Jonathan Sperry Has A Powerful Story

Last week, I had the chance to see The Secrets of Jonathan Sperry. I expected the movie to be somewhat typical of recent movie releases with a Christian theme – weak in acting, solid in message.

Staged in the summer of 1970, the film gives an appeal to more innocent times. Boys walking to an ice cream parlor, fishing from a river bank, mowing lawns in the neighborhood are some of the activities of bygone days Sperry features.

Gavin McLeod of The Love Boat and The Mary Tyler Moore Show plays the title role and befriends Dustin and his two young pals, encouraging them to come to his house for a Bible study. Jonathan Sperry shares some great lessons of life. 

He gives them a unique perspective of how to handle a bully who takes a slice of pizza away from the boys. Instead of fighting, Sperry tells them to offer the bully another slice.

Robert Guillaume of Benson plays Mr. Barnes, Sperry’s crotchety neighbor. For an undisclosed reason, Sperry pays Dustin to mow Barnes’ yard, but tells him to never reveal to Barnes who is paying for the work.

Nobody can miss the straightforward message in this film. The plot is creative and reveals some unexpected moments throughout. Of all the Christian-theme movies I have seen, none is as powerful as The Secrets of Jonathan Sperry.