True-Life Christian Struggles Depicted in Billy Graham Re-Releases
by AFA Journal
May 24, 2006
(AgapePress) - - See what it's like to endure life's struggles while experiencing testimonies of true salvation with the recent addition of two films to the Billy Graham Presents home entertainment collection. Released on DVD in April, The Climb and The Hiding Place show viewers what it's like to be faithful to Christ in the heat of battle.
The Hiding Place
Based on a true story drawn from the memories and writings of Holocaust survivor Corrie ten Boom, The Hiding Place has now been restored from its 1975 Hollywood premiere. It follows the inspirational efforts of a family committed to helping save persecuted Jews from the Nazi invasion of Holland during World War II.
Centered on two middle-aged sisters, Corrie and Betsie, the film depicts the brutality and horror of the war-torn world of the 1940s when the ten Boom family is imprisoned and later sent to concentration camps for harboring ousted Jews. The conditions seem hopeless, but the ten Boom sisters cling to Christ and hold tight to their belief that "no pit is so deep that He [Christ] is not deeper."
The Hiding Place is not necessarily a family film, although it may be a good teaching tool for parents to use with mature pre-teens and teens. The film contains mild profanity, use of alcohol and cigarettes, and elements of violence and gore as a means of depicting the horrid conditions of concentrations camps.
Rated PG; available on DVD
Reviewed by Rebecca Grace
The Climb
Breathtaking snow-covered mountains, nail-biting dare-devil climbers, and one man's faith journey make for a gripping drama in The Climb. It may well be the best World Wide Pictures release to date.
Two unlikely partners find themselves pitted against nature in an attempt to climb Mt. Chickanagua in southern Chile's Andes Mountains. Michael is a serious-minded young Christian man, widowed when his wife died in an auto accident. Derrick is carefree, sometimes careless, arrogant, and independent.
When a businessman offers to sponsor an expedition for the two of them, it's a dream come true, except for one little detail -- neither man is particularly fond of the other. Yet both see it as an opportunity too good to resist. From the outset, Derrick's ego succumbs to the instant celebrity while Michael focuses on training.
Their ascent up Chickanagua is demanding and dangerous, and their close calls create a bond that leads both to share the deepest parts of their lives. The resolution is an emotional but realistic look at how one's life can influence others for Christ. Yet the only sermon preached is that of Michael's life and witness. The movie is a triumph of adventure, suspense, conflict, and faith.
Not rated; available on DVD
Reviewed by Randall Murphree
Rebecca Grace (staff writer) and Randall Murphree (editor), both regular contributors to AgapePress, write for AFA Journal, a monthly publication of the American Family Association. This article, printed with permission, appears in the May 2006 issue.
