It’s not easy being a Christian moviemaker. Budgets tend to be small. Casts may be limited to B list stars, and you can’t hide a deficient script behind digital monsters or car chases.
Still, the rewards of telling a good story with a spiritual theme have paid off with movies such as “Fireproof,” which set records for an independent film with a small cast of unknowns and featuring only one headliner — Kirk Cameron.
Now Bay Area First Baptist Church is helping bring another entry from a different production company to a Webster theater.
“The Secrets of Jonathan Sperry” opened Friday at Cinemark 18.
“We at the church are proud to show our support by sponsoring this Christ-centered and God-honoring movie,” the Rev. Tory Peeples, senior pastor, said. “The movie is an inspiring story of how living by faith unabashedly can and will inspire others.”
“Fireproof” used dramatic firefighting and rescue action to draw in viewers, especially men. But “Secrets” is not an action film.
Set in 1970, it begins with a 12-year-old boy named Dustin who is looking forward to a fun-filled summer with his two best friends. Grandfatherly Jonathan Sperry, played by Galvin Mac-Leod, takes the time to teach the boys biblical lessons that radically change their lives.
MacLeod and Robert Guillaume will be familiar names to film and TV fans. MacLeod played Murray on “The Mary Tyler Moore Show,” captained the Love Boat, and has an Internet Movie Database listing of more than 100 TV shows and movies.
Guillaume has been a supporting player in about 90 different roles.
“The church audience is the most underserved audience in the country,” filmmaker Rich Christiano said. “One-third of the nation goes to church each week, but 99.5 percent of the movies that come out have nothing to do with the Lord or go against his teachings. Some even blaspheme his name.”
“Secrets” cost $900,000 to make, a small budget in the era of multimillion-dollar blockbusters.
“Our character is entertaining, has laughs, is very touching at the end,” Christiano said. “It’s a story-driven movie for everyone who goes to church or anyone who is interested in spiritual things.”
Christiano said the title role was written with the well-known MacLeod in mind. He added that his lead actor told him portraying Jonathan Sperry was the most meaningful project he had done.
Correspondent Rick Cousins can be reached by e-mail at ourfaith(at)galvnews.com.
