I love stories … especially true stories … and this time of year I love to go to movies, even more so if they are movies based on true stories. So it was only natural that the top choice for a movie this Christmas was to see “Unbroken.” It’s based on the book, Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption, the true story about Louis Zamperini and his journey from Olympic athlete to survivor after 47 days on the high seas, and then eventual imprisonment and torture in Japanese concentration camps. I went to see the movie for two reasons – the story, but also Angelina Jolie’s directing in this movie. Unfortunately, I hadn’t read the book before seeing the movie.
When I arrived home after the movie I saw an email from a friend of mine who sent me a clip from a “Christianity Today” article and their interview with Franklin Graham of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. The article reported how the movie “Unbroken” had failed to include the last six chapters of Zamperini’s story. By many accounts, this was the best part. So to help everyone hear the “rest of the story” from “Unbroken,” the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association has released a short film on Christmas Day entitled, “Louis Zamperini: Captured by Grace,” which recounts Zamperini’s 1949 conversion experience at a Billy Graham Crusade revival after years of revenge, nightmares, alcoholism and a failing marriage. According to Franklin Graham, that’s really when Zamperini became ‘unbroken.’ Correspondence between Billy Graham and Zamperini recounted what happened in 1949:
Louis Zamperini was adrift and struggling with alcoholism and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder following savage abuse as a prisoner of war in Japan. Cynthia (his wife) was ready to saddle him with divorce papers.
It was around this time that neighbors convinced the young woman to listen to the bold evangelist preaching in a big tent outside downtown Los Angeles. Cynthia accepted Christ that night, and she told her husband that because of her conversion, she wouldn’t file for divorce. She asked Louis if he would accompany her to the Crusade. After a week of arguing, she finally persuaded him to go.
Undoubtedly the movie “Unbroken” will be a blockbuster, viewed by millions. Now how many of those viewers won’t bother to read the book and believe the movie is all there is to Zamperini’s story? This leads me to my first New Year’s resolution (one of many, I’m sure). If a movie is based on a book, I’ll read the book first before seeing the movie. Who knows … this may lead me to read more and watch movies less!
Until next time …
Tagged: addiction and recovery, Christmas, new year, prison ministry
