The Work and the Glory (film)
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| Directed by | Russell Holt |
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| Music by | Sam Cardon |
| Cinematography | T. C. Christensen |
| Distributed by | Excel Entertainment Group |
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118 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $7.5 million |
| Box office | $3,347,647 |
The Work and the Glory is a 2004 historical fiction drama film directed by Russell Holt. It tells the story of the fictional Steed family in the 1820s and their struggles trying to adopt the then-new Mormon religion and explores their relationship with their community, with its founder, Joseph Smith and the rest of the Smith family.
This movie is based on the first novel by Gerald N. Lund in the nine-part The Work and the Glory series. The first novel is titled Pillar of Light, so this film is sometimes given that prefix (i.e. Pillar of Light: The Work and the Glory), but the prefix does not appear anywhere in the film itself. However, Pillar of Light: The Work and the Glory was the working title for the film.
The Steed family moves from their Vermont settlement to upstate New York to set up a farm. Benjamin, the father, hires two local boys, Joseph and Hyrum Smith, recommended by Martin Harris, a prominent figure of the Latter Day Saint movement.
Joseph and Hyrum are hard workers, but eschewed by some town members, put off by their claims of seeing a vision and they will receive a "Gold Bible".
The Steeds' oldest son, Joshua, is quickly swayed by the town's people and encourages his father to fire them. Joshua has a falling out with his father and leaves home. He finds work at the town's port, but adopts the habits of his friends and becomes a drunkard. He courts Lydia McBride, but her father disapproves. The Steeds' younger son, Nathan, believes Joseph's story. He meets Lydia while trying to contact his brother. Benjamin ends his employment of the Smith boys, believing his association with them is detrimental to his family's reputation.
Joshua and his friends learn Joseph is about to receive the "Gold Bible" (the Golden Plates) and set up a plan to ambush him and steal the gold. Lydia learns of their plan and warns the Steed family, who then warn the Smith family. They arrive at the Smith home just before Joseph does (though he was attacked, he retained the plates and is relatively unharmed). Learning of the attack, Benjamin and Nathan head into town to find Joshua. Finding him at his usual haunt, the local bar, Benjamin confronts him. Joshua is standoffish, but doesn't deny he and his friends attacked Joseph. A fight breaks out between Benjamin and Joshuan, though no serious injuries are inflicted. The confrontation results in Joshua fleeing the town and becoming an outlaw, eventually settling in Missouri.
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