Review of Six Days In August

[Everybody Wang Chung]

*SPOILER WARNING*

I saw this movie last night at the Sandy Cinemark.  The movie was at its best when there were drone shots of the scenery. It was beautiful camera work. Unfortunately, there were only a few drone shots.  The music was top notch. 

Now the bad. The plot was a jumbled mess and confusing beyond belief. A non-member will not know what in the heck is going on and most members will be confused as well. The film jumps back and forth in time so often that at some point most people will just give up trying to follow along.

There is no character development and everyone in the film is very one dimensional.  More important, this film is not likely to inspire serious thought on the Mormon faith or even the Succession Crisis.  There is no description or discussions about doctrine, faith or the nature of belief.  You can watch this film and not learn one thing that is unique or compelling about the Mormon faith. This film was a mile wide and an inch deep, just like the film Witnesses.  

Predictably, the film avoids many of the uncomfortable historical issues. What follows is my stream of conscious thoughts about the film:

-  The long anticipated transfiguration scene was a complete letdown.  Brigham Young is speaking to all the Saints (actually only about 35 of them) and the camera slowly pans to the audience as they gasp with astonishment. As the camera slowly pans back to BY, we see that it's not BY anymore, but it's now Joseph Smith talking (the actual actor portraying Joseph Smith).  The camera pans back to the audience and a blind man asks out loud, "Is that Joseph talking?  Yes, it is Joseph!"  Then the camera slowly pans back to Joseph Smith, except Joseph Smith is gone and now it's BY.  So, it's not really a transfiguration scene, but a switching of actors.  I was anticipating some cool CGI or even old school claymation.  Really disappointed.  

-  I was very surprised at how many scenes there were of BY speaking in tongues.  The first scene happens when we are first introduced to BY as he is trying to help some oxen pull a wagon out of the mud.  In a scene straight out of Crocodile Dundee or Doctor Dolittle, BY approaches the oxen and starts speaking in tongues and the oxen immediately pull the wagon out of the mud.

-  There is another bizarre scene where BY is asked to say a dinner prayer and he prays in tongues for a couple of minutes, while the audience is forced to sit there and endure a long dinner prayer in tongues.

-  The most bizarre scene is when BY starts singing in tongues in front of Joseph Smith for a good 3 minutes.  It was a strange spectacle, to say the least.

- There is a scene where Joseph Smith is in a room with a couple of the apostles and their wives. Joseph instructs the apostles to ask their wives if they consent to polygamy. The wives are ecstatic and consent with utter joy. I think the Executive Producer felt it necessary to portray the women as largely being happy and excited about polygamy. Strange.

- There is a scene between Emma and Joseph sitting on a lush, green lawn where Emma tells Joseph she was tested by the practice of polygamy. Joseph tells Emma that he never chose the polygamy life, but the polygamy life chose him. Emma then asks Joseph if he would choose her and he replies that he already has. Strange scene and like much of the film, didn't make any sense. I think the Executive Producer put the scene in only to be able to say that the film discusses polygamy.

- The Thomas Sharp character is just plain silly. Although, he is the best actor in the film, by far. I imagine that after playing a role in a crappy movie like this, the actor will sit down with his agent and have a long, heart-to-heart talk.  Thomas Sharp is portrayed as being the mastermind behind everything bad that happens to the Saints.  From paying people to throw tomatoes at BY while he is campaigning for Joseph Smith's presidential candidacy, to being responsible for tar and feathering Joseph and organizing the mob that killed Joseph.

- The destruction of the Nauvoo Expositor is very quick and it is only mentioned that it's publishing lies about the Saints.

- The film portrays the Succession Crisis as only being between Brigham Young and Sydney Rigdon. The film does mention briefly there were "others" who made claims, but the film doesn't show any of these "others."

- Anachronism galore! I could write an article just on the anachronisms. Lawns, two lane paved gravel roads, lots of airplane contrails in many different scenes, etc. It's shocking the Executive Producer didn't have someone review the film for anachronisms. 2 million dollars spent and they couldn't even go over the film once for anachronisms? Strange.

I can't in good conscience recommend this film.  It's very uneven and confusing.  The acting was really bad and the directing was amateurish. I would give this film 1.5 stars out of 4. I am hoping the film does well enough that the Interpreter Foundation will be able to make another movie.

Someday an accurate and historically correct film will be made of these people and the events. It's unfortunate that this is not that film.

[Marcus]

Thank you, Everybody Wang Chung!!

...There is another bizarre scene where BY is asked to say a dinner prayer and he prays in tongues for a couple of minutes, while the audience is forced to sit there and endure a long dinner prayer in tongues...

One can only hope a three year old arm snuck out to steal a biscuit during this scene of adults with their eyes closed, if only for comic relief.

...The long anticipated transfiguration scene was a complete letdown. Brigham Young is speaking to all the Saints (actually only about 35 of them) and the camera slowly pans to the audience as they gasp with astonishment. As the camera slowly pans back to BY, we see that it's not BY anymore, but it's now Joseph Smith talking (the actual actor portraying Joseph Smith). The camera pans back to the audience and a blind man asks out loud, "Is that Joseph talking? Yes, it is Joseph!" Then the camera slowly pans back to Joseph Smith, except Joseph Smith is gone and now it's Brigham Young. So, it's not really a transfiguration scene, but a switching of actors. I was anticipating some cool CGI or even old school claymation. Really disappointed...

A little Davey and Goliath action would have been amazing. What a missed opportunity.

[I Have Questions]

There is a scene where Joseph Smith is in a room with a couple of the apostles and their wives. Joseph instructs the apostles to ask their wives if they consent to polygamy. The wives are ecstatic and consent with utter joy. I think the Executive Producer felt it necessary to portray the women as largely being happy and excited about polygamy. Strange.

That’s clearly a misleading portrayal of how it was.

This is what the Church says about people (those involved in the script, and the production) who mislead:

Lying is intentionally deceiving others. Bearing false witness is one form of lying. The Lord gave this commandment to the children of Israel: “Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour” (Exodus 20:16). Jesus also taught this when He was on earth (see Matthew 19:18). There are many other forms of lying. When we speak untruths, we are guilty of lying. We can also intentionally deceive others by a gesture or a look, by silence, or by telling only part of the truth. Whenever we lead people in any way to believe something that is not true, we are not being honest.

The Lord is not pleased with such dishonesty, and we will have to account for our lies.

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/stu ... y?lang=eng

[I Have Questions]

The long anticipated transfiguration scene was a complete letdown.  Brigham Young is speaking to all the Saints (actually only about 35 of them) and the camera slowly pans to the audience as they gasp with astonishment. As the camera slowly pans back to BY, we see that it's not BY anymore, but it's now Joseph Smith talking (the actual actor portraying Joseph Smith).  The camera pans back to the audience and a blind man asks out loud, "Is that Joseph talking?  Yes, it is Joseph!"  Then the camera slowly pans back to Joseph Smith, except Joseph Smith is gone and now it's BY.  So, it's not really a transfiguration scene, but a switching of actors.  I was anticipating some cool CGI or even old school claymation.  Really disappointed.  

Here’s how the producer “sold” this scene…

So we’ve struggled with how to handle this scene in the movie. We couldn’t simply ignore it. We’ve finally settled on an approach that I think we can defend. It surprised me a bit, and it may surprise you, as well.

https://www.patheos.com/blogs/danpeters ... young.html

[Kishkumen]

Thanks for your review, Everybody Wang Chung! You have me very intrigued to see this film! I have a feeling that I will like it a lot more than you did. All of the Brigham speaking in tongues material alone would have me running to the box office with cash in hand. I can't wait to see it myself so Kish can critique the film with coffee in hand.

[Everybody Wang Chung]

Thanks for your review, Everybody Wang Chung! You have me very intrigued to see this film! I have a feeling that I will like it a lot more than you did. All of the Brigham speaking in tongues material alone would have me running to the box office with cash in hand. I can't wait to see it myself so Kish can critique the film with coffee in hand.

I can't wait for your review. Just wait a couple of weeks and I'll send you the YouTube link.

[Everybody Wang Chung]

There is a scene where Joseph Smith is in a room with a couple of the apostles and their wives. Joseph instructs the apostles to ask their wives if they consent to polygamy. The wives are ecstatic and consent with utter joy. I think the Executive Producer felt it necessary to portray the women as largely being happy and excited about polygamy. Strange.

That’s clearly a misleading portrayal of how it was.

This is what the Church says about people (those involved in the script, and the production) who mislead:

Lying is intentionally deceiving others. Bearing false witness is one form of lying. The Lord gave this commandment to the children of Israel: “Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour” (Exodus 20:16). Jesus also taught this when He was on earth (see Matthew 19:18). There are many other forms of lying. When we speak untruths, we are guilty of lying. We can also intentionally deceive others by a gesture or a look, by silence, or by telling only part of the truth. Whenever we lead people in any way to believe something that is not true, we are not being honest.

The Lord is not pleased with such dishonesty, and we will have to account for our lies.

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/stu ... y?lang=eng

Yes, it was a very dishonest scene. Despite the Executive Producer's effort, I don't think anyone who watched the film came away believing Mormon women enthusiastically embraced polygamy. I guess it's important for the Mopologists to push this false narrative.

[Everybody Wang Chung]

Thank you, Everybody Wang Chung!!

...There is another bizarre scene where BY is asked to say a dinner prayer and he prays in tongues for a couple of minutes, while the audience is forced to sit there and endure a long dinner prayer in tongues...

One can only hope a three year old arm snuck out to steal a biscuit during this scene of adults with their eyes closed, if only for comic relief.

...The long anticipated transfiguration scene was a complete letdown. Brigham Young is speaking to all the Saints (actually only about 35 of them) and the camera slowly pans to the audience as they gasp with astonishment. As the camera slowly pans back to BY, we see that it's not BY anymore, but it's now Joseph Smith talking (the actual actor portraying Joseph Smith). The camera pans back to the audience and a blind man asks out loud, "Is that Joseph talking? Yes, it is Joseph!" Then the camera slowly pans back to Joseph Smith, except Joseph Smith is gone and now it's Brigham Young. So, it's not really a transfiguration scene, but a switching of actors. I was anticipating some cool CGI or even old school claymation. Really disappointed...

A little Davey and Goliath action would have been amazing. What a missed opportunity.

Yes, that would've been hilarious! The Executive Producer did try his hand at comedy, but the scene fell flat.

The scene is at Brigham Young's wedding, where he tells his new bride that his is glad to be married and to finally have someone to help with the chickens and cows. BY's bride picks up a large vase filled with water and dumps it on BY's head and hand tailored wedding suit. Everyone at the wedding laughs and laughs. It was a strange attempt at humor. Unfortunately, the scene was just bizarre and awkward to watch. Nobody in the theater laughed.

[Marcus]

Thank you, Everybody Wang Chung!!

One can only hope a three year old arm snuck out to steal a biscuit during this scene of adults with their eyes closed, if only for comic relief.

A little Davey and Goliath action would have been amazing. What a missed opportunity.

Yes, that would've been hilarious! The Executive Producer did try his hand at comedy, but the scene fell flat.

The scene is at Brigham Young's wedding, where he tells his new bride that his is glad to be married and to finally have someone to help with the chickens and cows. BY's bride picks up a large vase filled with water and dumps it on BY's head. Everyone at the wedding laughs and laughs. It was a strange attempt at humor. Unfortunately, the scene was just bizarre and awkward to watch. Nobody in the theater laughed.

Wow. Maybe midgley wrote that. I still recall how appalled and heartbroken I felt when he posted once how much he missed his dear wife... because she ran his household so well that he could spend his time doing whatever he wanted.

[Tom]

Thank you for your genuine and honest review, President Wang Chung. I don't think the producers and director are in a position to ask for anything more. I hope you'll post your review on review websites.

As an aside, I've seen film clips of Brigham speaking in tongues. I'm disappointed that the "tongue" sounded like Irish Gaelic.

A few questions:

Who won the tree-cutting contest? Brigham or Joseph?

Did the film depict Brigham's weaknesses?

Did you stick around for the credits and catch the performance of “O Give Me Back My Prophet Dear"? If so, how was it?

If you stayed for the credits, did you catch the list of financial supporters?

Having seen the film, do you agree with the insider's assessment back in July?

For starters, as the title of this thread indicates, this insider thinks that the movie is “absolute garbage.” But they go on to elaborate:

—The movie suffers from “Whitewashed history” and “one-dimensional characters”
—There have apparently been serious problems in the editing room since the current cut of the film has “terrible pacing”
—Apparently the “acting is atrocious”
—And the screenplay, which received extensive feedback from the Executive Producer “is pretentious and verbose.”

This informant notes that the movie has a run time of 2 hours and that 3/4 of the movie elapses before they even get to “Day 1 of the ‘six days in August.’”