A movie made with prayer

Louis Zamperini, who died last July at 97, was an Olympian runner and prisoner-of-war whose story of survival is told in the movie "Unbroken." After enduring 47 days on a raft in the Pacific following a near-fatal plane crash, he was brutally tortured in a Japanese prisoner-of-war camp. He was nearly a broken man when he reluctantly attended a Billy Graham crusade in 1949. Graham's words wakened Zamperini's faith, and enabled him to forgive his captors and overcome his struggles. When approached about a movie, he asked that his Christian beliefs not be the focus of the film, since he felt it's message of forgiveness would have more universal appeal. But Angelina Jolie, who directed the film, said he became like a father and grandfather to her, and some of his faith may have rubbed off.

Angelina Joie and Louis Zamperini

According to Zamperini's daughter, Cynthia Garris, (as reported in The Christian Post) Angelina was not religious and had never prayed before, but at the very last scene of the movie she needed a miracle. Sunlight was necessary to shoot the scene, but it was raining. "Angelina said 'I don't know what I'm doing so I'll do what Louie would do.' She got on her knees a prayed for a miracle. Everybody saw it. Then it stopped raining and the sun came out. Angelina said, 'let's get this take' and they shot the take. When Angelina said 'cut' it started to rain again," Garris recalled.

Zamberini died last July, surrounded by loved ones. Garris remembers Angelina pointing above, saying "I know he's with us. I know he's there with God."

 "Unbroken" opens in theatres on Christmas day. Before seeing it, please watch this 10-minute video so you'll know who Louie Zamperini really is. www.youtube.com/watch?v=wyhFPqRZE9c