Handsomely mounted and earnestly sincere, "The Work and the Glory" is a well-meaning, 19^th century historical family drama that preaches religious tolerance and following one’s heart.

Just give Joseph Smith a chance seems to be the underlying theme of this somewhat stodgy but adequately performed, fictionalized retelling of the birth of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, as seen through the eyes of a divided New England family.

Set in and around Palmyra, New York in the late 1820s, the bulk of the story concerns questions of faith facing the seven member Steed family, who have moved to upstate New York from Vermont in search of a better life.

Needing help to clear their heavily wooded homestead, the nominally religious farmer Benjamin Steed (Sam Hennings) hires Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum to assist his own teenage sons; the willful Joshua (Eric Johnson from ‘Smallville") and his sensitive young brother Nathan (newcomer Alexander Carroll).

Smith, the founder of the Mormon faith who was later murdered by an angry mob in Illinois in 1844, is presented as an amiable, hard-working, misunderstood family man, who is unfairly victimized by small-minded, upstanding citizens, religious bigots and petty crooks.

Jonathan Scarfe, who starred as Jesus in the recent ABC television movie "Judas," brings a playful humanity and enigmatic allure to this revered Mormon icon. Who knew Smith was a regional stick-pull champion?

Smith’s claims of being visited by the angel Moroni as a teenager have some people thinking he is a crackpot. Others watch and impatiently wait for the day when this so-called prophet goes off into the woods to retrieve a mysterious cache of golden plates, which contain the sacred words of Mormon.

This lurid treasure hunt subplot takes a back seat to an overwrought romantic triangle involving the Steed brothers and one Lydia McBride, the exceedingly fetching daughter of a local merchant who takes a shine to both brothers in turn.

When handsome, roguish Joshua falls in with a bad crowd and starts hanging out in taverns and growing a beard, the spoiled Lydia, appealingly played by former beauty contest winner Tiffany Dupont, begins to notice how much she truly enjoys the company of the clean- shaven younger sibling. He actually reads books and can recognize classical music pieces by their composer.

When local pressures cause Benjamin Steed to cease his further employment of the Smith brothers, young Nathan maintains ties and yearns to hear more about this alternative to currently established religions. His faith in Smith’s teachings (which are presented mostly off-screen) eventually causes his mother Mary Ann (Brenda Strong) and sister Melissa (Brighton Hertford) to wonder what can be found in the newly published Book of Mormon. This raises serious objections from the head of the Steed household, who doesn’t want to lose his family to a suspected religious cult.

Adding to the pressure on the home front is the fact that Lydia’s parents also hold no stock with any follower of Joseph Smith, and in particular one that wants to marry their only daughter.

The press notes claim this film, is a completely commercial venture and not connected in any way with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It is based on "Pillar of Light," the first of nine novels in the best selling "The Work and The Glory" series, written by Mormon author Gerald N. Lund.

That’s a little like saying "Gone With the Wind" is not connected to the Civil War. The executive producer Larry Miller teaches at Brigham Young University and director Russ Holt, who adapted Lund’s 400 page novel made his feature film debut in 1987, with "How Rare A Possession: The Book of Mormon."

Serious questions of religious faith share screen time with run of-the-mill soap opera situations in this Tennessee-made production, which includes a replica of the Erie Canal. The costumes look authentic but rarely lived in, and yes, that is Edward Albert as the craggy-faced farmer who finances the first printing of the Book of Mormon.