The early years of the Mormon faith, from oppression in Illinois and the murder of Joseph Smith (Vincent Price), to the first fateful year at the great Salt Lake, is seen through the eyes of Brigham Young (Dean Jagger), young Mormon follower Tyrone Power, and non-Mormon Linda Darnell, who's father was murdered trying to protect Power's farm.
Jagger is appropriately stoic and dignified, while Price gives an early atypical performance, without a drop of he hamminess that his fans love him for. Fellow future horror star John Carradine is quite memorable as a tough, long-haired mountain man, who was interesting enough to have warranted his own movie.
The movie does a good job of portraying the stark terror of Smith and his followers' persecution. That part is so potent that their subsequent hardships seem almost tame in comparison. Still, it's good, uplifting entertainment, even for those largely unfamiliar with the LDS religion.
While I don't know what characters were real or imagined, that of top-billed Power and Linda Darnell, as pleasant as they are, seem a bit contrived for marquee purposes, as does "villain" Brian Donlevy.
Jagger is appropriately stoic and dignified, while Price gives an early atypical performance, without a drop of he hamminess that his fans love him for. Fellow future horror star John Carradine is quite memorable as a tough, long-haired mountain man, who was interesting enough to have warranted his own movie.
The movie does a good job of portraying the stark terror of Smith and his followers' persecution. That part is so potent that their subsequent hardships seem almost tame in comparison. Still, it's good, uplifting entertainment, even for those largely unfamiliar with the LDS religion.
While I don't know what characters were real or imagined, that of top-billed Power and Linda Darnell, as pleasant as they are, seem a bit contrived for marquee purposes, as does "villain" Brian Donlevy.