Brigham Young (film)

Brigham Young is a 1940 American biographical western film starring Tyrone Power, Linda Darnell and Dean Jagger that describes Young's succession to the presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints after founder Joseph Smith was assassinated in 1844. The supporting cast features Brian Donlevy, Jane Darwell, John Carradine, Mary Astor, Vincent Price and Tully Marshall.

Plot

In frontier-town Nauvoo, Illinois in 1844, the main body of the church are forced to leave Illinois, choosing to settle temporarily in Nebraska. They then to travel by wagon train to the Great Basin.

Cast

Tyrone Power as Jonathan Kent
Linda Darnell as Zina Webb – The Outsider
Dean Jagger as Brigham Young
Brian Donlevy as Angus Duncan
Jane Darwell as Eliza Kent
John Carradine as Porter Rockwell
Mary Astor as Mary Ann Young
Vincent Price as Joseph Smith
Jean Rogers as Clara Young
Ann E. Todd as Mary Kent
Willard Robertson as Heber Kimball
Moroni Olsen as Doc Richards
Marc Lawrence as Prosecutor
Stanley Andrews as Hyrum Smith
Dickie Jones as Henry Kent
Selmer Jackson as Caleb Kent
Arthur Aylesworth as Jim Bridger
Chief John Big Tree as Big Elk
Claire Du Brey as Emma Smith
Tully Marshall as Judge
Dick Rich as 1st Mob Leader
Edwin Maxwell as 2nd Mob Leader
George Melford as John Taylor
Russell Simpson as U.S. Army Major
Tom London as Raider
Charles Middleton as Mob Member

Production

Parts of the film were shot in Lone Pine, California, in the plains west of Parowan Gap, and in Utah Lake for the seagull scenes. The Salt Lake City sequences were filmed in California, while the trek across Nebraska and Wyoming was shot in southern Utah.

Reception

Michael and Henry Medved included Brigham Young in their 1984 book describing film financial failures, The Hollywood Hall of Shame, stating "Twentieth Century-Fox tried to emphasize its star power and to downplay the religious elements, but the picture still failed, even in Utah."