movie. The Book Of Mormon is another Testament of Jesus Christ and I really do believe that Joseph Smith seen Heavenly Father and his Son when he was 14 years old. I have a testimony of Joseph Smith and he's my favorite Prophet but still none members go out and talk to a member of the church and see if u can get a Book Of Mormon and read it its really good and well yeah just talk to a member or just go to the movie and see the movie for your self.

I loved the movie! The church history in it was awesome! I loved the guy who played Joseph. The guy who played Nathan was my favorite character. I loved him in the books and i love the actor who plays him. He is a very hot guy. that's why i formed the NLA! Nathan Lovers Assosiation. Anyway the actors/actress's were really good. I am glad that they chose such great people. I would totally recommend this movie. I probably have the record of how many times people have watched it. Let's just say the number is close to 20 times. I know you guys probably think i'm crazy, but oh well. Indeed this is a good movie. One of the best i've ever seen. I'm so excited for the second movie to come out i'm going to be jumping off of the walls. Thanks for listening to me blabbing on and on. Thanks for listening to my comment. Goodbye