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Carole Mikita reportingIn less than a month, a much-anticipated film will premiere here in Utah. It's the biggest production yet in the Latter-day Saint film genre.
We have a sneak peek, and an exclusive interview with the two men who made the movie ”The Work and the Glory” happen.
Reputations ride on the success of this film. Millions of readers of the book series know a movie, featuring their favorite ficticious characters set in history, is about to be released.
Two friends are the driving forces behind it: Utah Businessman, Larry Miller, and author and now LDS Church general authority Gerald Lund. Both of them have seen a finished copy.
Elder Gerald N. Lund, author 'The Work and The Glory' "I've probably watched that now, nine or ten times and we just couldn't be more pleased..."
Larry H. Miller, exec. producer "I love the cinematography but more I love the script and as Gerry said, the faithfulness to the script is very important and very much there ... I couldn't believe how right they got the casting..."
With the trailer in theatres and other advertising, word is out about the film's world premiere. That translates into pressure.
Elder Lund "I'm asked probably ten or twenty times a day...I see the movie's coming out, we are so excited... so, yeh... there is a lot of anticipation..."
And talk about full plate. Larry Miller's basketball franchise is about to open its season, at the same time as the film. He's used to dealing with multi-million dollar deals with the Jazz, never before a film costing 7.4-million.
Larry Miller: "It was enough money that it kind of made me stop and catch my breath a bit but once we got past that, the rest of it's been a lot of fun and a great learning experience and we're gettin' ready for d-day here..."
As the film's executive producer... Miller chose the release date... Thanksgiving weekend, against whatever Hollywood has.
Larry Miller: "To me, it was risky but there's a phrase I use in the class I teach at BYU, which is... 'Risk may cause failure, but success cannot come without it'..."
Larry Miller: "If the movie's good enough, it will get its fair share and maybe then some, if it's good enough... again, it has to stand on its own merits at some point, so rather than release it in an off time of year, September, October...we figured to go for it and see what happens"
It all begins in less than a month.
The world premiere, of "The Work and The Glory" will be at Jordan Commons, November 18th. The film will open to the public, November 24th ... the day before Thanksgiving.
