I'm glad I didnt see the film, I would have been very upset at a censored, watered down, "delightsome" version of happy valley in the 1840's. Lets face it, this institution has gotten away with this method of masking the bad and glorifying the positive for untold years; the membership have only themselves to blame by financially supporting it. I realize most pay out of fear of threats made weekly at the pulpit and JS scripture. From what I 've read of this film you have only yourselves to blame for financially supporting the church while it builds a shopping mall and continues to keep its finances a secret for fear the membership will hold back their 10%. Sounds like Emma felt the same way!!!

I too found this film a great disappointment as I was looking to learn more about Emma Smith's life AFTER the death of Joseph Smith. Alas, the film is little more than the Joseph Smith story with some historical additions about the Hale family and the courtship and family events of Emma and Joseph. The film covers all the usual crisis events of the Church and Joseph's life, except Emma has much of the camera time in the scenes. Once Joseph is killed, the film just ends -- even though the majority of Emma's life is before her. I can't imagine that even Emma would look at this film, with all its romanticized dramatic license and be happy. If she was such an "elect lady" as so many have pointed out, than I would have been very interested to know about her journey from Nauvoo to a place apart from the Church. Such an "elect lady" must have had good reasons for making the choices she made in her life after Joseph's death. THIS is a story worth the price of admission. Emma Smith: My Story should be showing at the Joseph Smith Building, where we could see it for free and understand what its purpose is.

Re: the April 10th comment.....Anyways? How on earth did "anyways" become a word? Feels to me like nails on a blackboard. However, few out there even know what a blackboard is.

I think the reason this movie ended at the death of Joseph Smith, is because after that event, Emma's actions were less than stellar through the remainder of her life. She left the Church, and married outside the faith. She helped start a new church, and had her son installed as the first RLDS prophet. All of Joseph Smith's children left the Mormon Church, because of Emma, including the adopted Julia Murdock Smith, who became a Catholic. Also, Joseph Smith's only sisters, Catherine and Lucy, left the Church because of Emma's influence. Defend Emma if you want, but the fact is: she did not endure to the end. The movie I am waiting for is the one about Hyrum's wife, Mary Fielding Smith. Now there is a true "elect lady", who suffered much hardship, yet still remained faithful to the end, as did all of her children.

My wife and I went to see Emma Smith: My Story last night. This was a very well production--I commend the producers. I came away from the show last night with a much better understanding of Emma's life, her compassion and her love for her husband, Joseph Smith. She was truly an elect lady.

"A person convinced against his will is of the same opinion still." I wonder how a comments column such as this would read if we were reviewing the vision given to Lehi and Nephi. Were the production values stunning, the budget noticeably wanting, the content too sparse or episodic, the acting good or so so, etc? Nephi perceived things his father missed. What one gleans from an experience, film-going included, is dependent upon what one brings to the experience. If you bring a critical and analytical mind to the table you will come away with an experience different than one who comes to feast and savor what the host offers. I know a remarkable man, who once graced the pages of the Deseret News as a music critic. His ears and eyes and genius far exceeded my own in that he could hear and see things beyond my ability to even know they existed. I wondered if such an ear and such an eye, such an amazing critic could stand to listen to little Suzy squeak on her violin or a church choir attempt a hymn. Fortunately I have been in the same setting with this man and witnessed his remarkable ability to rise above his critical consciousness and see and enjoy the song of the heart. I found EMMA SMITH: My Story to be an exceptional experience for me, beautifully executed through marvelous photography, wonderful music, and "living" acting. I realize that what I experienced had a great deal to do with what I brought to the film and I believe that that experience awaits any who so desires it and is prepared to feast.

I was hoping to learn something new from this film. I was disappointed that the movie ended when Joseph's life ended. Emma's life was only half lived out at the time of Joseph's death. The movie did not address the polygamy issue nor Emma's reasons for staying behind in Nauvoo nor anything of her life after Joseph's death. If you blinked at the right time in the movie it would be easy to believe that Emma was Joseph's only wife and that she died an active member of the Mormon church. I felt like the movie, although very well done, did not exactly portray many of the critical events in Emma's life. How can you honestly have a movie about Emma Smith without addressing polygamy? If you are looking to learn something about Emma's life that you would not find in a Mormon Sunday School class, you may be disappointed.

The movie was done from a male perspective. However as others on here I found a friend and another wife...lol!

This was a spectacular historical treatise. The delicate treatment of polygamy was done in just the right taste. It provided accurate historical perspective as well as personal emotional clarity, with its regard to Emma. This is a must see for all critics of this amazing woman, as well as critics of the church. This is not just a story about Emma, but it is also a story of the foundations of this church from Emma's point of view. Her faith and testimony even in spite of all her personal hardships is an inspiration to the world.

after seeing this movie i need a friend.

I loved this movie! Everyone in the audience just sat there after it ended like we were all trying to comprehend what this woman endured. T.C. Christensen is a master in his trade! Don't let the movie critics scare you off from seeing this movie. It was wonderful! Go see it!

The first commentator needs to get a life period. He is the first to comment and already he is defending the review like it is in question. go figure. The film was great! The cinematography was outstanding and the script was very clever. I wanted to see much more about Emma's life after Joseph but I thought the film gave a voice and real persona's to both Emma and Joseph. This is a must see if you are LDS and a great film for others who want too know what Emma really said. The film is documented very well and all of it can be backed up. Kudos to the JS JR and Emma Hale Smith Society for making this film. I wished it were longer and explored the polygamy issue and Emma's involvement with the RLDS church. How many movies do you wish were longer? Go see it. It is a first rate movie and very moving.

The film is a beautiful representation of Emma Smith. Yes, the film has it's week points, just as any. But historically, the film is accurate. The actors draw you into the world their representing. You feel a part of it. I walked away with a desire to be better..."stand a little taller."

Never mind that first commentator. You can often find him/her making similar comments about other movies and glorifying Vice as if he is some type of movie-critic prodigy. I enjoy Vice's work as well, and agree with some of the commentator's points, but his/her condescending tone is uneccessary, and frankly getting a bit tiresome. The obvious truth is the casual movie-goer views a movie the for entertainment, while Vice is trained to view a movie through the scope of analysis. To belittle either side's perspective is superflous and juevenile.

What is that guy so uptight about?

In this case everyone needs a friend.

All I wanted to hear was how historical it was. The last commentator needs a friend as well. I didn't know what he was even trying to say.

That last commentator needs a friend.

Thanks for sticking to your principles, Vice, and refusing to give a positive review to a film of fairly shoddy production like this one. While I did enjoy this film significantly more than a majority of recent LDS productions, it does still have some fairly major production issues that distracted a bit too much from what was an otherwise entertaining film (and no, the low budget is not an excuse - there are other low budget productions that manage to overcome those problems with a creative and intelligent filmmaking crew.) I know you're going to be inundated with complaints about how you shouldn't even be a critic and how you obviously missed the wonderful beauty, cleanliness, movingness, cleanliness, honesty, cleanliness, artfulness, cleanliness of the film and how you shouldn't even have a job and how you only like stuff that nobody sees (as opposed to the millions who flock to LDS films. And if nobody sees the films that you like, why does it matter if you give a positive review to an LDS film? Since it obviously has no effect on box office, since "nobody sees" the other films you do like? Are they simply that disturbed by the existence of a contrary opinion, especially one that comes from someone who has seen more films and is very likely more informed and educated about films than they are?) Anyways, thanks for the reviews, and thanks to your continued dedication to praising filmmaking that is actually good (and intelligent), rather than succumbing to the mindnumbingly low film-going standards of the community.