Reviews of and news articles about
Richard Dutcher's film
"Brigham City"

Other Links:

• Official "Brigham City" web site (click here to skip intro)
• Internet Movie Database listing for Brigham City
• Box Office Data for Brigham City
• Richard Dutcher - profile of the director
• Interview with Dutcher about Brigham City - Meridian Magazine asks: "Why a murder mystery?"
• UpcomingMovies.com - Brigham City page
• Official studio site: Zion Films
• Feature Films made by Latter-day Saint Filmmakers

• Welcome to Brigham - music CD by top recording artists in response to the film
• If You Like Brigham City, You'll Like... - other Latter-day Saint mystery films and books
• Top 10 Possible Films Richard Dutcher Will Make Next

• Brigham City - links and information about the actual place

• Review by BellaOnline Latter-day Saint Forum host Jennifer Foust

Whodunnit?

By the looks of things, author/director Richard Dutcher is playing by the rules of the genre:

Somebody has been killed.
Somebody is the killer.
The killer is one of the characters in the film, introduced long before we figure out whodunnit

Sheriff/Bishop Wes Clayton (Richard Dutcher)
I don't think so. Not that the "protagonist investigates a crime that he actually committed himself" hasn't been done before (most recently with Tuvok on ST:Voyager), but there's no way Dutcher's made a film in which the bishop is both the hero and the killer. (Now, if Neil LaBute had written this film, the killer definitely would have been the sheriff. If Trent Harris had written it, the killer and the victim would have been Sheriff Clayton.)
Odds: 20 : 1

Stu, Former Sheriff (Wilford Brimley)
Hmm... The old cuddly guy did it? That would be a twist. Maybe that's why Wilford took the role -- to have a chance at being a bad guy for once, instead of yet another curmudgeonly brusque but actually nice guy. And yet, his character is the former sheriff, so he's got to know that killin' people is against the law. (And streneous, no matter how many Quaker Oats you eat each morning). Probably not.
Odd: 8 : 1

Terry, Sheriff's Deputy (Matthew Brown)
Ooh, that would be creepy, wouldn't it? If the greenie deputy (also the greenie missionary from "God's Army") was just pretending to be a hayseed kid and was actually a cold-blooded killer. But wouldn't that make Matthew Brown's throngs of fans squeamish after seeing the flick? (Not to mention being totally out of character, from what Terry seems like in the trailers.) Probably not him.
Odds: 7 : 1

Peg, Sheriff Clayton's secretary (Carrie Morgan)
Why would she kill anybody? She looks like an extremely happy person. And, although we know Dutcher is a modern man, a progressive kind of guy, he's also just too traditional to have a woman do the murders in his first mystery film. Sorry, ladies.
Odds: 10 : 1

Ed, Peg's boyfriend (Jon Enos)
Hmmm... Could be. He's the local tow-truck driver, so he's got opportunity, driving around late at night on those Brigham City roads. The murder victim is found in her car on the side of the road, after all... Maybe Carrie Morgan's bright and sunny demeanor drove him to a homicidal rage? PLUS: Jon Enos is an excellent veteran actor, exactly the kind of guy you'd want to have play your killer.
Odds: 4 : 1

Meredith and Garcia, FBI agents from New York (Tayva Patch and Jeff Johnson)
No. They fly out to Utah after the murder. So that would make no sense at all if one of them was also the killer.
Odds: 50 : 1

April, Deputy Terry's wife (Wendy Gardiner)
Matthew Brown (Terry) is such a cutie. If I was married to him I wouldn't kill anybody. Unless... I thought he was cheating... No... These kids are so young, they're probably still on their honeymoon. Besides, this is Brigham City, not New York City.
Odds: 12 : 1

Glen, Mayor of Brigham (Sterling Brimley)
The mayor...? Maybe he's proactively trying to preserve the town's old-fashioned ways. I'm sure there are lots of mayors who wish they could kill lots of people. But the guy's old, probably has arthritis... (I wonder who Rocky would knock off if he could get away with it. Actually, I know who he would do in, but I'm not going to tell you.)
Odds: 6 : 1

Ralph, construction foreman in town, Frank Gerrish
Big, strong guy like Frank... Yeah, he coulda done it. Why else is a construction foreman, not related to any of the investigating officers, town leaders, or church leaders even in the film?
Odds: 3 : 1

Evelyn, Miss Brigham's mother (Janice Power)
Okay, I know I said the killer's not a woman. But Evelyn looks suspicious in her cast photo. And why is she listed before "Miss Brigham" and before her husband, who is the sheriff's friend and bishopric counselor? And note her name: You can make the words "evil" and "villain" out of "Evelyn." (Is "Evelyn" even a real name???)
Odds: 4 : 1

Ernie - Miss Brigham's father, Wes' church counselor (Rick Macy)
Well, that would be rich... The killer is the counselor (in the bishopric) to the investigator. Lots of drama there. It doesn't seem very realistic (why would somebody voluntarily be in a bishopric, an unpaid position with lots of work required yet no glory because you're not the bishop, if they were secretly evil?) But... having the bishop's "first officer" be the killer would certainly provide balance for those cinematic types who aren't comfortable having the film's most religious guy be the hero.
Odds: 4 : 1

Ivan and Max (Jerry North and Jack North)
Ivan and Max are two brothers who have lived in Brigham their entire lives. Killers? Nah. They're red herrings. Probably suspects early on, to throw the sheriff off the track of the real killer.
Odds: 7 : 1

Spencer, 12-year-old Deacon (Nick Whitaker)
I doubt it. No actor from the Whitaker family has ever played a murderer. Jaywalking while sipping a Dr Pepper is about as naughty as they get (onscreen, anyway). And a twelve-year-old?
Odds: 20 : 1

Miss Brigham, local beauty pageant queen (Jacque Gray)
The beauty queen? Not likely. But won't we all be surprised if it is her! (Besides, isn't she the victim?)
Odds: 25 : 1

If You Like Brigham City, You'll Like...

Anne Perry - One of the best-selling mystery novelists alive today, Perry is best known for her historical Victorian mystery novels. One major series features Detective Charlotte and Detective Thomas Pitt, and another features Detective William Monk and Nurse Hester Latterly. She has had a novel made into a television movie ("The Cater Street Hangman"), has twice won the Association for Mormon Letters Award for Best Novel (for The Sins of the Wolf in 1994 and Tathea in 1999), and she writes a monthly column for Meridian Magazine. Perry may seem mild-mannered in person, but her novels grapple with the darkest of human emotions, albeit from a deeply moral perspective.

Sherlock Holmes - Everybody has heard of Sherlock Holmes, the fictional character that launched the mystery genre. But did you know that Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's very first tale of Holmes, A Study in Scarlet featured Mormons -- as the detective's nemesis! Doyle later journeyed to Salt Lake City, met actual Mormons, and expressed regret for his earlier, laughably inaccurate portrayal of them (which had been based on anti-Mormon and anti-Semitic propaganda). Thereafter, he only wrote and spoke of Mormons with sincere respect. [Source.]

Alexandra Campbell mysteries - Genealogy and murder combine in two novels by G. G. Vandagriff about a mystery-solving Latter-day Saint genealogist named Alexandra Campbell: Of Deadly Descent and Cankered Roots.

The Mystery of the Chinese Junk - In this 1967 movie the Hardy Boys become owners of the Chinese junk Hai Hau. They head to New York City and go spelunking to break up a gang of criminals. The connection? "Aunt Gertrude Hardy" is played by none other than Portia Nelson, the actress who was born in Brigham City, Utah. (Nelson was also in the original Doctor Doolittle.) Yeah, it's a stretch. Sue me. (In case you're wondering, other actors who were born in Brigham City include Mortimer Snow and Eric Lichtenberg, who is in Tim Burton's new "Planet of the Apes" movie.)

God's Army - Released in 2000, this ground-breaking film is not a mystery, but it was written, directed, and produced by Richard Dutcher (who also stars). But you knew that already.

Eliza and I - You knew about "God's Army." But have you seen "Eliza and I" yet? This is another film directed by Richard Dutcher. Made for PBS, it presents the story of Eliza R. Snow, the poet and lyracist who was an early convert to the Church and who married Joseph Smith and later Brigham Young. It's basically a one-woman play, and the writer, producer and star is Elizabeth Hansen, so it's not an all-out Dutcher-fest. But if you're interested in what else Dutcher has worked on, you might check it out. Here's a full-length review.

Top 10 Possible Films Richard Dutcher Will Make Next

1. God's Navy - Richard Dutcher stars as the wise captain of a U.S. Navy battleship. Co-star Matthew Brown plays his first officer, an eager soldier who learns about life and death from his c.o.

2. God's Army 2 - Returned missionary (played by Matthew Brown) struggles to pretend he enjoys reading James Joyce in order to impress a pretty teacher's aid in his freshman English class at BYU. His compassionate but hardline bishop (played by Richard Dutcher) counsels him to just be himself.

3. Rockwell - Wilford Brimley stars as Porter Rockwell, the cantankerous bearded body guard to the prophet Joseph Smith (played by Richard Dutcher)

4. Billy - Shawn Bradley stars in this moving biopic about the life of Billy Barty, veteran actor, civil rights activist, and active Latter-day Saint

5. Johnny - Richard Dutcher stars as the suave Polynesian courtier "Johnny Lingo" in this remake of the 1969 Wetzel O. Whitaker classic. Jacque Gray plays "Mahana."

6. New York City - Set in the fictional metropolis of "New York" (not to be confused with the actual New York City), Richard Dutcher stars as a kind but stubborn big city detective who shows a neophyte investigator (Matthew Brown) the ropes as they investigate the murder of a Mormon missionary.

7. Battlefield Galactica - New adventures of Apollo (Richard Dutcher) and Starbuck (Matthew Brown) as they search for Earth while being pursued by the Cylons (led by John Travolta).

8. Girl Crazy 2 - Richard Dutcher stars in this follow-up to his first epic blockbuster.

9. Purple Pain - Matthew Brown stars as pop singer "Ronny Ormond", who becomes a national phenomenon while hiding a shameful secret: arachnephobia!

10. Saturday's Warrior: The Movie - Richard Dutcher leads an all-star cast in bringing this beloved classic to the big screen. The ensemble cast includes Matthew Modine, Eliza Dushku, Bruce Newbold, Patrick Fugit, Julie Stoffer, Maren Ord, Jon Enos and Matthew Brown.

Cast of Brigham City

[SOURCE: Official "Brigham City" website.]

Actor	Part
Richard Dutcher	Bishop Wes Clayton
Matthew A. Brown	Terry
Wilford Brimley	Stu
Carrie Morgan	Peg
Jon Enos	Ed
Tayva Patch	Meredith
Jeff Johnson (I)	Garcia
Wendy Hoop	April
Sterling Brimley	Glen
Frank Gerrish	Ralph
Janice Power	Evelyn
Rick Macy	Ernie
Jerry North	Ivan
Jack North (I)	Max
Jacque Gray	Carolyn Merrill (Miss Brigham)
Richard Clifford	Steve
Barta Heiner	Clara
Tim Hansen	McCay
Robert Nelson (IV)	Parker
Elisabeth Simmons	Jamie
Nick Whitaker	Spencer
Chris Clark (VI)	Ben
Christopher E. Kendrick	Mike Sommers
Emily Pearson	Kathleen
Madison Gordon	Sommers Girl #1
Bill Osborn	B. Markham
Kathryn Little	S. Markham
Haley Fife	Jenny Markham
Anne Sward	Carole
Bus Riley	Bob
Jayne Luke	Judy
Jeremy Elliott	Jack
Shannon Engemann	Sherry
Ivan Crosland	John
Shirley Bliss	Mae
Georgia Cullimore-Faux (as Georgia Faux)	Georgia
Oscar Rowland	Oscar (Old Man)
Ali Seable	Rose
Ryan Shupe	Singer
Kent Richards	Red
Andres Orozco	Bill
Rolland Grubbe	Customer
J. Scott Bronson	Carpenter
Michelle Evans (I)	Woman #1
Becky Christensen	Woman #2
Drew Thueson	Husband
Logan Houston	Son
Teddy Carter	Boy #1 (Teddy)
Ethan Dutcher	Boy #2 (David)
Kellen Jones	Priest #1
Ian Ferguson (V)	Priest #2
Eric Peterson (I)	Scott
Cathleen Mason	Townswoman
Owen Clark	Malachi
Catherine Cooley	Sommers Girl #2
Tori Houston	Sommers Girl #3
Eli Dutcher	Sommers Boy #1
Eva Terranova	Markham Girl #2
Sydnie Carter	Red-Headed Girl
Ray Pinales	Man
Sam Curtis	Counselor
Denise McKinnon	Choirister
Bryton Bonner	Deacon
Justin Christiansen	Deacon
Alex Cope	Deacon
Cole Gordon	Deacon
Cody Romney	Deacon
Peg Carter	Martha Sorenson
Roger Archibald	Band Member
Craig Miner	Band Member
Jeremy 'Bones' Nielsen	Band Member
Bart Olson	Band Member
Sandi Jorgensen	Sexy Bar Maid #1
Evette Lee	Sexy Bar Maid #2
Dan Rascone	Channel 2 News Reporter
David Thieme	Channel 2 News Cameraman
Brian Petersen	FBI Agent
Carl Hacking	FBI Agent
Jeremy Hulse	FBI Agent
Rocky Hansen	FBI Agent
Steven Borgquest	Investigator
Nyrna Borgquest	Investigator
Brent Hall	Investigator
Rebecca Hall (I)	Investigator/Mom at Fruit Stand
Andy Tanner	Tract Home Searcher
Paul Johnson (II)	Tract Home Searcher
Gwen Dutcher	Sara, Wes's Wife
Lucas Dutcher	Richard, Wes's Son
Holly Peterson	CA Woman
Rebecca Richins	Lisa Colvin (Dead Rock Climber)
Monica Hall	Toddler
Joseph Hall	Baby
Jamie Taylor	Claire Conway

Brigham City: Crew

Writer, Director, Producer    Richard Dutcher

Line Producer            David Greenlaw Sapp
Unit Production Manager  Brian A. Brough
1st Assistant Director   David Greenlaw Sapp/ Brian A. Brough
2nd Assistant Director   Brian Petersen
Location Manager         R. Adam Abel
Script Supervisor        Alisa F. Anglesey
Casting Director         Jennifer Buster
Casting Assistant        Julina Hall
Director of Photography  Ken Glassing
1st Assistant Camera     Brandon Christensen
2nd Assistant Camera     Jon Winquist

Loader                   Jarom Z. Ellsworth
Still Photographer       Carl Hacking
Gaffer                   Tom Bango
Best Boy Electric        Preston Conner
Key Grip                 Robert Conder
Best Boy Grip            William Long
Dolly Grip               Lawrence "Doc" Heavirland
G/E Swing                Rick Peebles
Sound Mixer              Matt Davis
Boom Operator            Paula Thompson
Leadman                  Randall Rawe
Swing                    Hillary Straga

Production Designer      Kee L. Miller
Set Decorator            Anthony J. Straga
Propmaster               Jeff Gallup
Asst. Props / Props PA   Krik Myers

Key MU/Hair              Kathy Varga
Asst. MU/Hair            Heather Couch
Asst. MU/Hair            Hillary Schroeder
Costume Designer         Camile J. Morris
Asst. Wardrobe           Jennifer Graff
                         Nancy Cannon

Craft Service            Colin Reynolds
Catering                 Bart's Catering
Transportation Coordinator   Christopher E. Kendrick

Producer's Asst.       Julina Hal
Production Assistants  Laura Johnson
                       Nicki Christensen
                       Brittany Brough
                       Andrew Tanner
                       Emily Clark
                       Eddie Gramp
                       Rocky Hansen
                       Darren Everitt

Assistant to Mr. Brimley   Nicki Christensen
Production Accountant      Scott Wright
Carroll & Company

Visual Effects        Native Digital
Processing            Fotokem
Telecine/Transfer     George Carlston
Editor                Michael Chaskes
Music Composed By     Sam Cardon


Camera provided by        Otto Nementz
Grip/Lighting Equipment   Redman Movies & Stories


SPECIAL THANKS:
Larry H. Miller
Steve Tarbet
Bob Marchello
Rob Manahor
Tamara Little
Kent and Sam Waren
Hal Wing
Dale, Tad, and Derek Peterson
Kendra Patterson
Pappy's Motorhome Rentals
City of Mapleton, UT
City of Springville, UT
Town of Wallsburg, UT 

Opening Credits from "Brigham City"

Closing Credits from "Brigham City"

Notable ommissions from the credits found on the official website are Ryan Little and T.C. Christensen, both of whom served as Second Unit Directors of Photography. This and other ommissions were probably caused simply by clerical errors or oversights.

The credits appear below exactly as they appear in the film, except for the fact that in the film almost all of the credits are set in ALL CAPS (except for the dedication at the end). Credits are listed here in mixed case for enhanced legibility, and so that case-sensitive searches on this site will be able to locate names.

Crew Members Who Also Had Parts on Screen

There are a few other individuals who were crew members, but who also were cast in small parts in "Brigham City."

Brian Petersen, the 2nd Assistant Director, and Carl Hacking, the Still Photographer for the film, both appeared briefly on screen as FBI agents.

Rocky Hansen, one of the Production Assistants, also appeared as an FBI agent.

Andrew Tanner, another Production Assistant, was one of the featured home searchers.

Christopher E. Kendrick, the Transportation Coordinator, had a small role as "Mike Sommers," the father of the Sommers family.

Aside from those individuals, it appears that the cast was made up of actors and extras on the set specifically for their roles, not crew members.

Haven't I Seen You Somewhere Before?
Actors in Both "Brigham City" and "Testaments"

Four fine actors appeared in both "Brigham City" (the independent film written and directed by Richard Dutcher) and "Testaments", the big-budget Church-commissioned film written and directed by Academy Award-winning filmmaker Kieth Merrill:

Tayva Patch - In "Brigham City," Tayva Patch had the female lead, playing the part of "Meredith", the FBI agent from New York City. Her part was smaller in "Testaments", but she played a far more famous character: Mary Magdalene.

Rick Macy - Macy had one of the most challenging, emotional roles in "Brigham City": he played "Ernie," the counselor in the bishopric led by Wes (Richard Dutcher). In "Testaments", Macy had the male lead, playing "Helam", the fictional man who awaits the coming of Christ even while he is challenged by his son's rebelliousness.

Barta Heiner - Featured in the PBS series "Artists in Zion", Ms. Heiner is one of Utah's premier actresses and acting teachers. She played "Clara" in "Brigham City" and the diseased woman in "Testaments."

Oscar Rowland - Rowland has appeared in numerous films, including "Bats" and "Footloose." He was the tree salesman in "Mr. Krueger's Christmas." He has small parts as an old man in "Brigham City" and a leper in "Testaments."

It's also interesting to note that Tayva Patch, Rick Macy and Oscar Rowland have all made guest appearances on "Touched by an Angel," one of the national television dramas that is filmed in Utah.

Haven't I Heard You Somewhere Before?
Actors in Both "Brigham City" and "American Prophet"

• Shannon Engemann - "Sherry" in "Brigham City"
• Anne Sward - "Carole" in B.C.
• Frank Gerrish - "Ralph" in B.C.