"Out of Liberty" tells the story of the men incarcerated in Liberty Jail in the 1830s but brilliantly does so from the point of view of the jailer, a good, even idealistic man whose view of the inmates gradually changes. This surprising choice in point of view makes this more than a retelling of a story you may have heard before and highlights important themes that, again, go beyond the ones usually associated with this historical episode. At issue, for instance, are the relation between truth and shifting popular opinion, the blinding effect even of an understandable desire for revenge, and the pressures that test personal integrity.
The film's story is familiar to Latter-day Saints (their first leader, Joseph Smith, figures in the story) but deserves to be more widely known. Even most Latter-day Saints know the story only partially and superficially. This film brings to life the characters, with their flaws and complex motives, adds surprising but historically accurate detail, and raises issues of current importance, including our tendency to reduce everyone to a villain or a victim.
Given the subject matter, this is a serious film. The harsh conditions of the jail are relieved by some outdoor moments, by the visits (brief but moving) of the inmates' wives, and by a few humorous bits. Though some characters come close to being villains, no one is painted as completely good or bad. We even come away with some understanding of and empathy for the persecutors and a sense of the inmates' flawed humanity.
Given the focus on the jailer, background information is supplied subtly and gradually, and our sense of the characters develops in a similar way. Joseph Smith (beautifully portrayed by Brandon Ray Olive) is presented sympathetically but humanly--and the film illuminates elements of his character that may be unfamiliar to many but that are supported by the historical record. Corbin Allred is a delightful Porter Rockwell, and Brock Roberts is an agonized Sidney Rigdon. All the acting is good, but the best performance, not surprisingly, presents the central character: Samuel Tillery, the jailer, played by Jasen Wade as a man of rock solid integrity and real but restrained compassion, but with limited and growing understanding. He reminded me, in some respects, of Gary Cooper.
"Out of Liberty" is powerful and thought provoking, with first-rate acting and cinematography. If you're interested in a moving, stimulating, and beautifully crafted film, please see this one!
The film's story is familiar to Latter-day Saints (their first leader, Joseph Smith, figures in the story) but deserves to be more widely known. Even most Latter-day Saints know the story only partially and superficially. This film brings to life the characters, with their flaws and complex motives, adds surprising but historically accurate detail, and raises issues of current importance, including our tendency to reduce everyone to a villain or a victim.
Given the subject matter, this is a serious film. The harsh conditions of the jail are relieved by some outdoor moments, by the visits (brief but moving) of the inmates' wives, and by a few humorous bits. Though some characters come close to being villains, no one is painted as completely good or bad. We even come away with some understanding of and empathy for the persecutors and a sense of the inmates' flawed humanity.
Given the focus on the jailer, background information is supplied subtly and gradually, and our sense of the characters develops in a similar way. Joseph Smith (beautifully portrayed by Brandon Ray Olive) is presented sympathetically but humanly--and the film illuminates elements of his character that may be unfamiliar to many but that are supported by the historical record. Corbin Allred is a delightful Porter Rockwell, and Brock Roberts is an agonized Sidney Rigdon. All the acting is good, but the best performance, not surprisingly, presents the central character: Samuel Tillery, the jailer, played by Jasen Wade as a man of rock solid integrity and real but restrained compassion, but with limited and growing understanding. He reminded me, in some respects, of Gary Cooper.
"Out of Liberty" is powerful and thought provoking, with first-rate acting and cinematography. If you're interested in a moving, stimulating, and beautifully crafted film, please see this one!