Product details

Actor: Narrated by Gregory Peck
Edition: VHS Tape
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language)
Format: Closed-captioned
Running Time: 120 unknown-units
Published: 1999
Audience Rating: Unrated
Publisher: Vermont Public Television
Studio: Vermont Public Television

VHS Movie Reviews of American Prophet, The Story of Joseph Smith

Movie Review: American Prophet: The Story of Joseph Smith--Excellent!!
Summary: 5 Stars

This video is an excellent expos? of the life of the first Mormon (LDS) prophet. It features commentary from both Mormon and non-Mormon scholars. Also featured are present day leaders, including the current Presidents of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. This reminds (or teaches) the viewer that there are several churches that descend from the leadership and teachings of Joseph Smith.

Mormon viewers will take pride in the accomplishments of their first Prophet, but may be a little miffed at the candor and lack of belief of some of the non-Mormon scholars. This is not your typical the-guy-was-perfect-documentary. I found all perspectives welcome and refreshing. All in all, the presentation was well balanced.

Is there any value in this video for the non-Mormon? Absolutely. The video gives an excellent presentation about religious life in early 19th century America, during which time so many churches and sects were founded. It also exposes the religious intolerance of so many people during this time period. But out of this religious turmoil came Joseph Smith, who claimed to have seen God. He was at best a prophet who saw what he claimed, or at least, a very charismatic and determined man who was able to get thousands of people to follow his teachings. He organized missionary work among his new converts-men who left hearth and home to travel to other parts of North America and Europe to seek new converts. These people, in turn, left their homes and emigrated to Zion, a place which changed venue, depending on where the Mormons could put down roots long enough to build a town and temple before they were ruthlessly expelled by the locals. Joseph Smith suffered unspeakable personal tragedy: the loss of five children before their maturity, one of whom died from a cold contracted during the cold night which his wife spent plucking the tar from his body from one of his numerous tar-and-featherings, numerous unwarranted jailings, and so on. In spite of all this, Smith never lost heart; he stayed true to his claims. He continued to gain converts, build cities and temples. He finally paid the ultimate price for his beliefs as an angry mob gunned him and his brother down while they were being held in a jail.

Well, we learn a lot about early 19th century America and a truly amazing individual who was committed to his beliefs. That's fine, but the real value is this video has modern application. The viewer is made to understand how this church (Mormon) has grown from a handful of people to over 10 million in about a century and a half. What was it about this man that he was able to organize something for which every year thousands of young men and women devote two years of their lives, giving up jobs, dating, scholarships, college, music and sports careers, to go out at their own expense to knock on doors, and they'll knock on yours, to preach the gospel? Now THAT is something worth learning about! This video explains it all.

At two hours, this video gives the viewer more than his money's worth. Gregory Peck, the narrator, is of course very pleasant to listen to.

I have reviews of other Mormon history videos which you might want to read:
The Mormon Rebellion
Trail of Hope: Story of the Mormon Trail
Brigham Young Biography
More Precious than Gold: The Mormon Battalion

Dr. Fritz Juengling

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Summary of American Prophet, The Story of Joseph Smith

Millions of people around the worldknow of him. Yet this frontier prophet of the early 1800s found little honor and eventual martyrdom at the hands of an angry mob in his own conutry. Who was this Joseph Smith and what was it about his remarkable life story, which ispired such impassioned rancor or unflinching reverence? (from notes on tape box).

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