Here's my assessment of the Green Flake movie:
Slow: it's like almost two hours long and about and hour and a half longer than it should've been. Kids were dying by the end because they were so bored.
Confusing: it skipped between the 1840's and 1860's literally every 5 minutes. I am really confused why they did this as it was completely unnecessary for the storytelling.
Vague and unreliable: they made it seem like he was sold from a random slave owner to James M Flake when that didn't happen. Made it seem like he knew and interacted with Joseph Smith when in fact they can't confirm they even met. Hinted that Green had to fight for and even kill people to protect Joseph and the church when they can't confirm that they even met. Made it seem like Brigham asked him to personally lead a group into SLC when it was James that asked him, and it was for like the last hundred miles, not 1,500 miles.
Overall analysis: I can't recommend anyone buy this, or even watch it. As someone very interested in Green's history it was confusing, dry, uninteresting, and way over dramatic considering what little information we actually know about him. Too much of the film was made up to make him look like some pioneer hero instead of sticking to the facts. That would have probably been less interesting but definitely more believable.
Confusing: it skipped between the 1840's and 1860's literally every 5 minutes. I am really confused why they did this as it was completely unnecessary for the storytelling.
Vague and unreliable: they made it seem like he was sold from a random slave owner to James M Flake when that didn't happen. Made it seem like he knew and interacted with Joseph Smith when in fact they can't confirm they even met. Hinted that Green had to fight for and even kill people to protect Joseph and the church when they can't confirm that they even met. Made it seem like Brigham asked him to personally lead a group into SLC when it was James that asked him, and it was for like the last hundred miles, not 1,500 miles.
Overall analysis: I can't recommend anyone buy this, or even watch it. As someone very interested in Green's history it was confusing, dry, uninteresting, and way over dramatic considering what little information we actually know about him. Too much of the film was made up to make him look like some pioneer hero instead of sticking to the facts. That would have probably been less interesting but definitely more believable.
