Linda Bliss, Summit County Library outreach services librarian, remembers how it felt when she lived in Chile during the years after military dictator Augusto Pinochet led a coup that overthrew the reign of Salvador Allende in the autumn of 1973. “I very innocently asked a friend, ‘What do y ou think of (Pinochet)?’ and I was immediately hushed up,” Bliss said. “My friend felt a lot of fear and told me that I wasn’t allowed to talk about that or even say his name out loud. I thought inwardly, ‘Oh, this is what Freedom of Speech’ is about.’ Bliss remembered that feeling while she organized the library’s upcoming History Book Club’s free screening of Delbert Mann’s 1988 made-for-TV film, “April Morning.” The film, which will show at 6 p.m. on Thursday at the Summit County Library Kimball Junction Branch, 1885 W. Ute Blvd., is based on Howard Fast’s novel about a family who was on the front lines of the American Revolution. The book’s title refers to April 19, 1775, when the “Shot heard ‘round the World” during the Battles of Lexington and Concord marked the start of the war, Bliss said. “I watched it in advance of the screening, and it’s a pretty good representation of the events surrounding the battles,” she said. “I would say it’s a little ‘cheesy’ when compared to what we have now. But it gives you a good, historic sense of what was going on around that time and what the battles were like from the eyes of the people who were there.” The story, which is rated TV-PG for wartime violence, focuses on a boy, Adam Cooper, who is played by Chad Lowe, Bliss said. “It’s kind of a coming-of-age story,” she said. “It’s about him and his family and what happened to them during the Battle of Lexington.” Adam’s father, Moses, is played by Tommy Lee Jones, and his mother, Sarah, is portrayed by Susan Blakley. Rounding out the cast is Rip Torn as Solomon Chandler and Robert Urich, who plays Joseph Simmons. The late Urich is the film’s unofficial tie with Park City. Urich and his late wife Heather Menzies-Urich, who played Louisa Von Trapp in Robert Wise’s 1965 film adaptation of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “The Sound of Music,” lived in town and helped raise money for the Eccles Center of the Performing Arts that is located at Park City High School.  Bliss said there are two characters in the film she related to — Adam’s mother, Sarah, and his grandmother, Granny Cooper, played by Joan Henny. “I’m a mother and grandmother,” Bliss said with a laugh. The upcoming 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence is another reason Bliss wanted to screen the film. “When we screened ‘Hamilton’ in February, I said, ‘Let’s keep this up and show some more films that showcase American history until the 250th anniversary in July,’” she said. “I’m so excited for the 250th, and I want other people to be as excited as I am. I hope people are excited to celebrate this upcoming 4th of July. For many it will be a once-in-a-lifetime event.” Bliss hopes the film will help viewers understand how “unique the country is.” “It shows the genius of our country because it’s individuals who make it,” she said. “It’s ‘We, the People,’ and it shows this family who had strong enough beliefs that the dad was willing to stand with the Militia. I really liked that part of it.” Although there is no formal post-screening discussion planned, Bliss will “probably” say a few words. “I think a lot of people will have things on their minds,” she said. Bliss also said the library is the perfect place to screen a film about such an important time in the country’s history. “A library is more than just books,” she said. “They are often quoted as being ‘essential to democracy’ because they give access to information to the public at large so everyone can make informed decisions about our laws, government and the direction we want to go as a country. So, it’s huge to have programs like this that are free for anyone to come to and share that information.” ‘April Morning’ film screening When: 6 p.m. Thursday Where: The Summit County Library Kimball Junction Branch, 1885 W. Ute Blvd. Cost: Free Web: summit.events.mylibrary.digital The post Summit County Library invites the public to an ‘April Morning’ appeared first on Park Record. ...read more read less