The Movie Chicago: A Media Guidepost

I am a logical person (mind-oriented) and I am working to develop my skill in following the guidance of the Holy Ghost by developing my heart-skills. This is because the Spirit works through both the heart and the mind. In the Doctrine and Covenants, we read

"Yea, behold, I will tell you in your mind and in your heart, by the Holy Ghost, which shall come upon you and which shall dwell in your heart. Now, behold, this is the spirit of revelation." (Section 8 verses 2 and 3, emphasis added)

The mind or the heart, when left to themselves, can misguide us because they are mortal. Even taken together, without the influence of the Spirit of God (if that is possible), they can mislead us because we must not rely on our own understanding. (see Proverbs 3:5) The Spirit works by speaking and uniting both heart and mind in a definite purpose or idea.

However, being such a mind-oriented person and until I find myself more heart-mind oriented, I really like it when I can show something logically. It stands-out to me and I feel I have found something valuable.

I think I have found a logical way to help determine which movies are spiritually good to watch. (see Moroni 7:16-17) In the April 2003 General Conference, during the Priesthood Session, President Gordon B. Hinckly said,

"We must be true to the very best that is in us. We are sons of God honored to hold His divine authority. But we live in a world of evil. There is a constant power, pulling us down, inviting us to partake of those things which are totally inconsistent with the divine priesthood which we hold. It is interesting to observe how the father of lies, that wily son of the morning who was cast out of heaven, always has the means and capacity to entice, to invite, to gather to his ways those who are not strong and alert. Very recently a certain moving picture was acclaimed the best of the year. I have not seen it, nor do I anticipate doing so. But I am told that it is laden with sex, that the use of profanity runs throughout." (emphasis added)

The Best Picture award was given to the movie Chicago on 23 March 2003, just thirteen days before President Hinckley gave this guidance. I have no doubt that he was referring specifically to this film.

Presently, I would like to make a few interesting observations of the movie in question.

• It is rated PG-13
• The film is highly critically acclaimed (see a summary here)
• Most people who saw it felt it was a good movie
• The film is based on a Broadway stage musical

Many members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints feel that watching R-rated films is wrong but that something that received less than an R-rating is probably fine. This makes the rating of Chicago significant to me. Did the prophet choose a PG-13 film as an example of what to avoid on purpose? After reading President Hinckley's biography, it would not surprise me. the rating of a film is not something that can justify one watching a certain film. (It can prohibit a certain film, however; X-ratings, for example, would be banned absolutely.) A member of the Church who seeks to be morally clean must avoid all spiritually, intellectually, and emotionally degrading cinema, regardless of the rating. (The movie Planet 51 would be a prime example of this for me. It was a waste of time and something I felt was spiritually and intellectually degrading. It was rated PG.)

The film is highly critically acclaimed. This probably means that it is well-made and follows what "insiders" might call "good cinematic practices." It would probably be a good example in a cinema class on how to make a good movie. This shows me that just because a film is good does not mean it is good - at least according to our Father in Heaven.

Most people who saw Chicago felt that it was a good movie. This is just another example that following the opinion of the crowd will not always lead one in the right direction; in fact, it will most likely lead one in the wrong direction. Just because something is societically or culturally respected does not make it valuable or worth one's time.

The film is based on a Broadway stage musical. To me, this shows that just because something is set on a stage (not a screen) does not imply it is worthy. It also shows that not all musicals are spiritually good.

Overall, the comment by President Gordon B. Hinckley in the April 2003 Priesthood Session of General Conference is eye-opening and mind-expanding. It is a logical guidepost in the ocean of cinema - a line we can stay behind. If a movie is worse, spiritually speaking, than Chicago, it is something we should avoid watching.



Note: I have not seen the movie Chicago.