Ephraim's Rescue

Though some would call this a 'sentimental, cheese' movie and on the spiritual radar, I am inclined to rethink and give this another look. There is some pretty good acting, directing, excellent filming and producing. The story is tight and the message is more than worthwhile. We need more of these. True and uplifting. Some beautiful scenery, photography. Nothing about Mormon's that would 'offend' anybody.If you want to see lots of blood and gore and lots of graphic violence or lots of action or science fiction, or graphic sex, you won't get it here. This is for the folks who want something uplifting, hopeful and a place to find comfort, hope and faith in things that matter most. HOWEVER, some of the shots do involve the hardships that are not for the faint of heart!

I had the chance to see this in theaters before it game out. It looks like it is going to be a movie that just tries to focus on getting people to cry, but that's not it at all. It has a lot of funny jokes, jokes were cleverly placed through out the show. A few parts it even ties spiritual scenes in with a joke which i think makes it so much more enjoyable. Not only does it have a lot of great jokes in it but it lets you relate to the characters. There is one scene including a river(wont tell you anymore to not spoil the movie) that i thought they tried too hard to make it suspenseful but all in all it was a really great show and i will be going to see it again.

One of the strengths of the Mormon cinema is that they've been scrupulously accurate in portraying their pioneer days indeed the face of America in the 19th century. Ephraim's Rescue is the dramatization of one of the rescues of the handcart companies that journeyed to the American west to reach what the LDS folks term as Zion.

This story is narrated by its protagonist in old age. Darin Southam plays Ephraim Hanks who's a rather footloose and adventurous sort when we first meet him. Things aren't exciting enough on his Ohio farm so he's off for adventure even going east to Boston and then becoming a sailor for a few years. He returns to Ohio and hearing his brother has gone off with those Mormons, Southam makes a decision to do the same though his mother and sister.

He did it the way a lot of the early Mormons did it because horses were a premium and had to be tended. He walked to Zion as the LDS church saw what became Utah as.

When Brigham Young has heard that a handcart party from Great Britain where the church sent some of the first of those elders as missionaries it's Southam he sends as head of a rescue party as winter comes on.

The other track of this film is the story of that particular handcart party from Great Britain. Whatever you think of Mormon doctrine you cannot deny the incredible tenacity and courage of these people. One of them Thomas Dobson played by James Gaisford who because he walked instead of riding by wagon or horseback suffered some horrible injuries.

Part of Mormon lore is the healing powers that Ephraim Hanks is supposed to have. Their doctrine in fact when they refer to themselves as Latter Day Saints they're saying that the potentiality to be saints and prophets is not confined to ancient days.

Here's where a gentile (non-Mormon) audience might have swallowing the story of miracle cures that Hanks was supposed to have made. Still films like these have a built in audience of LDS members. And for those who want to find out about the culture Ephraim's Rescue will serve that purpose.

Obviously as a film, this falls a bit flat. I get it. The female lead is lifeless, there's a horrible story flow and characters that are hard to connect with. BUT. As an LDS filmgoer, this thing is strong. If I weren't LDS this would get a 4/10. But because I am, and the experience I had spiritually while watching it, it gets the 7.

They say it was based on the true story of a man who lived in the latter half of the 1800s. Kind of the biographical movie, but largely inspired from the real incidents rather than story from one man's perspective. The story narrates from the two sets of actors that they come together at the end. One from the Utah, American and other from British pilgrims.

The theme was related to the religious and a man with the healing power. Few scenes are hard to accept as it makes no sense when it comes to the reality of life on the earth. As a fictional movie about human spirit it is a lovable movie and I liked it, but as a real perhaps no one buys it. Because it is like the adult version of what kids believe, Santa and fairies.

It might be a B stream movie, but the quality was very good with the decent performances and great musics. The thing is, the true story and its logic totally demerged from my perspective. Who knows if you are a man of god, a religious type, then you may going like it.