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 Directed by: Christopher Cain
Cast: Jon Voight, Trent Ford and Tamara Hope
Rated: R
Take any history book and read through it. It's almost guaranteed that you will find at least one account where some religious group massacred another in the name of God.
Just about every religious organization has at least one account of massacre to their discredit. The Mormon Church, better known as the Church of Jesus Christ's Latter Day Saints, is no exception—in spite of their denials.
According to the United States' history books, a wagon train of Arkansas residents were slaughtered by a group of frenetically devout Mormons on September 11, 1857. Does this month and day sound hauntingly familiar? The group was on a journey en route to California, via the Utah territory, and needed a couple of weeks to recharge.
September Dawn opens up with a trial being held on July 30, 1875, in Salt Lake City, Utah. Brigham Young, (Stamp) became the leader of the Mormon Church, after Joseph Smith, the Church's supposed prophet and founder, was assassinated in Missouri. Bishop Young was being questioned at the hearing for his alleged involvement in the mass killings.
A fast forward in time brings the audience to an open prairie called Mountain Meadows, where the rest of the story is narrated by a pretty woman (Cain), who appears to be in her early twenties. She takes the audience back in time by approximately twenty years. It is here where her story and the story of the 120 lives lost, begins.
In 1857, Captain Alexander Fancher (Johnston) lead a wagon train of about 130 people from Arkansas to California through the Utah Territory. During their journey they stopped to rest and purchase supplies. It was in Mountain Meadows where the brave captain and his wary travelers met up with Bishop and Governor of the territory, Jacob Samuelson (Voight).
During this period, a member of the Arkansas wagon train, Emily Hudson (Hope) and Samuelson's son, Jonathan meet and strike up an ill-fated romance. Since this movie is advertised as a love story, enveloped in one of the most disturbing events in United States history, it's safe to compare this tragic love affair to another famous affair known to many as Romeo and Juliet. It even comes with its own version of Balthazar, in the form of Jonathan's brother, Micah (Handley).
Jacob Samuelson is a loyal and devout Mormon to the point his beliefs are both zealous and dangerous. He believes firmly in the concept of blood atonement, the taking of a life in order to save that life from its own mis-guided behavior. His lack of tolerance for anyone or anything that is even remotely different from him encourages his loyal followers to perform heinous crimes out of fear and favoritism.
In the meantime, Jacob sends Jonathan to the wagon train's camp to keep watch on the gentiles, as Jacob refers to them. Jonathan uses this opportunity to impress Captain Fancher and Emily with his horse whispering skills.
The movie offers some beautiful cinematography, a romantic hook and a history lesson unknown to many. After doing a little investigation on the horrendous incident myself, it was clear that this movie had neglected to mention some significant pieces of information.
The movie attempted to offer a black and white version of the events that led up to the massacre at Mountain Meadows, and in doing so, failed to present pertinent facts about this particular group of Mormons being survivors of religious persecution. Though it offered a hint that the Mormons had legitimate reasons for concern about their "guests", it fell from grace when it did not emphasize just how justified the Mormons' concerns were.
September Dawn faltered when it unfairly placed a dark cloud over the heads of the members of the Mormon Church. Jon Voight's character was portrayed as having very few redeemable qualities, making it easy for the ill-informed to deduce that the elders of the Mormon Church are all evil, and whose practices bare a striking resemblance to another group of religious fanatics that attacked our country exactly 144 years later.
There is nothing wrong with writing a love story based on actual accounts. James Cameron did it quite eloquently with his masterpiece, epic movie, Titanic. The objection comes into play when Hollywood grossly distorts the attitudes of some of the players and facts leading up to a human interest story.
It makes a group of people, undeserving of such a title, appear as terrorists. This movie would have faired far better if it was written in a manner that presented both parties involved as having a legitimate motive for their actions. Very little was documented about this event, and no one can be certain what conversations took place, or what was running through the minds of the key players. It would have been a more responsible gesture if Christopher Cain wrote a script that reflected this fact.
Yes, the movie was still very good and entertaining. Please go and see it, but do take the so-called facts presented with a grain of salt.
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