Man's Search for Happiness
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Year Published: 1964
Country of Origin: United States
Description: 16mm Film - Man's Search for Happiness - USA 1964 Directed by: Wetzel Orson "Judge" Whitaker Written by: Richard L. Evans, Claire Whitaker, Scott Whitaker Cinematography by: Robert Stum Music by: Leigh Harline Narrator: Richard L. Evans Starring: Bryce Chamberlain, Francis L. Urry, Jay Broadbent et al. 'Man's Search for Happiness' is a 13-minute film produced by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). It explains the role of the plan of salvation in Mormon theology, with questions like 'Who am I?', 'Where did I come from?', and 'Where am I going?' being explored from a Mormon perspective. This film was produced by the BYU Motion Picture Studio for the Mormon Pavilion at the 1964 World's Fair in New York City and was viewed by over five million people, many of whom were not LDS. It was later remade in Japanese for Expo '70 in Japan. In 1986, the visuals and background music were updated, while retaining the original narration by Richard L. Evans, who served as a member of the church's Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. The film begins with a man walking down a road through the woods. He pauses as he looks into the water and we hear the narrator ask life's big questions. 'Why am I here? Am I only moving towards death?' The water ripples and we glimpse the pre-mortal life. An all-white room with people wearing the white clothing they would wear in the temple stands in for this world. The movie tells us to understand where we are going we need to understand our beginnings by quoting Wordsworth's famous poem: 'Our birth is but a sleep and a forgetting. The soul that rises with us , our life's Star. Hath elsewhere it's setting...But trailing clouds of glory do we come. from God, who is our home.' We see the birth of a baby and momentarily the pre-mortal and earth life are close together. We learn of the veil and the forgetting of our life before. We see the mother travailing in pain and learn we came to earth to learn about pain, life and death. The water ripples and we see the man beginning to walk again. This life is part of the eternal plan and we have possibilities. Our search for happiness has real purpose and our life is worth living. We cut to a demonic looking clown at the top of a carnival funhouse entrance. The narrator tells us life offers us time and freedom of choice. We see various visuals ranging from harmless carnival games, to dancing girls, to games of gambling and chance all while hearing about the choices we can make in life. A man wins a porcelain doll for his wife/date but the doll is quickly broken as he jostles her—resulting in a minor stink eye and a reminder that all things material are fleeting. After the carnival chaos we move to the visual of an hour glass and clocks ticking in space. Every hour of mortality is accounted for. We see an old man setting his watch by one of the clocks. He takes a young boy by the hand and they go to join the boy's family for dinner. It's the husband and wife from earlier—now with 3 children—and the old man is the grandfather. The family gathers together to read the scriptures and the narrator talks of the role of Jesus Christ. We also cut to a scene of Christ appearing to the apostles in the closed room after his resurrection. We see the family again, this time in a snowy graveyard. Death is a part of life. We see a representation of a person walking toward the light and see the grandfather dressed in white joyously greeted by family and friends as the music swells with a mighty 'Alleluia.' The husband and wife are walking in the dessert taking in the rocky and sparse beauty around them. The mountains of the desert are replaced with the Mountain of the Lord—the Salt Lake Temple. The narrator teaches of Joseph Smith and the restoration accompanied by a visual of the First Vision in stained glass. He teaches of the difference between salvation and exaltation. The film builds to a conclusion. We see the peoples of the world milling about superimposed over each other. 'We cannot just believe. We must work and learn, search and pray, repent and improve. This is the way to peace and happiness. This is every man's search.' We see the family with their children walk forward against a black background. The music builds and the 'heavens' open behind the family. 'Die Suche des Menschen nach Glück' ist ein 13-minütiger Film, der von der Kirche Jesu Christi der Heiligen der Letzten Tage (LDS-Kirche) produziert wurde. Er erklärt die Rolle des Erlösungsplans in der mormonischen Theologie, wobei Fragen wie 'Wer bin ich?', 'Woher komme ich?' und 'Wohin gehe ich?' aus mormonischer Sicht beleuchtet werden. Dieser Film wurde vom BYU Motion Picture Studio für den mormonischen Pavillon auf der Weltausstellung 1964 in New York City produziert und von über fünf Millionen Menschen gesehen, von denen viele nicht zu den LDS gehörten. Support my work on Ko-fi! https://ko-fi.com/theartoffilmon16mm
Transcription
[Music] sometimes in your search for happiness you Ponder the meaning of your life you sift your memory for Beginnings you send your mind ahead for directions but all you really know is now and you are lost in the present who am I how did I come to be time where does it take me toward death and then what where did I come [Music] from to understand why you are here you must first understand your Beginnings at Birth you did not suddenly flare into existence out of nowhere you have always lived in prear life you were with your heavenly father there as his Spirit Sons and Daughters you who lived until you were ready to come to Earth as the poet Wordsworth said our birth is but a sleep and a forgetting the soul that rises with us our life Star hath had elsewhere its setting and Cometh From Afar not in entire forgetfulness and not in utter nakedness but trailing Clouds Of Glory do we come from God who is our home upon entering mortal life the memory of your life before birth was blotted out that you might live by faith and further prepare for the everlastingness of life this Mortal body in which your spirit now dwells is subject to pain to difficulties to death for it is through opposition that you grow in strength of character you must know pain to appreciate well-being difficulties to develop courage death to understand eternal life you then whoever you are are related not only to every person upon this Earth who lives who has lived who will yet live but to God the father of us all and to his son Our Savior with your acceptance of the responsibility of Earth life you were given a wondrous mortal body in the the likeness of God so God created man in his own image in the image of God created he him male and female created he them and the spirit and the body are the soul of man [Music] as Sons and Daughters of God is it any wonder that you are an eternal part of his plan and purpose and coming from such a noble Heritage that you have possibilities far beyond your greatest dreams be assured that your personal search for happiness has real purpose be assured that your life is worth living [Music] [Laughter] life offers you two precious gifts one is time the other Freedom of Choice the freedom to buy with your time what you will you are free to exchange your allotment of time for Thrills you may trade it for base desires you may invest it in greed you may purchase with it vanity you may spend your time in pursuit of material things yours is the freedom to choose but these are no Bargains for in them you find no lasting satisfaction [Music] every day every hour every minute of your span of mortal years must be accounted for and it is in this life that you walk by faith and prove yourself able to choose good over evil right over wrong enduring happiness over mere amusement and your Eternal reward will be according to your choosing [Music] a prophet of God has said men are that they might have joy a joy that includes a fullness of Life a life dedicated to service to love and harmony in the home and the fruits of honest toil an acceptance of the Gospel of Jesus Christ of its requirements and Commandments only in these will you find true happiness the happiness which doesn't Fade with the lights and the music and the [Music] crowds God has placed you on on Earth without memory of your premortal past but he hasn't left you without hope or without faith in life after death this he has promised you I am the resurrection and the life he that believeth in me though he were dead yet shall he live one of the best attested facts of sacred history is the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ 3 days following his crucifixion the disciples were gathered together as recorded in scripture then the same day at evening being the first day of the week when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled came Jesus and stood in the midst and Seth unto them peace be unto you and when he had so said he showed unto them his hands at his [Music] side then were the disciples glad when they saw the Lord [Music] just as you lived before mortal birth just as you now live in this life so through the love and sacrifice of your savior do you continue to live after [Music] death like every member of the human race you were born and you must die your birth is a matter of record you take it for granted but death that uncertain door that leads ahead has been for man an awesome [Music] mystery life's greatest test comes with the death of a loved one and without faith in the immortality of the soul the separation of death looms forever comfortless [Music] after death though your mortal body lies in the earth you your spirit self being Eternal continue to live your memory of this life will remain with you and the knowledge of your life before birth will be restored like coming up out of a darkened room into the light through death you will emerge into a place of Reawakening and find loved ones waiting to welcome you [Music] so here you are on Earth with no memory of what went before and only Faith to whisper what comes after be be assured that you are here not by accident or chance but as part of a glorious Everlasting plan by a still Small Voice Within you and through Revelation to his appointed prophets God our Eternal Father guides the Affairs of his children today as in the past in 1830 God reestablished his church and restored the fullness of his gospel once more among men through a modern Prophet Joseph Smith by Revelation Our Savior made known Again The Plan of Salvation and exaltation salvation comes as a gift to every man through Jesus the Christ but exaltation which is the highest of Eternal opportunities you must earn it is not enough just to believe in Jesus Christ you must work and learn search and pray repent and improve know his laws and live them this is the way to peace and happiness and the fullness of everlasting life it is your heavenly father's way we invite you to explore it to test it to pray and search and seriously consider Pro prove all things hold fast that which is good only if you are unafraid of Truth can you find it but it leads to Limitless opportunities with your loved ones with you always and forever therein lies your happiness a happiness deeper than passing pleasure a happiness beyond the understanding of man a happiness not of the moment but of Eternity this is every man's search this is the purpose of life this is the key to happiness for the God and Father of us all has said this is my work and my glory to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man [Music] l [Music] [Applause]
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Record added: 2026-06-12 21:02:19