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Theatrically Released Feature Films with
Major Characters who are
Latter-day Saints/Mormons

This page lists theatrically released feature films in which at least one major character is a Latter-day Saint/Mormon, or based on a real-life Latter-day Saint. Movies listed on this page include movies made by Hollywood studios as well as movies made by studios run by Latter-day Saints. All outlooks are included here.

This listing has nothing to do with the religious/ethnic affiliation of the filmmakers or actors -- only the characters who are portrayed. Most of these films were made by non-Latter-day Saint filmmakers. Most of the actors who have portrayed Latter-day Saint/Mormon characters in these movies are not actually members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Related pages in this section and elsewhere:

• LDS Cinema: theatrically-released movies made by and about Latter-day Saints
• Box office table for LDS Cinema films only
• TV movies and miniseries with major LDS/Mormon characters
• Short films featuring LDS characters
• Movies with minor LDS characters and references
• Some mainstream LDS-themed documentaries
• LDS Videos: Films produced by the institutional Church, and some independently-produced direct-to-video films made primarily for an LDS audience or for use by the Church
• Awards and nominations (Academy Awards, Golden Globe Awards, etc.) for actors portraying Latter-day Saint characters
• Selected print bibliography: books about historical Latter-day Saints portrayed in movies
• some LDS references in comic books
• Science Fiction Movies and Books with LDS Characters or References: hundreds of titles

Note that some of the Latter-day Saint characters listed here (such as Butch Cassidy) were not active church-goers as adults. In some of these films, the Latter-day Saint character's religious affiliation/ethnicity is not a significant element in the movie's overall plot, but is a significant part of the character (e.g., Donnie Brasco; Goodbye Lover). In other films, Latter-day Saint Christian themes are central to the plot (e.g., God's Army; Brigham Young: Frontiersman).

The total U.S. box office gross for the movies in this list of movies with major Latter-day Saint characters is over $973,967,289.

Movie Title	Total U.S. Box Office Gross	Year	Rank for Year	ACTOR and LDS/Mormon character	Director	Screenwriter	Other Info
Ocean's Eleven	$183,405,771	2001	8	Scott Caan as Turk Malloy Casey Affleck as Virgil Malloy	Steven Soderbergh	Stephen W. Carpenter; Ted Griffin	Rated PG-13. Budget: $90 million. Turk and Virgil Malloy, two of the titular Eleven, are Latter-day Saints from Provo, Utah. The brothers are hired to drive the getaway car and do other jobs for the heist central to the plot. Details
Rain Man	$172,825,435	1988	1	Dustin Hoffman as Raymond Babbitt ("Rain Man")	Barry Levinson	Barry Morrow; Ronald Bass	Rated R. Hoffman received an Academy Award for his role. The film also garnered Academy Awards in the Best Director, Best Picture, and Best Original Screenplay categories. It was nominated in the Best Art Direction-Set Decoration, Best Cinematography, Best Film Editing, Best Original Musical Score categories. Note that although the Hoffman's character and savant abilities are based on the real-life "Rain Man" (Kim Peek, a Latter-day Saint), the story and events in this movie are fictitious.
Deep Impact	$140,464,664	1998	8	Ron Eldard as Mission Commander Oren Monash Jennifer Jostyn as Marietta Monash	Mimi Leder	Bruce Joel Rubin; Michael Tolkin	Rated PG-13. $75 million budget. Science fiction film about impending comet. Utah-raised actor Ron Eldard plays the pivotal role of Mission Commander Oren Monash, a Latter-day Saint astronaut. Monash pilots the ship Messiah from the Earth to the oncoming comet that threatens to destroy most life on Earth. After initial attemps to destroy the comet fail, Monash sacrifices himself and his crew by using the remaining nuclear bombs on board their ship to destroy the comet, thus saving the world. Details
Ocean's Twelve	$125,531,634	2004		Casey Affleck as Virgil Malloy Scott Caan as Turk Malloy	Steven Soderbergh	George Nolfi	Rated PG-13. Budget: $85 million. Casey Affleck and Scott Caan are featured as Virgil and Turk Malloy, two Latter-day Saint brothers from Provo, Utah who are part of the titular "Twelve" that assist Danny Ocean (George Clooney) in three elaborate European heists. Caan and Affleck have 9th and 10th billing the movie poster for their Mormon roles. One of the first scenes in the film shows the brothers at a wedding dinner, as one of them is getting married. Their large Latter-day Saint saint family is introduced. The Malloy brother who is getting married even introduces and thanks the bishop from his ward. This is the sequel to "Ocean's Eleven" (2001). Directed by Steven Soderbergh. Also stars Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Andy Garcia, Don Cheadle, Bernie Mac, Julia Roberts, Peter Fonda, Elliott Gould, Eddie Izzard, Shaobo Qin, Carl Reiner, Bruce Willis. Screenplay by George Nolfi (whose one other major film credit is as the screenwriter of "Timeline" (2003), which starred Latter-day Saint actor Paul Walker in the lead role.
S.W.A.T.	$116,877,597	2003	18	James DuMont as Gus	Clark Johnson	Robert Hamner (characters); story: Ron Mita, Jim McClain; screenplay: David Ayer, David McKenna	Rated PG-13. Budget: $80 million production; $30 million P&A. Subplot has lead character (Colin Farrell) assigned to work w/ LDS S.W.A.T. agent Gus (in charge of equipment cage). Farrell amicably teases Gus about temptation to eat junk food, which Gus claims is against the Word of Wisdom. Details
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid	$102,308,900	1969	1	Paul Newman as Butch Cassidy	George Roy Hill	William Goldman	Rated PG. Co-stars Robert Redford as the Sundance Kid. Butch Cassidy (whose real name was Robert Leroy Parker) was born and raised as a Latter-day Saint. As an adult he was not an active Church member.
Fletch	$46,700,000	1985	14	Tim Matheson as Alan Stanwyk Robert Sorrells as Marvin Stanwyk Penny Santon as Velma Stanwyk	Michael Ritchie	Gregory McDonald (novel); Andrew Bergman (screenplay)	Rated PG. Chevy Chase stars as "Fletch," a journalist who investigates non-churchgoing Latter-day Saint airline executive Alan Stanwyk, a bigamist from Provo, Utah who is the film's main antagonist character. Film has extensive references to Utah, many scenes in Provo, Utah, and multiple LDS references. Tim Matheson, as "Alan Stanwyk, has 6th billing. Details
Donnie Brasco	$41,974,656	1997	51	Gerry Becker as FBI Section Chief Dean Blandford (Donnie Brasco's boss)	Mike Newell	book: Joseph D. Pistone, Richard Woodley; screenplay: Paul Attanasio	Rated R. Johnny Depp stars in title role. Depp is an undercover FBI agent infiltrating the mafia. His boss in the FBI is a Latter-day Saint. Al Pacino co-stars as a mobster Depp works under. Details.
Paint Your Wagon	$31,678,778	1969	7	Jean Seberg as Elizabeth Woodling/Rumson John Mitchum as Jacob Woodling Sue Casey as Sarah Woodling	Joshua Logan	Paddy Chayefsky; Alan Jay Lerner; Frederick Loewe	Rated PG-13. After a successful Broadway run, Paramount spent an estimated $20 million to turn this production into a film. 7th most successful film of 1969. Academy Award nomination for Best Musical Score. Stars Lee Marvin and Clint Eastwood as California prospectors. A town full of prospectors force a Mormon man (John Mitchum) traveling through town to "sell" his Mormon wife (Jean Seberg) to Lee Marvin. But while Marvin is away from the town, Seberg falls in love with Eastwood and declares she would like both him and Marvin as husbands.
Fire in the Sky	$19,724,334	1993	74	D.B. Sweeney as Travis Walton Scott MacDonald as Dan Walton Georgia Emelin as Dana Rogers	Robert Lieberman	Travis Walton (book); Tracy Torme (screenplay)	Rated PG-13. The film's main character is a Latter-day Saint lumberjack named Travis Walton. The film is based on Walton's book recounting his abduction by aliens. The film is set in the Latter-day Saint community of Snowflake, Arizona, and has some overt references to Latter-day Saints. Details
Wonder Boys	$19,389,454	2000	98	Katie Holmes as Hannah Green	Curtis Hanson	Michael Chabon (novel); Steven Kloves (screenplay)	Rated R. $35 million budget. One of film's main characters is Hannah Green, an LDS college student from Provo, Utah renting a room from lead character, writing professor Grady Tripp (Michael Douglas). Hannah is played by actress Katie Holmes, who has 5th-billing in the film. Details
Punch-Drunk Love	$17,791,031	2002	112	David Stevens as David Nathan Stevens as Nate Jim Smooth Stevens as Jim Michael D. Stevens as Mike D.	Paul Thomas Anderson	Paul Thomas Anderson	Rated R. $25 million budget. Critically acclaimed film premiered at Cannes Film Festival, where it was nominated for a Golden Palm. Starring Adam Sandler and Emily Watson. Four blond brothers are the dispatched from Provo, Utah by the movie's very profane-speaking bad guy, played by Philip Seymour Hoffman, an actor who appears in all of P.T. Anderson's films. (The brothers are played by four actual Latter-day Saint brothers from Provo, Utah.) The brothers are to attack and rob Adam Sandler's character after he foolishly gives his credit card number to a corrupt phone-sex business, and, when he didn't want to call the service any more, angers the owner of the business, played by Hoffman. The movie doesn't mention "Mormons," but many reviewers called the Stevens' characters "Mormons," and they were identified as such on the director's own website.
Bugs! (IMAX)	$16,401,500	2003	127	Papilio, a Great Mormon butterfly	Abby Aron; Mike Slee	Mike Slee	Rated G. The 40-minute 3D IMAX film is divided into two sections exploring the survival mechanisms of two insects: a great Mormon butterfly and a green mantis. Narrated by Judi Dench
Family Plot	$13,200,000	1976	24	William Devane as Edward Shoebridge, a.k.a. Arthur Adamson	Alfred Hitchcock	Victor Canning (novel); Ernest Lehman (screenplay)	Rated PG. Budget: $3 million. "Arthur Adamson," one of film's four main characters, was adopted when he was a baby by Latter-day Saint parents. His adoptive parents died when he was a teenager. When this movie takes place Adamson is a grifter. He is not an active Church member, and has probably not been since he was a teen. There are multiple Latter-day Saint references, including a lengthy quotation from the Book of Mormon. Details
Somewhere in Time	$9,070,000	1980	36	Jane Seymour as Elise McKenna	Jeannot Szwarc	Richard Matheson	Rated PG. Budget: $5.1 million. Original budget: $4 million. The film's main female character "Elise McKenna" was based entirely on famous real-life Mormon actress Maude Adams, who was born in 1872. Christopher Reeve plays "Richard Collier," a contemporary man who falls in love with "Elise" after seeing her photo and then travels back in time 70 years to be with her. Details
Six Degrees of Separation	$6,410,676	1993	128	Heather Graham as Elizabeth Eric Thal as Rick	Fred Schepisi	John Guare	Rated R. Adaptation of John Guare's play. Two major characters are Rick and Elizabeth, a young Mormon couple from Utah who meet Paul (lead actor Will Smith) in Central Park, and then let him stay in their apartment. When Paul asks if there are any black people in Utah, Rick responds, "Maybe two. Yes, the Mormons brought in two." Paul's manipulation's drive Rick to commit suicide. Details
One Night at McCool's	$6,276,532	2001	139	Andrew Dice Clay as twins: "Utah" and "Elmo," his "Mormon brother"	Harald Zwart	Stan Seidel	Rated R. Andrew Dice Clay plays a man known as "Utah" (an apparently non-practicing Mormon), and his more devout twin brother. Utah is killed by his girlfriend, Jewel (Liv Tyler), while attempting to rob a bar. Much of the movie focuses on the investigation into Utah's killing. In the film's climax, Utah's "Mormon brother" (intentionally made to look like a Latter-day Saint missionary) confronts the film's main characters (Matt Dillon, Paul Reiser, John Goodman), declaring that he has come to avenge his brother. Michael Douglas co-stars. Details
The Other Side of Heaven	$4,720,371	2001	151	Christopher Gorham as Elder John Groberg Anne Hathaway as Jean Sabine [Other Latter-day Saint characters, including Tongans.]	Mitch Davis	John Groberg (book); Mitch Davis (screenplay)	Rated PG. Budget: $7 million. Produced by Academy Award-winner Jerry Molen. Recounts the true story of a missionary in Tonga.
Melvin and Howard	$4,309,490	1980	86	Paul Le Mat as Melvin Dummar Elizabeth Cheshire as Darcy Dummar Pamela Reed as Bonnie Dummar Melissa Williams as Sherry Dummar Dabney Coleman as the judge	Jonathan Demme	Bo Goldman	Rated R. True story of billionaire Howard Hughes' famous "Mormon Will." Hughes had a motorcycle accident in the Nevada desert, and then met a Mormon named Melvin Dummar, who acted as a "good Samaritan," rescuing Hughes and returning him to his home, all without knowing who he really was. Hughes liked Melvin so much that he named him in his will. Mary Steenburgen received an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role as "Lynda Dummar," wife of the title character. The film also received an Academy Award for Best Screenplay. Details
The Covered Wagon	$3,800,000	1923			James Cruze	Jack Cunningham; Emerson Hough	Great classic silent film about pioneers heading west. Budget: $782,000
The Work and the Glory	$3,347,647	2004		Alexander Carroll as Nathan Steed Sam Hennings as Benjamin Steed Brenda Strong as Mary Ann Steed Tiffany Dupont as Lydia McBride Brighton Hertford as Melissa Steed Colin Ford as Matthew Steed Sarah Darling as Emma Smith Jonathan Scarfe as Joseph Smith Jarron Vosburg as young Joseph Smith Ryan Wood as Hyrum Smith	Russ Holt	Gerald N. Lund (author); Russ Holt (screenplay)	Rated PG. Budget: $7.5 million. Movie adaptation of best-selling historical novel series set in time of Joseph Smith.
Messenger of Death	$3,074,000	1988	104	Charles Dierkop as Orville Beecham Jeff Corey as Willis Beecham John Ireland as Zenas Beecham	J. Lee Thompson	Rex Burns (novel); Paul Jarrico (screenplay)	Rated R. Stars Chuck Bronson as Garret Smith, a journalist helping police investigate the murder of Orville Beecham's fundamentalist Mormon family, who were apparently killed by people opposed to their religion. Bronson's character tracks down a serial killer who preys on the group of fundamentalists, who have broken away from the mainstream Church. The characters in this film are not members of the mainstream Church based in Salt Lake City.
Heavenly Creatures	$3,049,000	1995	155	Kate Winslet as Juliet Hulme	Peter Jackson	Frances Walsh; Peter Jackson	Rated R. Set in New Zealand. Peter Jackson received Academy Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay. Winslet won the London Film Critic Circle's ALFS Award for British Actress of the Year for this role. Film's events take place before Hulme joined the Church. Hulme does not consider this film an accurate portrayal of the events depicted.
God's Army	$2,628,829	2000	172	Matthew Brown as Elder Allen Richard Dutcher as Elder Dalton Jacque Gray as Sister Fronk DeSean Terry as Elder Banks Michael Buster as Elder Kinegar Luis Robledo as Elder Sandoval Jeff Kelly as Elder Mangum John Pentecost as President Beecroft Lynn Carr as Sister Beecroft Kelli Coleman as Sister Monson	Richard Dutcher	Richard Dutcher	Rated PG. Cost $300,000 to make. In addition to its impressive box office returns, "God's Army" had over $2 million in sales the first month it was released on video/DVD. This means that within a year of its release, the film generated combined box office/video sales 15 times higher than what it cost to make. Clearly "God's Army" wasn't the first movie by or about Latter-day Saints, but Dutcher called this the "birth of Mormon cinema." By this he meant that he hoped the film would launch a new niche genre in filmmaking -- independent films by and clearly about Latter-day Saints. Received the first ever AML Award for Film.
Brigham Young: Frontiersman	$2,500,000	1940		Dean Jagger as Brigham Young Tyrone Power as Jonathan Kent Linda Darnell as Zina Webb John Carradine as Porter Rockwell Mary Astor as Mary Ann Young Vincent Price as Joseph Smith Jean Rogers as Clara Young Ann E. Todd as Mary Kent Willard Robertson as Heber Kimball Stanley Andrews as Hyrum Smith [More.]	Henry Hathaway	Louis Bromfield; Lamar Trotti	Academy Award-winner Dean Jagger starred in the title role. Jagger later joined the Church, but was not a member when this film was made. Conrad Lane wrote: "There were many impressive sequences, such as the Mormons crossing the ice, the locust plague, and spectacular scenes of covered wagons (some of which were lifted from The Big Trail). But the whole thing just didn't come off, and public response didn't cover the $2,700,000 outlay." Details
Riding Giants	$2,271,826	2004	156	Jeff Clark as himself	Stacy Peralta	Stacy Peralta; Sam George	Rated PG-13. This documentary is divided into 3 segments, each of which profiles a real-life extreme surfer. These are men dedicated to seeking out and riding the biggest waves. Northern California resident Jeff Clark is featured in 2nd segment, and received 3rd billing on the movie poster. Clark is a descendant of Utah Latter-day Saints. He was born in California and raised in the Church. At age 23 he met and married fellow Latter-day Saint Constance, a young woman he met through the Church. In the mid-1980s Clark came to low point in his life when he divorced and lacked zeal for surfing. He went to church and prayed for direction. Beginning in the early 1990s Clark gained famed throughout the surfing world as a big-wave surfer.
La Resa dei conti (a.k.a. "The Big Gundown")	$2,000,000	1966			Sergio Sollima	Tulio Demicheli; Sergio Donati; Sergio Sollima; story: Fernando Morandi, Franco Solinas	The first of Sergio Sollima's politically oriented Spaghetti Westerns. Cuchillo, one of the main characters, encounters a camp of Latter-day Saint pioneers and a number of Latter-day Saint characters.
Goodbye Lover	$1,923,061	1999	191	Ray McKinnon as Detective Nathan Rollins	Roland Joffé	Ron Peer, Joel Cohen, Alec Sokolow	Rated R. Featuring Ray McKinnon as a Latter-day Saint police detective, "Rollins", who is frequently the subject of ethnic jokes and rude comments uttered by his partner (Ellen DeGeneres). Also stars Patricia Arquette, Don Johnson, Mary-Louise Parker. Details
The Book of Mormon Movie, Vol. 1: The Journey	$1,672,730	2003	191	Dustin Harding as Joseph Smith Noah Danby as Nephi Bryce Chamberlain as Lehi Mark Gollaher as Laman Jan Broberg Felt as Sariah Cragun Foulger as Lemuel Jacque Gray as Nephi's Wife Kirby Heyborne as Sam	Gary Rogers	Gary Rogers; Craig Clyde	Rated PG-13. Budget: $2,00,000. Dramatic adaptation of 1st Nephi and the beginning of 2nd Nephi from the Book of Mormon. Around 600 B.C., the prophet Lehi leads his family, including the faithful Nephi, out of Jerusalem into the wilderness and eventually across the ocean to the American continent.
Northfork	$1,420,578	2003	197	Marshall Bell as Mr. Stalling Saralyn Sebern as Mrs. Stalling Ginny Watts as Mrs. Stalling	Michael Polish	Mark Polish; Michael Polish	Rated PG-13. Budget: $1,900,000. In a rural area of Montana being evacuated by the movie's main characters in anticipation of a flood, Mr. Stalling is a deeply religious polygamous taxidermist who has built a home in the shape of Noah's ark, and intends to float safely when the flood comes. The movie does not name these or any characters as "Mormons" but some reviewers have identified them as Mormon fundamentalists. In the filmmakers' commentary track, the writer/director states that Mr. Stalling is a man practicing "plural marriage or polygamy," and that the character represents a mix-match of religion (implying that the character is inspired in part by early Latter-day Saints, but not intended to be a Latter-day Saint per se. Furthmore, in their documentary about the making of "Northfork," the Polish brothers explain that the 6 members of the evacuation committee who are the central characters of one of the film's two stories are based on members of a few different religious groups, but are primarily based on Latter-day Saint missionaries. The actors portraying the members of the evacuation committee include the film's top-billed star James Woods, as well as Mark Polish, Graham Beckel, Josh Barker, Peter Coyote and Jon Gries.
Saints and Soldiers	$1,310,470	2004	179	Corbin Allred as Nathan 'Deacon' Greer	Ryan Little	Matt Whitaker; Geoffrey Panos	Rated PG-13. Production budget: $780,000. Corbin Allred stars as a Latter-day Saint serviceman in World War II, trapped behind enemy lines in Germany: the country he had previously come to as a full-time missionary.
The Singles Ward	$1,250,798	2002	214	Will Swenson as Jonathan Connie Young as Cammie Daryn Tufts as Eldon Kirby Heyborne as Dallen Michael Birkeland as Hyrum Wally Joyner as Bro. Angel Lincoln Hoppe as DeVerl Tarance Edwards as Troy Gretchen Whalley as Stacie Sedra Santos as Laura	Kurt Hale	John E. Moyer; Kurt Hale	Rated PG. Budget: $500,000. All-out comedy about a singles ward. Jonathan Jordan must adjust to live as a newly single Latter-day Saint. Film features vast array of cameos, including Richard Dutcher, Julie Stoffer (MTV's "Real World"), football legend Steve Young, Danny Ainge, Ruth Hale, Wally Joyner, Shawn Bradley, Thurl Bailey and more.
The Pursuit of D.B. Cooper	$1,214,767	1981	94	Treat Williams as J.R. Meade (a.k.a. D.B. Cooper)	Roger Spottiswoode	J.D. Reed (book); Jeffrey Alan Fiskin (screenplay)	Rated PG. In their book D. B. Cooper, the Real McCoy (Salt Lake City: University of Utah, 1991), Bernie Rhodes and Russell P. Calame, two FBI agents who worked the cases, make the argument that the famed D.B. Cooper was really Richard McCoy, a Latter-day Saint police officer who worked at Brigham Young University. Details
The Best Two Years	$1,163,450	2004	94	KC Clyde as Elder Rogers Kirby Heyborne as Elder Calhoun David Nibley as Elder Johnson Cameron Hopkin as Van Pelt Scott Christopher as Kyle Harrison Michael Flynn as Pres. Sandburg	Scott S. Anderson	Scott S. Anderson	Rated PG. Budget: $400,000. Story of four Latter-day Saint missionaries serving in contemporary Holland, adapted from Anderson's successful stage play, which was based on his own mission experiences.
The R.M.	$1,111,615	2003	192	Kirby Heyborne as Jared Phelps Will Swenson as Kori Swenson Britani Bateman as Kelly Powers Tracy Ann Evans as Emma Phelps Merrill Dodge as Brigham Phelps Michael Birkeland as Dewey Maren Ord as Sariah Phelps Leroy Te'o as Humu Wally Joyner as Brother Jensen	Kurt Hale	John E. Moyer; Kurt Hale	Rated PG. Budget: $500,000. Comedy about an R.M. (returned missionary) who experiences Job-like challenges in adjusting to post-mission life.
Wagonmaster	$1,000,000	1950	94		John Ford	John Ford; Patrick Ford	Sometimes spelled: "Wagon Master" or "WagonMaster." Joseph Harder, IMDb: "Together with the even more underrated, The Sun Shines Bright, Wagon Master was one of Ford's favorite films. It is a Western of exceptional beauty and narrative purity, well acted by members of Ford's 'stock company', including Jane Darwell, Alan Mowbray, Ward Bond,and Harry Carey, Jr. Like almost all of Ford's films,it is a meditation on freedom and community. It is also noteworthy for a much more positive portrayal of Indians than in most of Ford's movies. Ford, for all his faults, remains the supreme poet of American Democracy." Rod Crawford, IMDb: "A group of Mormons hoping to found a new colony in the trackless San Juan River country hire horse traders Travis and Sandy as wagonmaster and guide. One attraction for Sandy is "redheaded gal" Prudence. Soon they're joined by Doc Hall's broken down medicine show, with "scarlet women" Denver and Fleuretty. Then the Clegg boys, slightly psycho outlaws, decide a Mormon wagon train will make ideal camouflage..."
Brigham City	$905,073	2001	204	Richard Dutcher as Sheriff Wes Clayton Matthew Allen as Terry (deputy) Wilford Brimley as Stu (retired sheriff) Carrie Morgan as Peg Wendy Gardiner as April (Terry's wife) Sterling Brimley as Glen (the mayor) Rick Macy as Ernie Nick Whitaker as Spencer Jon Enos as Ed Richard Clifford as Steve Frank Gerrish as Ralph	Richard Dutcher	Richard Dutcher	Rated PG-13. Opened April 6, 2001. Budget: $900,000. A classic murder mystery with a "Mormon noir" twist, set in the fictionalized Latter-day Saint town of Brigham, Utah. Most major and minor characters are Latter-day Saints. Also stars Tayva Patch as the non-member FBI agent from New York.
Jack Weyland's Charly	$814,666	2002	230	Heather Beers as Charly Jeremy Elliott as Sam Diana Dunkley as JoEllen Roberts Randy King as Frank Roberts	Adam Thomas Anderegg	Jack Weyland (novel); Janine Gilbert (screenplay)	Rated PG. Budget: $950,000. Adaptation of the most popular LDS market novel in history.
Latter Days	$809,475	2004	191	Steve Sandvoss as Elder Aaron Davis Mary Kay Place as Gladys Davis Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Elder Ryder	C. Jay Cox	C. Jay Cox	Rated R. Budget: $850,000. "Latter Days" is about a promiscuous and shallow GLBT party boy named Christian who, on a bet, seduces a Latter-day Saint missionary ("Elder Davis"). Their resulting relationship awakens Christian to spiritual values, as Elder Davis criticizes Christian for his complete lack of beliefs and ethical values. Elder Davis leaves his mission, is excommunicated and embraces a GLBT lifestyle. Writer/director C. Jay Cox, best known as the screenwriter of the hit feature film "Sweet Home Alabama," based "Latter Days" in large part on elements from his own life. Cox himself served a full-time mission, after which he left Church activity and embraced a GLBT lifestyle.
Mean Creek	$603,943	2004	203	Rory Culkin as Sam	Jacob Aaron Estes	Jacob Aaron Estes	Rated R. This independent feature film debuted in competition at the prestigious Sundance Film Festival in January 2004. The protagonist and at least one of the other main characters are from a Latter-day Saint family, a fact which is subtly but effectively alluded to by a CTR sticker and an Angel Moroni sticker on the door of their home. The writer/director said that he included these clues in the film in order to add texture and a little faith-based background to the characters. Plot synopsis: A group of kids decide to play a prank on the school bully. When their plan goes awry, they must deal with the moral and legal consequences of their actions.
Orgazmo	$582,024	1997	223	Trey Parker as Joe Young	Trey Parker	Trey Parker	Two versions were released: Rated R and NC-17. Parker made this low-budget film before his success as the creator of the cable TV series "South Park." Obviously this film about a missionary who becomes an "adult" film star/superhero is offensive to many filmgoers (either for moral or aesthetic reasons), but Parker maintains his film doesn't make fun of Latter-day Saints. In an interview he was asked "Have you known any Mormons in your own life?" Parker answered: "I grew up in Colorado, so we had a lot of Mormons that we went to school with. Actually, my first girlfriend was Mormon. Every Mormon I've ever met is a great person, and to me this was a great character -- I didn't go out of my way to make him give up his religion, like Joe's been stupid all this time. He remains a Mormon, he wins, he destroys evil, and stays a Mormon. The Mormons win."
The Cremaster Cycle	$514,622	2003	235	Matthew Barney as Gary Gilmore Lauren Pine as Bessie Gilmore Wally Grant as an LDS Elder	Matthew Barney	Mathew Barney	Budget for "Cremaster 2": $1.7 million (IMDb.com). "Cremaster 2," one of the 5 "art films" films that comprises the "Cremaster Cycle," features the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, beehives, and myriad other Latter-day Saint/Utah images. Director Matthew Barney plays the part of Gary Gilmore, the film's lead role. Gilmore (who had a Latter-day Saint and an abusive, alcoholic Catholic father) was executed for murdering two Latter-day Saint men in Utah. The "Cremaster" films were originally displayed in fine art museums, before being shown in art house theaters. In an official synopsis of "Cremaster 2," some of the film's many Latter-day Saint elements are noted: "Barney depicts Gilmore's murder of a Mormon gas station attendant in both sculptural and dramatic forms... This act sets in motion the trial and verdict that will condemn him to death, a sentence he embraces despite all efforts to overturn it. Barney stages the judgment of Gilmore in the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. Gilmore welcomes death, refusing to appeal his sentence and opting for execution by firing squad, in a literal interpretation of the Mormon belief that blood must be shed in order for a sinner to obtain salvation. His execution is staged as a prison rodeo in a cast-salt arena in the middle of the flooded Bonneville Salt Flats. Gilmore is lowered onto a bull and he rides to his death. In Barney's interpretation of the execution, Gilmore was less interested in attaining Mormon redemption than in performing a chronological two-step that would return him to the space of his alleged grandfather, Houdini..."
Pride & Prejudice	$372,752	2003	253	Kam Heskin as Elizabeth Bennet Orlando Seale as Darcy Lucila Sola as Jane Kelly Stables as Lydia Honor Bliss as Anna Darcy Ben Gourley as Charles Bingley Nicole Hamilton as Kitty Kara Holden as Caroline Bingley Rainy Kerwin as Mary Henry Maguire as Jack Wickam Hubbel Palmer as Collins Carmen Rasmusen as Charlotte	Andrew Black	Jane Austen (novel); Anne K. Black, Jason Faller, Katherine Swigert	Rated PG. Budget: $350,000. Contemporary Latter-day Saint retelling of the classic Jane Austen novel.
SLC Punk!	$299,200	1999	257	Salt Lake City	James Merendino	James Merendino	Rated R. In the early 1980's Stevo and Heroin Bob are the only two dedicated punks in the "Mormon stronghold" of Salt Lake City, Utah. Essentially a story of non-LDS slackers seeking "outsider" status by rebelling against the ethics, values and high expectations of the Latter-day Saint community they live in. Despite being made entirely as a reaction to this community, the film actually contains only one overt reference to the Church, and only a few over references to Utah. IMDb.com: "Two punks live in Salt Lake City. The film covers their all-day routine. The realism of the character-narrated movie may be discussed. One of the punks gets ill, stays in hospital for three weeks, comes out again. Three parties are covered and one concert including a fight between punks, rednecks and others."
The Home Teachers	$196,123	2004	259	Michael Birkeland as Greg Jeff Birk as Nelson Elizabeth Sands as Melissa Blazer many others	Kurt Hale	John E. Moyer; Kurt Hale	Rated PG. Production budget: $425,000; initial P&A: $75,000. Buddy comedy about two mismatched home teachers who encounter disaster as they attempt to do all of their home teaching on the last day of the month.
Baptists at Our Barbecue	$172,151	2004	285	Dan Merkley as Tartan Jones Heather Beers as Charity Micaela Nelligan as Wynona Wingate Frank Gerrish as Conroy Hatch Jan Broberg Felt as Tartan's mom Rhett Willman as Ian Smith Oscar Rowland as Earl Steve Anderson as ??	Christian Vuissa	Robert Farrell Smith (novel); Christian Vuissa (screenplay)	Rated PG. Tartan is a 29-year-old Latter-day Saint forest ranger who decides to flee his home in Utah and take a job anywhere else in order to escape the constant pressure to get married. He ends up in the bizarre little mountain town of Longwinded, which is evenly divided between 262 Latter-day Saints and 262 Baptists. Tartan's arrival breaks the tie and escalates the longstanding feud in the town. Meanwhile, Tartan courts the one seemingly normal person in town: Charity (Heather Beers), who went there immediately after her fiance broke up with her.
Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars	$162,548	1973		Mick Ronson as himself	D.A. Pennebaker		Rated PG. $162,548 U.S. box office shown is for film's 2002 theatrical re-release, in restored, remastered version. This is essentially a concert film featuring David Bowie in his "Ziggy Stardust" persona, and his band, led by Latter-day Saint glam rocker Mick Ronson.
Mobsters and Mormons	$145,613	2005		Scott Christopher as Michael Jaymes Britani Bateman as Kate Jaymes Olesya Rulin as Julie Jaymes Jan Broberg Felt as Louise Means Dan Larsen as President Perry Alex Nibley as Ryan Kathy Varga as Ryan's wife Joseph L. Puente as Sunday School Teacher [more]	John E. Moyer	John E. Moyer	Budget: $350,000. Mark DeCarlo plays "Carmine 'Beans' Pasquale", a low-level mob enforcer in New Jersey who is forced by the FBI to testify against his superiors. In order to protect him and his family from recriminations, the federal Witness Relocation Program gives him a new identity "George Cheeseman" and moves him to a predominantly LDS community in Utah. He experiences culture shock (and his new neighbors experience some shock as well) as he adjusts to live among Latter-day Saints. The first counselor in the bishopric (played by Scott Christopher) extends frienship but some neighbors are less welcoming. Pasquale's old employers in the mob find out where he is, and bring danger to the otherwise peaceful community.
Sons of Provo	$120,488	2005		Will Swenson as Will Jensen Kirby Heyborne as Kirby Laybourne Danny Tarasevich as Danny Jensen Jennifer Erekson as Jill Keith Peter D. Brown as Grayson Jensen Maureen Eastwood as Yvonne Bolschweiler Michael Birkeland as hotel clerk Alison Akin Clark as Shantel Curt Dousett as Bishop Bestor Jeremy Elliott as Jeremy Jackson Carrie Morgan as Shaela Alan Osmond as himself many more	Will Swenson	Will Swenson; Peter D. Brown	Rated PG. Production budget: $200,000. Mockumentary about a Latter-day Saint boy band.
Handcart	$98,666	2002	333	Jaelan Petri as Samual Hunter Stephanie Albach as Abigail Chris Kendrick as Moose Shannon Skinner as Patricia Gretchen Condie as Gretchen Joel Bishop as Edward Martin Lincoln Hoppe as Tanner Hunter	Kels Goodman	Kels Goodman; Mark von Bowers	Rated PG. Budget: $300,000. Historical pioneer epic set against the tragedy of the Martin Handcart trek.
Thumbsucker	$85,327	2005		Lou Taylor Pucci as Justin Cobb Tilda Swinton as Audrey Cobb Vincent D'Onofrio as Mike Cobb Chase Offerle as Joel Cobb	Mike Mills	Walter Kirn (novel); Mike Mills (screenplay)	Rated R. Budget: $4,000,000. Feature film adaptation of acclaimed novelist Walter Kirn's novel Thumbsucker. Although not autobiography, the book has many autobiographical elements, including the fact that the title character and his family met LDS missionaries and all became active converts to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The last third of the novel is about young oral obsessive Justin Cobb and his family joining the Church, and then he becomes a full-time missionary. These overtly LDS elements have been rendered generic in the film adaptation.
Out of Step	$80,000	2002	345	Alison Akin Clark as Jenny Thomas Michael Buster as Paul Taylor Tayva Patch as Jenny's mother Rick Macy as Jenny's father	Ryan Little	Michael Buster; Willow Leigh Jones; Nikki Schmutz	Rated PG. Total final production budget: $700,000. Jenny is a gifted dancer from Utah who get accepted to a prestigious dance program in New York City, where she ends up torn between two men, a Latter-day Saint film student (played by Michael Buster), and a non-LDS musician (played by Jeremy Elliott).
The Work and the Story	$14,474	2003	424	Nathan Smith Jones as Peter Beuhmann Kirby Heyborne as Ephraim Thomas Jennifer Hoskins as Judy Schumway Eric Artell as Kevin Evans Richard Dutcher as Richard Dutcher Dave Boud as Dave Skousen Dan Merkley as Michael-Enoch Glaser	Nathan Smith Jones	Nathan Smith Jones	Total production budget: $120,000 (does not include prints and advertising). A mockumentary (fictional film made in documentary style) about the mysterious disappearance of Richard Dutcher, founder of the modern LDS Cinema movement. Three young Latter-day Saint filmmakers scramble to take Dutcher's place as the new leading creator of LDS Cinema movies.
This Divided State	$6,500	2005		Kay Anderson as himself Joe Vogel as himself Jim Bassi as himself Alex Caldiero as himself Dennis Potter as himself Ken Brown as himself	Steven Greenstreet	Steven Greenstreet	NR (not rated). Budget: $15,000. Fascinating fly-on-the-wall documentary (without narration) that captures a controversy that arose in Utah County, Utah, where approximately 90% of the population are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The student body officers at the predominantly LDS school Utah Valley State College (UVSC) used student activity funds to invite controversial "liberal" documentary filmmaker Michael Moore to speak on campus. Moore, who had received an Academy Award for his 2002 documentary Bowling for Columbine (about gun violence in America), was one of the most widely-recognized figures in popular culture at the time, and was a popular speaker on college campuses. But the invitation to speak at UVSC came during the middle of a U.S.-led war in Iraq which had prompted Michael Moore to criticize the presidential administration of George W. Bush. Moore had recently stirred considerable controversy nationwide with the release of his documentary Fahrenheit 9/11, a documentary-format film that criticized the Bush administration's involvement in Iraq. Moore had become a target of conservative political criticism and was viewed as an embarrassment by many moderate liberals and Democrats. At the same time, Moore was also heralded as an innovative filmmaker and a proponent of free speech and unfettered dialogue. Moore's invitation to speak on campus divided the county and the state, with Latter-day Saints on both sides, expressing fervent support or criticism. Many hated the fact that Moore had been invited to speak at UVSC, and an opposition movement successfully arranged for conservative talk show host Sean Hannity to give a "pre-emptive" speech from a counterbalancing viewpoint. Some opponents of Michael Moore's even visit tried unsuccessfully to have the event cancelled. These opponents included Kay Anderson, who simply offered to write a check that would more than reimburse UVSC for the cost of cancelling the visit. Although Anderson was one of the few on either side of the controversy that actually was willing to back up his views with action and a significant financial incentive (or "bribe", some might say), his offer was widely castigated by those who supported inviting Moore to campus. A small minority of critics even viewed Moore's invitation as an anti-LDS move by UVSC, even though the student officers who issued the invitation and stood by their decision were returned missionaries and active Latter-day Saints. Moore was not known to have ever been critical of Latter-day Saints, and when he actually spoke at UVSC he exhibited a suprising level of awareness of and admiration for Latter-day Saints. In the end, some observers felt that neither the speeches by Michael Moore nor Sean Hannity had been sufficiently noteworthy or interesting enough to warrant so many weeks of controversy and media attention. The genuinely interesting events were those that happened in Utah leading up to these speeches, and it is these events that are captured in this compelling and unusual documentary.

The following films were released in commercial theaters (although in some cases their commercial theatrical release was very limited), but we do not have U.S. box office data for them. Listed chronologically:

Movie Title	Year	ACTOR and Mormon character	Director	Screenwriter	Other Info
Day of Defense	2003	John Foss as Elder Burke Allan Groves as Elder Davis	Adam Lawson	A. Melvin Mcdonald (novel); Jim Westwood (screenplay)	Budget: $500,000. Well-intentioned but poorly received courtroom and theological drama centering on a debate over the right of two Latter-day Saint missionaries to preach the Gospel in a small Southern Protestant town that has passed legislation intended to prevent them from being able to do so.
The Tulse Luper Suitcases, Part 1: The Moab Story	2003	Scot Williams as Percy Hockmeister Caroline Dhavernas as Passion	Peter Greenaway	Peter Greenaway	Budget: $10,000,000 (source: IMDb.com). From review by Jonathan Romney, reporting for screendaily.com from the Cannes Film Festival, 5 June 2003: The story traces Luper (adventurer, collector and polymath) from childhood in Wales in the 1920s, through his adventures in the Moab Desert, Utah, to imprisonment in Antwerp railway station in 1938. Hunting for vanished cities in Utah, Luper (Feild) falls foul of the crypto-fascist Mormon family Hockmeister, after glimpsing the vampish [Latter-day Saint woman] Passion (Dharnernas) in her bathtub. Luper is captured and submitted to various indignities, but hits it off... with Passion. Tulse also meets Latter-day Saints again in Belgium, where they are involved in politics. The film is the first part of an eight-hour trilogy that is part of a giant multi-media project that includes 92 DVDs, an extensive web sight, art installations and a video game. Director Greenaway told reporters: "I think that Mormonism, for me -- and I speak as an absolute atheist -- is an extraordinary, very almost contemporary example of how to construct a religion. And that to me was a fascinating investigation."
Messengers of Truth	2003	Mark DeWitt as Elder Wood Humberto Arcila as Elder Diaz Dave Romero as Kevin William Jones as President Lofton "Smokey Tom" Hodgins as Epaphroditus Wood Mark Daemon as Elder Wright Marc Miller as Elder Anderson Mike Tulumello as Elder Hensen Marcus Noel as Elder Grant Elizabeth Esquibel as Sister Lee Jane Harris as Sister Dixon	Brent Jones	Brent Jones	First shown at Sunstone Symposia in 2001 and 2002 under the title "Missionary Position." Shown on a commercial theater screen in April 2003, with 10 scheduled screening in a single Salt Lake City art film theater. Written and directed by BYU graduate Brent Jones. Ultra-low budget, independent, and sometimes irreverent. Unrated; probably PG-13. Comedy about a Latter-day Saint missionary serving in San Diego who tries to do all the right things but encounters many disastes and setbacks. His hard-driving, numbers-obsessed mission president assigns him to reform a rebellious junior companion missionary who has unorthodox ways and a shaky testimony. This video was eviscerated by film critics who dismissed it as amateurish, completely unfunny and poorly executed.
The Beaver Trilogy	2001	Groovin' Gary as himself Sean Penn as Groovin' Larry Crispin Glover as Groovin' Larry	Trent Harris	Trent Harris	Comedy/documentary. 83 minutes total running time. Black and white. "The Beaver Trilogy" is actually a combination of 3 films, all of which tell the same story, all filmed by non-churchgoing Latter-day Saint filmmaker Trent Harris. The first segment, "The Beaver Kid," is an actual documentary about Gary, a young Mormon who is also known as "The Beaver Kid" because he is from the predominantly LDS town of Beaver, Utah. He is rather quirky, and seems unreserved when he dresses up as Olivia Newton-John and performs for a talent show in his small town. The documentary segment is followed by two re-enactments of the documentary "The Beaver Kid 2" (starring a young Sean Penn in the title role) and "The Orkly Kid" (starring Crispin Glover). "The Beaver Trilogy" won the Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Independent/Experimental Film and Video Award. A bit of trivia: In the final credits of "The Beaver Trilogy," there is a special thanks to LDS convert Melvin Dummar, whose band Melvin and the Dreamers did fundraising for the project. Melvin Dummar was later depicted in the Academy Award-winning movie "Melvin and Howard" (1980).
Plan 10 from Outer Space	1994	Stefene Russell as Lucinda Curtis James as Talmadge Patrick Michael Collins as Larsen	Trent Harris	Trent Harris	Comedy. IMDb: "A woman accidentally discovers the Plaque of Kolob which leads her to discover an insidious alien plot for world domination documented by... early Mormon prophet." Also stars Academy Award nominee Karen Black as "Nehor." Harris: "...in Salt Lake City alone, we sold 10,000 tickets... the funny thing is, Mormons like it! They had me speak at a Mormon symposium, and then they showed the film. They all got a big yuk out of it."
The Great Brain	1978	Jimmy Osmond as Tom Fitzgerald (title role)	Sidney Levin	John D. Fitzgerald (novel); Alan Cassidy (screenplay)	Rated G. Tells the fictionalized story of John D. Fitzgerald's youth, as a half-Catholic, half-Mormon boy growing up in turn-of-the-century Utah, where nearly all his neighbors are Latter-day Saints. John D. Fitzgerald's novels are narrated by a fictional version of his younger self. The title character, the "Great Brain" is John's older brother Tom Fitzgerald. The books are told from the perspective of the younger brother (John). John remained Catholic throughout his life and was never baptized as a Latter-day Saint. Tom Fitzgerald (the movie's title character) became a Latter-day Saint, served a mission in China, and lived the rest of his life in Price, Utah.
Goin' Coconuts	1978	Donny Osmond as himself Marie Osmond as herself	Howard Morris	Raymond Harvey	Rated G. Set in Hawaii. Grossed $213,220 in Hong Kong. When giving interviews, Donny and Marie Osmond consistently mention this film first when asked if they have any regrets about their careers.
Damnation Alley	1977	Jan-Michael Vincent as Tanner (main character)	Jack Smight	Roger Zelazny (novel); Lukas Heller, Alan Sharp (screenplay)	Rated PG. Budget: $8 million. A significant segment of the novel takes place in Salt Lake City, where there are minor Latter-day Saint characters. In the film, Tanner stops in Salt Lake to refuel, but the novel's Utah characters and extended scenes aren't portrayed. In the novel, Tanner is an ethnic Mormon, but his parents died when he was a baby and he was not raised in the Church. These background details aren't clear in the film version.
Brigham	1977	Maurice Grandmaison as Brigham Young Richard Moll as Joseph Smith			Comments from IMDb listing: "This film deals with the early years of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons), and more particularly with the life of Brigham Young. It is an accurate portrayal of his life from the time he met Joseph Smith (Richard Moll, "Bull" from the sitcom "Night Court"), through his leadership during the trek westward, and finishes with his last years of life as the President of the LDS Church. In these politically-correct times, many may be offended by the film's depiction of polygamy, but the subject is handled in a forthright and tasteful manner. The film also delves into some of the more profound beliefs and doctrine of the church, without resorting to sermonizing or a preachy tone. No apologies are made -- only the portrayal of pioneer life among the Mormons, a "peculiar" people (by some people's standards), with a fascinating story that has yet to be told fully on the big screen." From an article in the St. Louis Riverfront Times: "When Dutcher hears the name Brigham, a low-budget polemic about the LDS leader who brought the flock to Utah, he moans painfully: '...yes, what an embarrassment. Those (movies) worked against me, too. There have been some LDS filmmakers who have been making movies for the past 20 years or so -- only a couple have had anything to do with real Mormon themes and real Mormon characters. And those that have been made were just abysmal.'"
The Duchess and the Dirtwater Fox	1976	Thayer David as Josiah Widdicombe, Mormon Patriarch	Melvin Frank	Melvin Frank; Jack Rose; Barry Sandler	Thayer David has the fourth-billed role as Josiah Widdicombe, a "Mormon Patriarch," in this comedy Western. In the third-billed role Conrad Janis plays Gladstone, Widdicombe's assistant. George Segal and Goldie Hawn star as a gambler and a saloon singer.
Jessi's Girls	1975	Sondra Currie as Jessica Geoffrey Land (?) as her husband	Al Adamson	Bud Donnelly	Rated R. A young Latter-day Saint couple is attacked by a bunch of outlaws. They kill the man and [leave the woman] for dead in the desert. With the last ounce of her strength she gets to the hut of an old hermit who nurses her back to health and teaches her how to shoot. The woman then frees three female criminals and seeks vengeance on the outlaws.
Lo chiamavano Trinita (a.k.a: "They Call Me Trinity")	1971	Dan Sturkie as Tobias	Enzo Barboni	Enzo Barboni (screenplay); Gene Luotto (English dialogue)	Rated G. Terence Hill stars as a nomadic gunslinger ("Trinity") who joins his reformed-outlaw brother to defend a village of Latter-day Saint farmers from the evil Farley Granger and his outlaw gang. The Latter-day Saints really are a prominent part of this movie, although the focus is on the non-LDS lead character and his brother. One of the film's major characters is Tobias, the leader of the Latter-day Saints. The Latter-day Saints are portrayed as pacifists, unwilling to fight back against Farley Granger gang or the Mexican outlaws who harrass them. Eventually Trinity convinces them to defend themselves so that their community will not be destroyed by the outlaws, but they do so through entirely non-lethal means. The depiction of the Latter-day Saints is quite positive. In some ways they seem like Amish or Quakers, but they are specifically referred to as "Mormons" in the film. This film is well worth watching in large part because it is a truly hilarious comedy, sending up countless tropes of the Western genre. Box office gross was SEK 7,845,000 in Sweden.
And Should We Die	1966		Judge Whitaker (Wetzel O. Whitaker)	Scott Whitaker	Western. 53 min. IMDb.com: Pancho Villa's men harrass and kill Americans during the Mexican Revolution (early 20th Century) for aiding Villa's enemies. Raphael and Vincente (leaders of a small Mormon congregation) are arrested on charges that they support Villa's opponents and follow the wrong religion. In jail they overhear plans to harm the Mormon community of Dublan. Raphael sends his little brother Pedro to warn the unarmed settlement. Dublan fasts and prays for a god-given answer to the threat, as Raphael and Vincente are promised death by firing squad unless they renounce their faith.
Advise and Consent	1962	Don Murray as Senator Brigham Anderson	Otto Preminger	Allen Drury (novel); Wendell Mayes (screenplay)	One of the greatest political dramas in the history of cinema. Based on Drury's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, which was on the New York Times best-seller list for 70 weeks, this was a much-anticipated, major motion picture. 140 minutes. "Brigham Anderson," the fictional senator from Utah played by Don Murray, is either the most important or second most important character in the film. Although Sen. Anderson's story is ultimately a tragic one, this is one of the most positive portrayals of an LDS character found in in Hollywood movie. Daniel Bubbeo (IMDb): "Robert Leffingwell (Henry Fonda) is the president's candidate for Secretary of State. Prior to his approval, he must first go through a Senate investigation to determine if he's qualified. Leading the Senate committee is idealistic Senator Brig Anderson, who soon finds himself unprepared for the political dirt that's revealed, including Leffingwell's past affiliations with a Communist organization. When Leffingwell testifies about his political leanings, he proves his innocence. Later, however, Anderson learns that he lied under oath and even asks the president to withdraw Leffingwell for consideration, especially after the young senator begins receiving blackmail threats about a skeleton in his own closet."
Ocean's 11	1960	Clem Harvey as Louis Jackson	Lewis Milestone	George Clayton Johnson (story); Jack Golden Russell (story); Harry Brown; Charles Lederer; Billy Wilder (uncredited)	One of the titular Eleven is a Latter-day Saint cowboy from Salt Lake City. Details
Blood Arrow	1958	Phyllis Coates as Bess	Charles Marquis Warren	Fred Freiberger	A devout Latter-day Saint girl must cross Indian territory to obtain a needed smallpox serum for her settlement.
The Maverick Queen	1956	Howard Petrie as Butch Cassidy	Joseph Kane	Zane Grey (novel); Kenneth Gamet; DeVallon Scott	Aside from featuring Latter-day Saint outlaw Butch Cassidy, this is also an adaptation of one of the Zane Grey novels which most prominently features Latter-day Saint characters and settings.
The Lawless Rider	1954	Rose Bascom as Texas Rose Bascom Frankie Darro as Jim Bascom	Yakima Canutt	Johnny Carpenter; Edward D. Wood Jr.	Famed Latter-day Saint cowgirl is the lead actress in this movie, playing a character based on herself in a fictionalized story. Non-Latter-day Saint actor Frankie Darro plays Rose's fictional brother "Jim."
Wild Horse Mesa	1947		Wallace Grissell	Zane Grey (novel); Norman Houston	Black and White. 61 min. Adaptation of one of Zane Grey's novels which most prominently features Latter-day Saint characters.
Bad Bascomb	1946		S. Sylvan Simon	D.A. Loxley (story); screenplay: William R. Lipman, Grant Garett	Western. IMDb.com: It's just after the civil war when the elderly outlaw Bascomb and his gang try to rob a bank. They run into a trap as officers are waiting in ambush. Bascomb and the cold blooded killer Yancy escape and join a Mormon wagon train heading for Utah. They learn there is gold hidden on the train and eventually Yancy finds it. The plan is to take the gold and flee but a nine year old girl has become attached to Bascomb and Bascomb is beginning to change his mind.
Thunder Town	1946	Steve Clark as Sheriff Matt Warner Syd Saylor as Utah McGirk	Harry L. Fraser	Oliver Drake	Matt Warner, the famous Latter-day Saint outlaw who became a sheriff in Price, Utah is a major character in this Western.
Tenting Tonight on the Old Camp Ground	1943	Al Bridge as Matt Warner	Lewis D. Collins	Elizabeth Beecher; Harry L. Fraser (story)	The famous Latter-day Saint outlaw who became a sheriff in Price, Utah is a major character in this Western.
The Riders of the Purple Sage	1941	Mary Howard as Jane Withersteen Robert Barrat as Judge Dyer Lynne Roberts as Bess Kane Richmond as Adam Dyer LeRoy Mason as Jerry Card	James Tinling	Zane Grey (novel); William Bruckner; Robert F. Metzler	58 min. Black and white. Produced by Twentieth Century Fox Film Corp. Adaptation of Grey's Western novel about Jane, a Latter-day Saint ranch heiress, and other LDS characters.
The Heritage of the Desert	1939	Evelyn Venable as Miriam Naab Russell Hayden as David Naab Robert Barrat as Andrew Naab Paul Guilfoyle as Snap Thornton	Lesley Selander	Zane Grey (novel); Norman Houston (screenplay); Harrison Jacobs (additional dialogue)	73 min. Black and white. Produced by Paramount Pictures. Also known as: "The Way of the West", "When the West Was Young." Adaptation of a Zane Grey Western novel about John Hare, rescued from outlaws by a heroic Latter-day Saint: August Naab ("Andrew" in the film).
Desert Mesa	1935		Victor Adamson	Victor Adamson	IMDb.com: Reissued in 1941 as "Mormon Conquest", this bottom-of-the-barrel entry from Victor Adamson/Art Mix/Denver Dixon productions finds jobless cowpuncher Jim Kirk (Wally West as Tom Wynn)riding into Cottonwood, Arizona looking for the man who swindled his father. Old pal Art James (Victor Adamson as Denver Dixon) tells him that Ed Calder (Horace B. Carpenter), a shady rancher who moved in a few months ago, might be his man. Jim joins Art at the Crazy K Ranch owned by Sam Kent (Bill McCall) and his daughter Sally (Tonya Beauford), with Bill Dobbs (Allen Greer) as their foreman. Jim saves Sally from badman Lynx Merson (Lew Meehan), who is out to get her father for past transgressions. Later, it is discovered that El Garto, a bandit from below the border, is actually Merson, and is working with Calder.
A Study in Scarlet	1933		Edwin L. Marin	Arthur Conan Doyle (novel); Robert Florey; Reginald Owen	71 minutes. Adaptation of the very first Sherlock Holmes story, in which Holmes' faces off against Latter-day Saints.
Wild Horse Mesa	1932		Henry Hathaway	Zane Grey (novel); Frank Howard Clark; Harold Shumate	Black and White. 65 min. Adaptation of one of Zane Grey's novels which most prominently features Latter-day Saint characters.
The Heritage of the Desert	1932	Sally Blane as Judy Naab J. Farrell MacDonald as Adam Naab Gordon Westcott as Snap Naab	Henry Hathaway	Zane Grey (novel); Frank Partos; Harold Shumate	60 min. Black and white. Produced by Paramount Pictures. Also known as: "The Way of the West", "When the West Was Young." Adaptation of a Zane Grey Western novel about John Hare, rescued from outlaws by a heroic Latter-day Saint: August Naab ("Adam" in the movie).
The Rainbow Trail	1932	Minna Gombell as Ruth William L. Thorne as Dyer Alice Ward as Jane Withersteen	David Howard	Zane Grey (novel); Barry Conners; Philip Klein	65 minutes. Black and White. Produced by Fox Film Corporation. Adaptation of Zane Grey's Western novel.
Riders of the Purple Sage	1931	Marguerite Churchill as Jane Withersteen Noah Beery as Judge Dyer Yvonne Pelletier as Bess Frank McGlynn Jr. as Adam Tull	Hamilton MacFadden	Zane Grey (novel); Barry Conners; John F. Goodrich; Philip Klein	58 min. Black and white. Produced by Fox Film Corporation. Adaptation of Grey's Western novel about Jane, a Latter-day Saint ranch heiress, and other LDS characters.
Wild Horse Mesa	1925		George B. Seitz	Zane Grey (novel); Lucien Hubbard	Silent. Black and White. 95 min. Budget: $125,000 (IMDb.com). Adaptation of one of Zane Grey's novels which most prominently features Latter-day Saint characters.
The Rainbow Trail	1925	Lucien Littlefield as Joe Lake Vivien Oakland as Bessie Erne Carol Holloway as Jane Withersteen	Lynn Reynolds	Zane Grey (novel); Lynn Reynolds	Silent. Black and White. Produced by Fox Film Corporation. Adaptation of Zane Grey's Western novel.
Riders of the Purple Sage	1925	Mabel Ballin as Jane Withersteen Warner Oland as Judge Dyer Beatrice Burnham as Millie Erne Seesel Ann Johnson Bess Erne, as child Charles Le Moyne as Richard Tull Marian Nixon as Bess Erne	Lynn Reynolds	Zane Grey (novel); Edfrid A. Bingham	56 min. Silent. Black and white. Produced by Fox Film Corporation. Adaptation of Grey's Western novel about Jane, a Latter-day Saint ranch heiress, and other LDS characters.
The Heritage of the Desert	1924	Bebe Daniels as Mescal Ernest Torrence as August Naab Anne Schaefer as Mrs. Naab (as Ann Schaeffer) Jim Mason as Snap Naab (as James Mason) Tom London ("Leonard Clapham") as Dave Naab	Irvin Willat	Zane Grey (novel); Albert S. Le Vino	Silent. Black and white. Produced by Famous Players-Lasky Corporation. Adaptation of a Zane Grey Western novel about John Hare, rescued from outlaws by a heroic Latter-day Saint: August Naab.
Married to a Mormon	1922		H.B. Parkinson	Frank Miller	Silent. Black and white. British-made anti-Mormon propaganda film. Starring Evelyn Brent, Clive Brook, George Wynn, Booth Conway, Molly Adair
Trapped by the Mormons	1922	Louis Willoughby as Isoldi Keene Ward McAllister as Elder Kayler Olaf Hytten as Elder Marz	H.B. Parkinson	Frank Miller (screenplay); Winifred Graham (novel)	Silent. Black and white. British-made anti-Mormon propaganda film in which small town English women are captured to be taken to Salt Lake City as wives. Based on the novel The Love Story of a Mormon, by Winifred Graham. Innocent young English lass Nora Prescott (played by Evelyn Brent) is the daughter of Mormon-hating parents, and engaged to marry sailer Jim Foster (George Wynn). Nora is mesmerized by Isoldi Keene, who is intent on making her his wife, and using her to lure other single women to Salt Lake. But Nora is saved by her wheelchair-bound father and her sailor boyfriend. Re-issued 1928 as "The Mormon Peril."
Action	1921	J. Farrell MacDonald as Mormon Peters	John Ford	Peter B. Kyne (story); J. Allen Dunn (story); Harvey Gates	Western. Silent. Universal Pictures. Adapted from the Peter B. Kyne story, "Three Godfathers." Also starring Hoot Gibson, Francis Ford, Clara Horton. Also released as "Let's Go."
The Fighting Shepherdess	1920	Noah Beery as Mormon Joe	Millard Webb; Edward José	Frank Mitchell Dazey; Lenore J. Coffee; Caroline Lockhart (novel)	Western. Romance. A young woman fights to keep her Wyoming sheep ranch from being overrun and destroyed by cattle ranchers. Produced by Louis B. Mayer and Anita Stewart.
The Rainbow Trail	1918	Mary Mersch as Jane Withersteen William Burress as Waggoner Genevieve Blinn as Ruth	Frank Lloyd	Zane Grey (novel); Charles Kenyon; Frank Lloyd	60 minutes. Silent. Black and White. Produced by Fox Film Corporation. Adaptation of Zane Grey's Western novel.
Riders of the Purple Sage	1918	Mary Mersch as Jane Murdock MacQuarrie as Tull Marc Robbins as Dyer Kathryn Adams as Masked rider/Millie J. Holmes as Jerry Carol	Frank Lloyd	Zane Grey (novel); Frank Lloyd (screenplay)	Produced by Fox Film Corporation. Adaptation of Zane Grey's anti-Mormon Western novel about a Latter-day Saint ranch heiress and other LDS characters.
A Mormon Maid	1917	Mae Murray as Dora Frank Borzage as Tom Rigdon Hobart Bosworth as John Hogue Edythe Chapman as Nancy Hogue Noah Beery as Darius Burr Richard Cummings as Lion of the Lord	Robert Z. Leonard	Charles Sarver (screenplay); Paul West (story)	A handsome Latter-day Saint man (played by Utah native Frank Borzage, who later became first person ever to receive the Academy Award for best Director) saves a beautiful Latter-day Saint woman (Mae Murray) from being pressed into joining the "harem" of a villainous older man.
A Study in Scarlet	1914		Francis Ford	Arthur Conan Doyle (novel); Grace Cunard	Short, silent film. Adaptation of the very first Sherlock Holmes story, in which Holmes' faces off against Latter-day Saints. Silent short film.
A Study in Scarlet	1914	Agnes Glynne as Lucy Ferrier Henry Paulo as John Ferrier	George Pearson	Arthur Conan Doyle (novel); Harry Engholm	Short, silent film. Adaptation of the very first Sherlock Holmes story, in which Holmes' faces off against Latter-day Saints. Silent short film.
The Mormon	1912	J. Warren Kerrigan in the title role	Allan Dwan		1 reel. 35 mm. Short, silent anti-Mormon film starring J. Warren Kerrigan and Pauline Bush. Produced by American Film Manufacturing Company. Released 25 January 1912. The plot focuses on polygamy and kidnapping women, based on false ideas perpetuated by pulp fiction and anti-Mormon propaganda circulated at the time. The film envisions Mormons in the early days of the West routinely ambushing non-Mormon wagon trains in order kidnap women. The women would then be taken into Mormon territory where they would become polygamous wives. The protagonist of the film (played by Warren Kerrigan) is a young Latter-day Saint sent as a scout to observe the wagon trail, report on the number of men and women in each wagon party, and assist in the raids. One day he sees through his telescope a solitary wagon crossing the plains. He tells the Elders, among them his father, an important local Mormon leader. But when he returns to observe the wagon more, he is entranced by the eyes of a woman travelling with the wagon. He falls in love with her and desires to have her for himself, rather than allow her to be captured by the other Mormons. He renounces his faith and warns the people travelling with the wagon. The young man fights off his own people. His father returns home grieving that the son left the faith. The woman's husband was killed in the attack, so the young Mormon who fought off the attack is able to take take that man's place, travelling toward a new life with the woman who is his newfound love.

According to some sources, more than thirty anti-Mormon films were made between the years 1910 and 1945. The first of these was the Nordisk Films Kompagni film "Mormonens Offer," which opened in Copenhagen, Denmark on October 2, 1910. (1910, also known as "Mormon's Offer"). It went into international distribution, with the English title "Victim of the Mormons."

Subsequent anti-Mormon films include: "The Mountain Meadow Massacre" (1912), "The Mormon" (1912), "Deadwood Dick Spoils Brigham Young" (1915), "The Rainbow Trail" (1918) and "Marriage or Death." Despite their often brazen promotion of anti-Mormon hatred and religious prejudice, some of these films continue to be shown occasionally in historical forums and at independent theaters such as the Tower Theater in Salt Lake City, Utah. These older films are watched by Latter-day Saints and non-members alike, who find them quaint and humorous.

Feature Films with Major Latter-day Saint Characters:
Listed Chronologically

"Feature Films with Major Latter-day Saint Characters" (LDS Characters/ Mormon Characters/ LDS Movie Characters/ Mormon Movie Characters/ LDS Film Characters/ LDS Movie Characters) page created 9 February 2001. Last modified 23 September 2005.