I Heard the Bells
Known as America’s Poet, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow leads an idyllic life – until the day his world is shattered by tragedy. With a nation divided by Civil War and his family torn apart, Henry puts down his pen, silenced by grief. But it’s the sound of Christmas morning that reignites the poet’s lost voice as he discovers the resounding hope of rekindled faith.
- Released: 2022-12-01
- Runtime: 110 minutes
- Genre: Drama, Fantasy, History
- Stars: Stephen Atherholt, Jonathan Blair, Rachel Day Hughes
- Director: Joshua Enck
Comments
- ajamesflood - 28 December 2023
Good Story; Kind of Corny
I'm glad I know the story. I found it inspiring and faith-building. But it struggled throughout to come across convincingly. The start of it, in particular, was rough. The scenes, their life, the dialogue, the glances, etc. Were too "perfect." The writing and acting was kind of awkward and slightly cringeworthy. But movies often have trouble at the beginning when there is no conflict stated yet, so I wanted to give it a chance. It did improve once the conflict began, and the actors had something more meaningful to act about. But the "conflict phase," if you will, was also fraught with a lot of movie-making cliches, with characters going from very HAPPY... to...very SAD. My overall impression was of a group of writers, a director, make-up artist, and a cinemaphotographer who had experience and training, but were nonetheless still at the imitation level of their craft, relying on Hollywood tricks of the trade that they'd learned. I hate to say it, but it also had hints of modern evangelical aesthetics, a vibe that's hard to put one's finger on. But this segment of the church isn't exactly known for high art (and, yes, this is coming from a Christian). And then...the sugary sweet song at the end had that "contemporary Christiany" sound that many people find a little embarrassing, the one clear exception being the robust minority of fans who still like that tired style of music. But I'm giving it a 5 for making a movie on a worthy subject and for doing at least a half-way decent job. - sidmcbride - 13 December 2022
Excellent Film for Families
Excellent movie. My children have been learning about Henry W. Longfellow at school this year. They have studied both "Paul Reveres Ride" and "I Heard the Bells". My children are in 9th, 8th, 4th, and 2nd and sat through the movie with great interest in what was on screen because of what they had learned in school. Even if you aren't a religious or faith person, this movie is worth the watch. The attention to the detail of the Victorian Era was exquisite. The acting was spot on. I will warn you, it is a tear jerker, so be sure to bring some tissues.
It was definitely refreshing and so good for a studios first movie production. I look forward to future films from this company.
