 "Photo: Universal Pictures")
Free speech in film has been an issue for a long time. Ever since the first major full-length film, D.W. Griffith’s racially-charged “Birth of a Nation,” films have been protested, boycotted and decried for their controversial content. Like any other medium used for expression, there will always be lines drawn and people willing to cross them.
This appears to be the case of a film company in Qatar, who is in the process of making an English-language film based on the Muslim prophet Mohammad. On the surface, this doesn’t seem that complicated. Numerous religions of the world have had films portraying their religious figures. Even comedies like “Bruce Almighty” have made light of the holy, giving the power of omnipotence to a guy like Jim Carrey (before eventually giving it back to America’s closest approximation to God, Morgan Freeman).
However, the religion of Islam expressly forbids any portrayal of the image of Mohammad. And when someone attempts to portray it, the results have been tumultuous to say the least. Many of you may remember the controversy a few years back when a newspaper in Denmark ran a cartoon depicting Mohammad, and the worldwide protests that followed. There were calls to kill anyone responsible for the cartoon, and the hoopla lasted for well over a year, even being parodied in “South Park,” the benchmark for pop cultural relevance.
Believe it or not, despite the fact that people like Salman Rushdie have been forced into exile in the past for writing negative things about Islam, people have already made films about Mohammad. Back in 1976, “The Message” tried to delicately deal with the story of the prophet. Starring Anthony Quinn (“Lawrence of Arabia”), the film presented Islam in a good light and never explicitly showed Mohammad, either representing him with gentle organ music or point-of-view shots meant to be from his perspective.
Critics praised the portrayal as a happy medium, but the film was violently protested anyway, resulting in the death of two people. Extremists threatened to bomb a Muslim religious center in Washington, D.C. if they did not get the American premiere of the film cancelled. Foolishly enough, most of the protests actually originated from the misconception that Quinn himself was playing Mohammad, showing how religious zeal and misinformation can be a deadly combo.
The new film hopes to avoid all of the problems “The Message” faced. The company has signed cleric Sheikh Yousef al-Qaradawi as a consultant for the film, hoping his popularity with Islamic moderates and anti-Qaida groups alike will quell criticism. Al-Qaradawi has said his reasons for signing on include “the crusader-styled distortion of Islam [that] continues to influence [the] world population today,” which certainly rings true in a post-9/11 world. However, there could still easily be protests no matter what happens.
The point is, free speech faces assaults daily from myriad sources. This newly proposed film should be allowed to be made as long as it is tastefully done, and can accurately portray what can be a very beautiful religion. Islam has been defined by outdated stereotypes and gross characterizations for too long, and if a legitimate film project is attempting to dispel those notions, the last thing it needs is violent protests to perpetuate those stereotypes. Any religion or culture has its share of extreme members, people that embarrass and shock with their actions, in the name of whatever deity they may believe in.
The best thing for Islam would be to allow this new film to be made and hope for the best. If they decide to cast Morgan Freeman though, all bets are off.
Kevin had a really hard time deciding where he fell in this debate, and welcomes any criticism or suggestions on the issue at kevslane@gmail.com.
Be the first to comment on this article!