Leap of Faith (1992)

Director:

Richard Pearce

Writer (WGA):

Janus Cercone (written by)

Release Date:

18 December 1992 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

Real miracles, sensibly priced.

Plot:

Fake faith healer Jonas Nightingale is stranded in a small town where he finds he can't fool all of the people all of the time.

Plot Keywords:

Faith | Faith Healer | Sheriff | Fake | Waitress

Cast

Steve Martin	...	Jonas Nightengale
Debra Winger	...	Jane Larson
Lolita Davidovich	...	Marva
Liam Neeson	...	Sheriff Will Braverman
Lukas Haas	...	Boyd
Meat Loaf	...	Hoover
Philip Seymour Hoffman	...	Matt
M.C. Gainey	...	Tiny
La Chanze	...	Georgette
Delores Hall	...	Ornella
John Toles-Bey	...	Titus
Albertina Walker	...	Lucille
Ricky Dillard	...	Ricky
Vince Davis	...	Roger
Troy Evans	...	Officer Lowell Dade

Runtime:

108 min | Canada:95 min (Ontario)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:L | Canada:PG (Ontario) | Argentina:Atp | Australia:PG | Finland:S | UK:PG | USA:PG-13 | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Building One, Studios at Las Colinas - 6301 North O'Connor Road, Irving, Texas, USA

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

Steve Martin took over the lead role after Michael Keaton quit the production. Producer Daniel Melnick was another to walk, reputedly over money tussles with Paramount.

Quotes:

Jonas: Hey boss. Remember me? Jack Newton. Got a question for you. Why did you make so many suckers? You say, 'love never endeth.' I say love never started. You say 'the meek shall inherit the earth.' And I say all the meek can count on is getting the short end of the stick. You say, 'is there one among you who is pure of heart?' and I say not one.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Saturday Night Live: The Best of Steve Martin (1998) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Rain Celebration Medley

exploring miracles

In the opening scene we see the tour buses that carry the `Miracles and Wonders' that Jonas Nightengale brings as they speed down a country road. A police officer stops them, and those who work on the show take bets on whether Jonas can finagle his way out of a ticket. Here we see just what tricks he uses to peddle religion, specifically, a sharp eye for details and a hidden mike, among other high-tech gadgets.

When one of the trucks breaks down, the troupe pulls into the next town of Rustwater, Kansas. They proceed to set up shop, since they're stuck in town waiting for repairs, even though the town is less than ideal for their enterprise. When they first arrive in town, they stop at the local diner, and Jonas attempts to work his magic on the waitress. The place is too small to guarantee the large haul they can take from other places, so Jonas' assistant, Jane, grills him into memorizing the details of life there, to guarantee the maximum wallet-opening emotional impact. Sheriff Braverman is hostile to their form of fund-raising, but Jonas and Jane manage to get the necessary permit for a gathering.

Marva, the waitress, is skeptical that miracles exist, and definitely believes that Jonas is not the one to work them. Later in the film, we see Jonas in the diner talking to Marva's brother, Boyd. When the boy asks Jonas, `So, you believe in miracles, right?', Marva says, `I believe in life, what it does to you, and what you do back,' while Jonas answers about faith, not miracles, evading any straight answer, as always.

Besides the diner, the other important location is the tent. The gospel choir sings as the pieces are put in place, from the poles and canvas, to the staging and a giant crucifix. This latter item seems most out of place in an evangelistic setting of a healing service, but it points out how mixed up Jonas' idea of religion really is. The services held there seem to me to come across as extreme (almost offensively so), but goes to show how people can get caught up in the spirit of a vibrant personality.

Truth and fiction are so intertwined that at times I was confused as to what were the motives. Was Jane's falling in love with the sheriff merely a show to allow them to stay in town, or did it only start out that way? Was her confession to him of Jonas' unhappy childhood that led to his behavior true? Were the black women in the diner really that dumb, or did they just say things as part of an act? (It's interesting to note that the only thing blacks are portrayed as doing is, stereotypically, playing basketball and singing gospel.)

The lead role of Jonas is played by Steve Martin, but don't look for the `wild and crazy guy' we've come to expect. However, a comedian seems necessary to keep the movie from being overwhelming. But the humor is subtle, and the message of the existence of miracles seems more important. I considered the ending well done enough to make up for any flaws.

Because Jonas' miracles are mere sleight of hand, we are led to believe that no miracles exist. Or perhaps miracles are not necessarily the large-scale healings that Jonas plies as his trade, and can be something as small as a flock of butterflies. But can a miracle-worker more interested in showmanship deal with a real miracle if one should come along?