The Smith Family 2002
Distributed by New Day Films, 190 Route 17M, P.O. Box 1084, Harriman, NY 10926; 888-367-9154 or 845-774-7051
Produced by Small Town Productions
Directed by Tasha Oldham
VHS, color, 78 min.
College - Adult
Death and Dying, Religious Studies, Psychology
Date Entered: 11/21/2003
ALA Notable: ALA.gif
Reviewed by Susanne Boatright, Library, Blue River Community College, one of the Metropolitan Community Colleges, Kansas City, MO
On her ninth wedding anniversary, Kim Smith, a devout Mormon wife, learns that her husband is gay and has been having sexual relationships with men. Three years later she tests positive for HIV. A short time after that, her husband develops full blown AIDS. Is this the story line for a new daytime soap? No. The Smith Family is a documentary.
The story begins while Steve Smith is dying. In flashback, via old photographs and home videos, we are told of his engagement to Kim, their marriage, the birth of their two sons, Parker and Tony, and the importance of the Mormon Church in all their lives. Although the flashback sequences are somewhat jarring, they serve to illustrate the difference between the healthy young man Steve once was and the skeletal figure he is now.
This is a powerful story on many levels. The Smiths are a thoroughly middle class American family. They live in a nice house in a nice neighborhood. Their two sons are healthy, well behaved and attractive. All the Smiths are active members of their church. And when disaster strikes, they react to it in a manner that could be described as typical of American culture, with fortitude and many positive statements. Kim, after much soul searching, decides to stand by her marriage vows. The two sons speak of playing the hand that they were dealt and winning. The extended family, after their initial surprise, supports Kim in her decision. Watching the progression of Steve’s illness through the film as he comes closer and closer to death, the viewer is struck by the contrast between the normalcy of their daily activities and the grim reality of the death that waits for Steve and possibly Kim as well. The faithful documentation of Steve’s deteriorating physical condition is a grim counterpoint to the crocuses that grow in Kim’s well-tended garden.
There is no narrator. The story is told primarily from Kim’s point of view. Yet the facts are presented in an open and unassuming manner. We are left free to wonder, for instance, did Kim really love Steve as a person, or were the tenets of her faith more important to her than her personal feelings? Did the two boys have any problems with peer relationships once the situation was public knowledge? Did anyone in the film ever have any doubts? This film would be an excellent vehicle for discussion in a college level sociology, psychology or religious studies class. Highly recommended for college and adult collections in academic and public libraries.
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Awards:
- PBS National Broadcast P.O.V.
- Emmy Nomination
- DuPont Columbia Award
- Council on Contemporary Families Broadcast Media Award
- CINE Golden Eagle Award
- Directors Guild of America Award
- AFI Audience Award for Best Documentary