''Out of Liberty'' is a 2019 film directed by

Garrett Batty Garrett Batty is an American film director, writer, and producer known for his film '' The Saratov Approach''. He is a graduate of Brigham Young University and a native of Park City, Utah. He is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-d ...

, starring Jasen Wade as deputy jailer Samuel Tillery. The film tells the story of

Joseph Smith Joseph Smith Jr. (December 23, 1805June 27, 1844) was an American religious leader and founder of Mormonism and the Latter Day Saint movement. When he was 24, Smith published the Book of Mormon. By the time of his death, 14 years later, he ...

(Brandon Ray Olive), his brother

Hyrum Smith Hyrum Smith (February 9, 1800 – June 27, 1844) was an American religious leader in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, the original church of the Latter Day Saint movement. He was the older brother of the movement's founder, J ...

(Casey Elliott), and four other men being held in Liberty Jail while they await trial for treason. The film's main character, played by Jasen Wade, is the jail's deputy jailer, Samuel Tillery. The film was produced out of a movie producing industry in Utah the ''New York Times'' called a "Mini-Hollywood". Descendants of Joseph Smith were included in an early screening. Based on true accounts, the film tells its story using elements from

western Western may refer to: Places *Western, Nebraska, a village in the US *Western, New York, a town in the US *Western Creek, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western Junction, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western world, countries that id ...

, prison-break, and

Latter-day Saint Mormons are a religious and cultural group related to Mormonism, the principal branch of the Latter Day Saint movement started by Joseph Smith in upstate New York during the 1820s. After Smith's death in 1844, the movement split into several ...

film genres.

Plot

Synopsis

"On the American frontier, Joseph Smith and five other prisoners’ attempt to escape the dungeon of Liberty Jail as they are repeatedly thwarted by deputy jailer Samuel Tillery. While keeping the prisoners inside, Samuel is also busy keeping angry mobs outside from breaking in and killing the prisoners. As Samuel tries to keep the prisoners safely in jail until their day in court arrives, he begins to wonder whether or not justice might be given to them better in some other way."

Detailed

The film opens with Joseph Smith speaking with his lawyer

Alexander Doniphan Alexander William Doniphan (July 9, 1808 – August 8, 1887) was a 19th-century American attorney, soldier and politician from Missouri who is best known today as the man who prevented the summary execution of Joseph Smith, founder of the Church ...

about he and his fellow prisoner's upcoming trial. Below them, in the dungeon of the jail, the other five prisoners are planning an escape attempt. When the lawyer leaves, and the prisoners are brought up alongside Joseph, this first escape attempt fails, as

Lyman Wight Lyman Wight (May 9, 1796 – March 31, 1858) was an early leader in the Latter Day Saint movement. He was the leader of the Latter Day Saints in Daviess County, Missouri, in 1838. In 1841, he was ordained a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apost ...

is too sick to make it out the door – and the prisoners decide they cannot leave without him. The next day, before another escape attempt, the prisoners receive visitors –

Porter Rockwell Orrin Porter Rockwell (June 28, 1813 or June 25, 1815 – June 9, 1878) was a figure of the Wild West period of American history. A lawman in the Utah Territory, he was nicknamed ''Old Port'' and ''The Destroying Angel of Mormondom''. Rockwell se ...

and Cyrus Daniels. This second escape attempt, like the first, fails when Tillery and his two guards fight against the prisoners and keep them locked inside. Hearing of this escape attempt, a mob from nearby Liberty comes for some frontier justice, to kill the prisoners for their escape attempt. The prisoners are defended by the jailer. Rockwell later returns to give the prisoners tools with which they begin to tunnel out of jail – the beginning of a third escape attempt. During the process of their tunneling out of jail, a court of inquiry is held in which it is decided if the prisoners will go to trial for treason. Court is held in a schoolhouse, as a mob intent on killing the prisoners prevented them from being brought into the courthouse, and the mob shows up to the courthouse to threaten the judge and the prisoners if the prisoners are to be let free. During the trial,

Sidney Rigdon Sidney Rigdon (February 19, 1793 – July 14, 1876) was a leader during the early history of the Latter Day Saint movement. Biography Early life Rigdon was born in St. Clair Township, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, on February 19, 1793. He was ...

, representing himself, convinces Judge Turnham to let him free. The other prisoners return to jail. It is discovered that the prisoners are tunneling out of jail, and their hole is filled in. In a moment of despair, Smith prays for guidance, and receives comfort through

revelation In religion and theology, revelation is the revealing or disclosing of some form of truth or knowledge through communication with a deity or other supernatural entity or entities. Background Inspiration – such as that bestowed by God on the ...

. This is the revelation later canonized in the

Doctrine and Covenants The Doctrine and Covenants (sometimes abbreviated and cited as D&C or D. and C.) is a part of the open scriptural canon of several denominations of the Latter Day Saint movement. Originally published in 1835 as Doctrine and Covenants of the Chur ...

scriptures. As the prisoners are being transported to another jail for trial there is a final showdown between the mob, the jailer, and the prisoners. After this showdown the prisoners are allowed to escape, by their jailer, Samuel Tillery.

Cast

* Jasen Wade as Samuel Tillery * Brandon Ray Olive as

* Casey Elliott as

* Brock Roberts as

* Morgan Gunter as

* Adam Johnson as Caleb Baldwin * Danny James as Alexander McRae *

Corbin Allred Corbin Michael Allred (born May 25, 1979) is an American actor. He starred in the 2003 award-winning motion picture ''Saints and Soldiers'' and the 1997–1998 television series '' Teen Angel''. Career Allred's acting career began when he was ...

Reception (all of these reviews from Mormon sources)

Sean P. Means of ''

The Salt Lake Tribune ''The Salt Lake Tribune'' is a newspaper published in the city of Salt Lake City, Utah. The ''Tribune'' is owned by The Salt Lake Tribune, Inc., a non-profit corporation. The newspaper's motto is "Utah's Independent Voice Since 1871." History ...

'' gave the film 3/4 stars, noting Brandon Ray Olive's "quiet soulfulness" in his portrayal of Joseph Smith. Margaret Blair Young said ''Out of Liberty'' is, "one of the most significant films of the past decade, particularly for Latter-day Saints," and that it is "a film which every LDS family (and perhaps every family) should see and take its children to see–ages twelve and up." Rachel Wagner gave the film 8.5/10 stars and said it is, "a well written, moving character piece that is both a study of faith and a Western jailbreak survival story." The film won second place at the 2020 LDS Film Festival's "Feature Film Competition" behind

T. C. Christensen Thomas C. Christensen (born 1953) is an American cinematographer, film director, and writer best known for his work on films related to the history of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), including '' Joseph Smith: The ...

's film ''

The Fighting Preacher ''The Fighting Preacher'' is a 2019 drama film written and directed by T. C. Christensen and starring David McConnell and Kenna Dawn. The film focuses on Willard Bean (Dave McConnell) and his wife, Rebecca (Cassidy Hubert), who are in involved ...

''. The film was nominated for eight Utah Film Nominations through the

Utah Film Awards A Utah Film Award (originally called a Filmed in Utah award) is an accolade by working film industry professionals in the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in film, series, and commercials. The annual presentation ceremony featu ...

. Those nominations were in: Picture, Director, Ensemble Cast, Actor, Supporting Actor, Cinematography, Music and Sound.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Out of Liberty 2019 films Mormon cinema Works about Joseph Smith Films about prison escapes American prison drama films 2010s English-language films 2010s American films