Northfork-John Ligon

“We are all angels. It is what we do with our wings that separates us.”

The year is 1955, and America is a dynamic country that is rapidly progressing at every avenue possible in every place possible. Even in the backwoods of Montana change is happening. Unfortunately for the tight knit rural community of Northfork, Montana, they are forced to pack up all of their earthly possessions and relocate their entire town in order to make way for a new powerful hydroelectric damn. For hundreds of years residents have called this place home. Now, if they remain and don’t follow orders from the government they will be swept away with the flooding of the valley, death would be certain. In order to assist the residents the government has employed six townsfolk to act as “Angels” in aiding in the moving process. At the beginning of the movie only a few stubborn townsfolk along with one orphaned child (Irwin) under the care of the town priest (Father Harlan) are left to be moved. Irwin is an especially unique orphan who despite being on the brink of death remains extremely positive thanks to his vivid imagination and companionship with father Harlan. The movie is ripe with symbolism and imagery which can be seen as the movie rolls over one mountain backdrop to the next. As the film reel begins to play the opening scene unfolds to present father Harlan preaching a sermon in an open-ended church with his back to the panoramic view of the majestic Rocky Mountains. The church now rests on stilts, extended towards the heavans, readily transportable at any moment. A church should have a strong foundation, one that finds wealth in the righteousness of the people’s heart. A church should not be thought of as a concrete structure but should follow form in the actions and fellowship of its members. Wherever the people go, the church also goes. I think the directors found a unique way of portraying that concept. The entire movie fluctuates in and out of the imagination of Irwin who is knocking on heavens’ gate. He sees angels and realizes he is the unknown angel about to make his ascent to the afterworld. It is sometimes believed people who are about to die foresee their own death. Do you think it’s possible for one to actually know when they are going to die?