Movie Review: I Heard The Bells
Find out whether this polished film about America's poet deserves a place on your Christmastime movie list
On Christmas night, our family watched I Heard the Bells, which tells the true and bittersweet story of poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow as he wrestles with God and faith amidst a set of tragic circumstances. The film, a welcome respite from the bizarre mainstream films peppering my streaming media this season, was met with various reactions from within in our household.
If you’re not familiar with Longfellow, his works include the beloved Paul Revere’s Ride and The Wreck of the Hesperus (a star player in Maryrose Wood’s book series, The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place, which you need to add to your family reading list right now). An accomplished, revered poet and devout Christian, Longfellow rubbed elbows with the likes of Charles Dickens, and his contemporaries include Nathaniel Hawthorne and Henry David Thoreau.
Plot
Alongside his doting wife, Fannie, Longfellow presides over his wealthy and renowned family in an idyllic Massachusetts town. Cheerful scenes fill the films early moments; familial inside-jokes, snowball fights and impromptu medleys, which prompted me to promise my skeptical husband and 19 year-old son that the film was not a musical.
Longfellow’s career reaches a pinnacle, and he and Fannie are summoned to a scintillating banquet to celebrate him and one of his poems that denounces slavery. We see Longfellow riding high on a wave of success, but we all know what happens to waves.
Tragedy strikes and, without giving away too much, remember that Longfellow’s lifetime coincides with the beginning of the Civil War. Neither Longfellow nor his family are spared from the atrocities of neither war nor the everyday dangers of life in the 19th century. As a result, Longfellow faces heartbreaking loss that plunges him into Job-like despair, and he must navigate how to continue his God-given duties as provider and protector while he simultaneously grieves and questions God’s very existence.
Our Thoughts
Anne (Me): The beginning was a little overacted; however, Stephen Atherholt (Longfellow) and Jonathan Blair (Charley, his son), especially, brought to their respective roles depth, charm and believable anger and anguish. I was particularly impressed with the film’s careful handling of injury, death and danger for the sake of younger viewers.
Husband: “Too emotional for me, and I wouldn’t want to see it again. I think they should have spent more time on the climax and resolution to show us in more detail how Longfellow regains his faith.”
A (19 year-old son): He was riveted at certain points - especially the war scenes, but ultimately sided with Dad.
B (16 year-old daughter): “I loved it. I loved the characters and I loved how it all ended. Also, I wish people still dressed like that, except for maybe the giant skirts. Did all of that really happen?”
Conclusion
Overall, I enjoyed the film, which will resonate with both history and poetry lovers. While I didn’t find it overly emotional, my husband and adult son both did. The beginning was a little saccharine, but it served as a juxtaposition to the difficult scenes to come.
The material stays largely true to history, making IHTB an excellent supplement for a homeschool history or literature lesson. The light-handed treatment of tragedy means that younger folks (8+, in my estimation) will still be able to fall asleep after viewing.
Regarding matters of Longfellow’s restoration of faith, the makers took a less-is-more approach. While I see my husband’s point that it would have been nice to see this aspect more deeply explored, I am reminded that IHTB is a family movie. Mel Gibson would have dragged us through a satisfying quagmire of tears and left us emotionally spent (a la Braveheart), but I appreciate that IHTB’s resolution instead raises questions for young viewers that are best answered by parents and not the entertainment industry.
The production value is incredible and the mood and aesthetics are stunning. From the settings to the colors to the costumes to the film speed, the makers of IHTB created a motion-picture visual work of art.
I Heard the Bells taught us a little more about our country’s history and one of its literary giants, sparked lively conversation and sent us down a research rabbit hole. We learned how Longfellow’s heartfelt struggle with God and his eventual redemption leaves with us the gift of his beloved Christmas song.
For the kids and older girls, well worth the watch. For the older boys…might be a tougher sell.