Six Days in August

I was familiar with the history and came into the movie with a pro bias. The movie however was a disappointment. It's as if the director and writers couldn't decide which story to tell so they told too many. Within five minutes they covered twenty years of highlights from Brigham's life. This made for disjointed story telling. The maudlin acting particularly of the women who played Maryann and Emma diminished the strength of the women and the complexities of the times they lived in. While Emma acknowledged why there would be tensions in Missouri, the mob and Plant were depicted overly villainous.

The Good -- for all of its cult potential, and my goodness this film is filled with, the song playing through the end credits was haunting and beautiful.

The Bad -- this movie makes Witnesses look like Citizen Kane, despite having a 2 million dollar budget. It just goes to show that money can't salvage a dookie script.

The Ugly -- if you were on a small passenger plane flying over Delta, UT, Six Days might not be preferable to simply staring into your airsickness bag.

I know what you're thinking... 'Just tell us whether you liked it.' Consider this, the film is pure fiction. Almost everything on the screen never happened. Women didn't love the idea of polygamy, there was not transfiguration of Brigham Young and the truth is that Joseph Smith ordered the destruction of the printing press because it was going to publish the truth about Joseph Smith and his many wives.

There is absolutely no reason to see this movie unless you are a glutton for punishment or if you enjoy being gaslit for 2 hours.

Looking back nearly two centuries, this fascinating view is both touching and enlightening of the interplay between Joseph Smith, Brigham Young, and other apostles and early restored gospel leaders. It repeatedly portrays intense human reactions as these people led the church in hostile circumstances to follow God's commandments. After years of oppression, it is striking to see intense personal dramas as Joseph Smith was martyred, with a focus on what then to do. We see how there was so much needed and how the early church responded. The superb acting, writing, direction, cinematography, and music absolutely brought it home.

Just finished watching Six Days in August in theatres. Very professionally and creatively made film. The cinematography was awesome, the score was moving, and, while it seemed the writers struggled sometimes to narrow down the elements necessary for their story, the acting portrayed by the actors (particularly with John Donovan Wilson) was superb. The ensemble cast did a fantastic job of carrying the story and providing the audience with a close look into the days after the LDS prophets death. Definitely would recommend seeing in theatres. Very well made and would hope that the film's reach keeps extending.

I was very disappointed that this film didn't portray the historical facts accurately. I did enjoy the camera work and scenery, but the acting, screenwriting and story was pure fiction. There are several other films that depict this times period that are much more historically accurate. It tends to portray polygamy as something that was enthusiastically embraced by women. Nothing could be further from the historical truth. Many women left the church due to polygamy and many others did not embrace the doctrine. Do yourself a favor and read the book Rough Stone Rolling that covers this time period in a much more accurate and meaningful way.