Main Cast: Christopher Gorham, Anne Hathaway, Joe Folan, Miriama Smith, Nathaniel Lees
Release Year: 2002
Country: US
Run Time: 113 minutes
MPAA Rating: PG
Plot
A young man from Idaho finds himself in a beautiful but dangerous land in the South Pacific as he follows his faith and tries to spread it to others in this adventure-drama, based on a true story. In 1953, John Groberg (Christopher Gorham) is a 19-year-old student at Brigham Young University, whose greatest adventure in life had been to leave home to go to school in Utah. That all changes when Groberg accepts a missionary assignment in the Tonga Islands near Fiji; Groberg is instructed to "build a kingdom" and educate the natives about the Mormon faith, even though he knows little of their customs and nothing of their language. Leaving behind his sweetheart, Jean Sabin (Anne Hathaway), Groberg arrives in Tonga and is quickly immersed in the native culture, and strives to teach the Tongans about the teachings of the Latter-Day Saints while trying to respect their cultural traditions and face the joys and struggles of primitive life in the South Pacific alongside them. Groberg makes a valuable ally in Feki (Joe Folau), a Tongan who becomes an avid follower of the Mormon faith, but he also finds his loyalty to Jean (with whom he's been maintaining a long-distance relationship through cards and letters) tested when a native girl makes her attraction to him quite clear. Based on the real John Groberg's memoir In the Eye of the Storm, The Other Side of Heaven was produced by Jerry Molen, Academy Award winning producer of Schindler's List and Jurassic Park; it also marked the directorial debut of screenwriter Mitch Davis. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
Review
This is an excellent adaptation of the memoirs of John Groberg, who, in the 1950s, served a mission to the Tongan Islands on behalf of his church. Actors Christopher Gorham and Anne Hathaway star as Groberg and his sweetheart, Jean Sabin, along with a strong cast of supporting actors. This family-friendly film follows Groberg as he leaves the comfort of his home in Idaho Falls, ID, to embark on his mission to a Southern Pacific country neither he nor his family has even heard of. He faces lengthy travel delays, unconventional connections, and even has to work his way across the sea to get to his destination. Once he arrives, he is faced by a suspicious group of natives who are a little too eager to enjoy his culture shock. Yet through nearly three years of service, Groberg learns to love the people he's been sent to serve. He maintains regular contact throughout his mission with his sweetheart, whose letters help sustain him in his moments of despair and provide the movie's sense of romance. There is no lack of adventure in this film as the islands were prone to severe weather. The special effects for the hurricane and shipwreck scenes are breathtaking. ~ Dacia Blodgett-Williams, All Movie Guide
Whetu Fala - Asi; Alvin Fitisemanu - Tomasi; Peter Brown - Kuli; April McKinley - Noli
Credit
Gretchen Rennell Court - Casting, Christina Asher - Casting, Mitch Davis - Director, Steven Ramirez - Editor, Mitch Davis - Executive Producer, Kevin Kiner - Composer (Music Score), Rick Kofoed - Production Designer, Brian J. Breheny - Cinematographer, Gerald R. Molen - Producer, John Garbett - Producer, Mitch Davis - Screenwriter, John Gajdecki - Visual Effects
The Other Side of Heaven is about John H. Groberg's experience as a Mormon missionary in the Tongan islands in the 1950s. It is based on the book that he wrote about his experiences, In the Eye of the Storm.
The movie focuses on Groberg's adventurous experiences and trials while serving as a missionary in the South Pacific. While portraying these events, the film discusses little LDS theology, instead portraying what LDS missionaries used to have to deal with during their missions.
Plot
During the 1950s, John Groberg, who grew up in Idaho Falls, is called on a mission to Tonga. There he will spend three years as Elder Groberg (the title "Elder" reflecting his holding of the office of Elder in his church's Melchizedek priesthood) teaching about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. His first adventures are just in getting there, including a short time in a Fijian jail.
When Elder Groberg does get to Tonga, he is sent to a group of remote islands. There he is partnered with a Tongan, Feki, who speaks English. But Elder Groberg finds that what he has learned of the Tongan language is severely deficient, so he studies intensely to become proficient. (After this point in the movie, subtitles are no longer used when people are speaking the native language). Then Elder Groberg must learn to deal with the culture.
The island's minister tells the people not to listen to the missionaries. Later, he even sends three men to beat up the missionaries. But one of them, Tomasi, had been baptized a Mormon, so Elder Groberg and Feki were spared. This man later begins coming to the meetings and is chosen by Elder Groberg to be one of his counselors to the local congregations.
A local young woman, at the behest of her family, attempts to seduce Elder Groberg. She wants "a half white baby." She eventually relents because he is saving himself for Jean, the young woman he left back home. Some of the narrative of the story is told through the letters that Elder Groberg and Jean write to each other throughout the story. John and Jean marry at the end of the movie, after Elder Groberg's mission is complete.
While travelling at sea, Elder Groberg and his two counselors are caught in a large storm. He is washed overboard and is in fear of his life. He is later rescued.
The climax of the movie is when a hurricane hits the island. Many of the trees had been stripped bare, homes had been destroyed and many people had been killed. The remaining leaders have people gather up what food and fresh water is available so that rationing can begin. But the supply boat takes much longer than anticipated. The inhabitants of the island begin dying of starvation and dehydration. Elder Groberg is himself close to death when the island's minister gives him the last of his food, because he is old and Elder Groberg is young. When the supply boat does arrive, the minister is found to have died. The minister is given a very honorable funeral.
The release of this movie was delayed for the release of the other Disney film, The Princess Diaries, also starring Anne Hathaway. It was hoped that the success of that film would garner a following for Hathaway and bring in extra earnings for this film.
This is not a true Disney Film. Disney only had part in the DVD release. It was made by Excel Entertainment Group.
Anne Hathaway tried out for the part in The Princess Diaries during filming of this movie. She was not needed until the final few weeks of shooting for the movie.
