Eye-opening documentary on Mormonism

Count me in as one of those people who once knew nothing about Mormonism. Salt Lake City. Steve Young. Polygamy.

That is until watching a new PBS documentary called "The Mormons." Yes, it's four hours long (in two parts, Monday and Tuesday.) But "The Mormons," a co-production by "American Experience" and "Frontline," is a winning, insightful film that's brisk in its delivery, nuanced in its execution and perfectly timed as the 2008 presidential election gains steam. Republican hopeful Mitt Romney is mentioned briefly here as an example of how Mormonism, once violently shunned in this country, has made extraordinary inroads into the American mainstream.

That's the narrative of the film, and filmmaker Helen Whitney treats it richly, finding articulate and, most important, compelling academics and church leaders to give us lessons in theology, history and sociology. Church members share their stories about conversion, family, the required two-year worldwide missions. Church dissidents, equally passionate about their faith up to a point, talk about being gay or feminist, and how their beliefs clashed with doctrine.

As with many religions, Mormonism began with an incredibly complex prophet: Joseph Smith. And his story, from his first visions as a teen, through his discovery in 1827 of golden tablets (a fact that's argued), through his founding of the religion and up until his assassination, is nothing short of fascinating. It's hard not to get hooked when a film has a protagonist as interesting as this one. Fortunately, the film remains just as captivating throughout.

Part 1 also features the story of the Mormons' remarkable migration, some 3,000 people led West by Brigham Young. There's the horrific story of the Mountain Meadows massacre, presented through multiple accounts that raise a question as to whether the Mormons were, in fact, culpable. And there's an explanation of plural marriage: how polygamy was initially practiced by church leaders; how it was aggressively rooted out; and how it's now associated with fundamentalist Mormons, a group mainstream church leaders denounce.

In Part 2, the film takes a look at the issue of "theological racism" — Mormonism's ban on ordaining blacks as priests (later overturned). And then it's a look at the intensive preparation and sacrifice for those missions, a rite of passage experienced by more than 50,000 Mormon teens each year. The camera captures the resoluteness of a pair of missionaries trying to preach on some corner in Someplace USA. It does not go well.

But along with many personal tales about the contemporary Mormon church, what I found most eye-opening was how the documentary ends: With an account of what goes on inside a Mormon temple. Such temples are generally off-limits to outsiders, and Mormons aren't allowed to speak about what takes places inside. But here the camera dazzles us with white room upon white room inside a temple. And we hear about how everyone whispers when they're in here; how everyone wears white and how, unless you receive a "temple recommend" you're not allowed to marry here or see your own children married here.

It's memorable the way only a story so well-told can be.

Florangela Davila: 206-464-2916 or fdavila@seattletimes.com