September Dawn (R: 2006)

September Dawn (R: 2007)
Director:Christopher Cain; Actor/esses: Terence Stamp … Brigham Young;
Jon Voight … Jacob Samuelson; Trent Ford … Jonathan Samuelson;
Krisinda Cain … Young Woman; Shaun Johnston … Captain Fancher;
Jon Gries … John D. Lee; and many more.
An intriguing film based off true events. Apparently this film has hit quite a controversy with the Mormon church as it retells the tale of the September Massacre of gentiles in Utah. I think it was a great retelling of the trajedy that took place during the immigrant pioneering of the American wild west. Every faith and people have their monsters. The tragedy took place, just as did the Holocaust, the Witch Hysteria, and many other massacres. There is doubt as to who caused it and was responsible for this horrible historical incident. I thought the movie was good at presenting historical facts from the vague-ness that we know today; excellent acting; fabulous cinematography, and amazing scenery.

Academy Award winner Jon Voight plays Local Mormon Bishop Jacob Samuelson who becomes suspicious of some gentiles from Missouri who need food, supplies, and rest before finishing their journey to California. As they stop near Cedar City Utah, Jacob dispatches his eldest son to spy on them and see what they are up to while preaching to the choir that these people are cursed and must die. His son falls in love with the minister’s daughter and rebells against his father’s death wishes for the settlers. The father weaves unspeakable horror setting up the local Paiute Indians by dressing up as them and doing a brutal mruder of 120 men, women, and children on September 11, 1857. The love story was probably fictionized, but following some of the historical facts of this renegade sect that probably caused this massacre, i think the film presents a very plausible theory. Rating 4.5 stars out of 5.

News Cast about the Controversy: