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SALT LAKE CITY — While local film “Jane and Emma” does not shy away from controversial issues, I left wishing it had been a little more about the real Jane, and less about the fictionalized Emma.
The film tells the story of an unlikely friendship between Jane Manning James, one of the earliest black converts to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and Emma Smith, wife of the church’s founder, Joseph Smith.
The wonderful thing about “Jane and Emma” is that it gives Jane a voice, one members of the church have heard all too infrequently over the years. Jane was a stalwart and faith-filled woman who remained an active member of the church her entire life — even after later leaders restricted black members from participating in certain religious ordinances.
In the end, I felt Jane became a supporting character to Emma’s overwhelming, and at times, crazed grief following the death of her husband.
Before seeing the film, I read Jane’s autobiography and did more research about her life, which was filled with so many opportunities for wonderful storytelling I wish could have been part of a more historically-based film. For instance, after Jane joined the church, she undertook an 800-mile trek to join the Saints, and lived with the Smith family. Those events alone are worthy of significant narrative space.
"Jane and Emma" instead centers around a fictional night “inspired by true events” following the murder of Joseph Smith. Jane, who has been working in a neighboring state, has a dream about Joseph’s death and decides to return to Joseph and Emma’s house.
She returns to the house and spends the night with Emma, helping her to protect Joseph’s body from mobs and church members who want to take it away. The film is interspersed with flashbacks from her life.
The movie does a good job building up real tension during a fictional night of anguish, but I just wanted to know more about Jane — her struggles, her triumphs, and ultimately, her undying faith — something I felt I didn’t get near enough of.
I was shocked to hear the n-word several times, as well as a less-than-glowing mention of polygamy — neither of which you’re likely to find in any other movie distributed by a church-owned company, but both of which are certainly historically accurate.
The film, made by, for and about women, according to director Chantelle Squires, does not shy away from those troubled roots. It addresses the issue of racism in the church head-on — a pain that many black members still feel today — but doesn’t attempt to offer any schmaltzy answers to explain it away.
While I appreciated what this film was attempting to do with such difficult and controversial topics, I also found myself at the end wishing the film had just been about Jane’s life. Jane’s friendship with Emma was unique for its time, but it’s not the most interesting thing about Jane, who has become somewhat of an icon.
Danielle Deadwyler, who played Jane, is not a Latter-day Saint, but clearly did her research. She was phenomenal, and definitely one of the best parts of the film, with her spot-on dialect that well-matched both her character and the time period.
Emily Goss, as Emma, and Brad Schmidt, as Joseph, were less convincing. While it is difficult to take on a role of a person with whom your audience is so familiar, they didn't quite hit the mark. Goss’s portrayal of the prophet’s wife lacked a kindness I’ve always attributed to Emma.
The music in the film, however, was gorgeous and added beautifully to the well-planned cinematography.
I would still recommend seeing it: Jane was an amazing woman who everyone should get to know, and this film is a great entrypoint to her life. On Friday, LDS Church Charities will match the price of tickets sold up to $40,000, and donate the money to the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People — that alone is worth buying a ticket.
To learn more about Jane Manning james, read her autobiography on history.lds.org.
"Jane and Emma" was released in Utah theaters Friday.
