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By Movieguide® Staff
Producer Joshua Enck shone a light on the strong, spiritual bond between Benjamin Franklin and Reverend George Whitefield in the new movie A GREAT AWAKENING.
“[I had] heard George Whitefield’s name throughout the years, but didn’t know a whole lot about him,” Enck told Movieguide®. “When I found out he was business partners and best friends with Benjamin Franklin, that completely blew my mind, and it just started to write itself.”
He continued, “That was what inspired this film the most, was that God used these two unlikely people [and] put them together.”
“I really do believe that without George Whitefield behind his pulpit and without Ben Franklin behind his printing press, I don’t think we would have had the impact of the first Great Awakening like we have,” the producer shared. “Together, they’re like lightning.”
Jonathan Blair, who played Whitefield in the movie, said the reverend’s “relentlessness” inspired him as he learned more about Whitefield.
“Just his absolute determination, never stopping…preaching to — I believe it was 80% of the colonists [who] heard him with their own ears,” he said. “They witnessed this man who became the first unifying presence in the colonies.”
Enck added that he “100%” hopes A GREAT AWAKENING will spark a new spiritual awakening today, saying, “We’re hoping that with this film, it really does become an anthem and a banner that other ministry leaders…can lift up and wave.”
A synopsis of A GREAT AWAKENING reads, “With the colonies on the brink of collapse, the Reverend George Whitefield sparks the first Great Awakening, uniting an entire generation with his thundering proclamation of liberty in Christ. In a miraculous turn of events, one of Whitefield’s closest friends and greatest promoters becomes none other than Benjamin Franklin. With the nation’s freedom hanging in the balance, Franklin discovers true liberty cannot only be written into law – it must be awakened in the hearts of the people.”
Movieguide® gave it a -1 content score and four stars for entertainment quality.
In a statement about the movie, Enck said, “As we approach America’s 250th anniversary, we’re honored to share this inspiring story of friendship, faith, and courage. It’s a timely reminder that the soul of a nation is shaped not just by laws, but by the convictions of its people.”
Released in theaters over Easter weekend, A GREAT AWAKENING earned more than $2 million and earned the #6 spot at the box office.
A GREAT AWAKENING is currently available to rent or purchase online.
Read Next: A Great Awakening Tells The Compelling True Christian History of The Founding Of America
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