The Mormon Giant: Wrestling with Religion in 20th Century America

The Mormon Giant explores the unexpected relationship between religion and professional wrestling in the 20th century. A “live documentary,” this film, presented with live narration and musical accompaniment, focuses on wrestlers who performed using “Mormon”-themed gimmicks.* In wrestling, performers are cast as “heels” (villains) or “faces” (heroes), roles meant to provoke strong reactions from audiences. The project shows how Latter-day Saint depictions appeared in these roles across North America and abroad, and how such portrayals influenced, and were influenced by, public perceptions of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The Mormon Giant also traces changes in the ways Latter-day Saints were represented in American popular culture, while exploring how religion and entertainment influence each other, shaping the stories societies tell about belief, identity and community. 

* “Mormon” was widely used during the period the film examines, but is no longer the preferred term today.

This event is part of the Spirituality and Public Life Initiative, made possible by a generous donation to the Center for the Study of Religion and Conflict. The initiative highlights the importance of spirituality to the ethical formation of persons and citizens, and to the institutions of public life that are vital to human flourishing.

About the presenters
 

David Walker, the film’s author and narrator, is an Associate Professor of Religious Studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara. His research explores religious history, popular culture and the American West, examining how religion, media and history shape cultural imagination.