As promised, this week on BEHIND THE LENS we’re talking about the religious-themed, historical drama A GREAT AWAKENING. Brought to us by director/co-writer Joshua Enck and those terrific folks at Sight & Sound, A GREAT AWAKENING tells the true story of an unlikely friendship between Reverend George Whitefield and Benjamin Franklin that resulted in one of the most defining moments in American history – the American Revolution.
The film is enlightening, eye-opening, engrossing, and entertaining. It is visually and emotionally immersive.
With the colonies on the brink of collapse in 1739, the Reverend George Whitefield sparked the first Great Awakening, uniting an entire generation with his thundering proclamation of liberty in Christ. In a miraculous turn of events, one of Whitefield’s closest friends and greatest promoters becomes none other than Benjamin Franklin. With the nation’s freedom hanging in the balance, Franklin discovers true liberty cannot only be written into law – it must be awakened in the hearts of the people.
Directed by Joshua Enck and co-written by Enck, Jeff Bender, and Jonathan Blair, A GREAT AWAKENING stars Jonathan Blair as George Whitefield and John Paul Sneed as Benjamin Franklin.
Elegantly non-linear in its structure, the film is bookended with the summer of 1787 – an important time in our country’s history as the Continental Congress was deep in debate and argument, trying to hammer out our Constitution. And in case you’ve forgotten your history, the Constitution was eventually written and signed on September 17, 1787.
As you’re about to hear Joshua Enck discuss, we are treated to Whitefield’s journals and other writings, and letters between Franklin and Whitefield, with Ben and his grandson reading them and Ben reflecting on his friendship with Whitefield and the events of the colonies pre-Revolutionary War. This very effectively serves as a transition between the past and present.
But it’s the power of performance and the power of the spoken word that mesmerize and rivet you to the screen. As George Whitfield, Jonathan Blair is spellbinding as he preaches Whitfield’s actual sermons. You cannot look away when he is on the screen or when he is speaking. I dare say he rivals Charlton Heston’s Moses and Burt Lancaster’s Elmer Gantry for powerful preaching. Blair’s passion and conviction immerse him in the role and in the story being told.
Similarly, John Paul Sneed is a delight as Benjamin Franklin. However, thanks to Howard Da Silva’s indelible, award-winning turn as Franklin on stage and on screen in the musical 1776, Sneed faced the challenge of making this incarnation of Franklin his own. He succeeds beautifully. He brings a playfulness to scenes where he gets to show off his experiments with electricity – yes, including flying a kite in a thunderstorm with a key – as well as being a concerned statesman in others or a loving grandfather in others. Together, Blair and Sneed are magnetic.
I spoke with director and co-writer JOSHUA ENCK last week and discussed the making of A GREAT AWAKENING with him. Highlighting its historical authenticity and creative elements, Joshua goes into detail about that authenticity, including that 90% of the content is based on his original sermons and Whitefield’s letters. As you’ll hear, Joshua has great praise for his production team as they aimed for a cinematic experience, using anamorphic lenses at the insistence of cinematographer Steve Buckwalter, original blueprints and plans where possible, color selections, and a beautiful score from Chad Marriott, complete with choir and chorale elements. Jordan Graff’s editing ensured seamless transitions with this non-linear story, maintaining audience engagement. But for Joshua Enck, at the forefront of everything is the importance of faith and teamwork in the film’s creation.
ENJOY!
A GREAT AWAKENING is currently in theatres nationwide.
