Editor's Desk: St. Mel?

By Michael F. Flach
Herald Editor
(From the issue of 3/4/04)

Depending on which camp you follow, filmmaker Mel Gibson is being called either "Mad Mel" or "St. Mel" for producing the controversial film "The Passion of the Christ." Is he a saint or sinner?

The star of "Mad Max," "Braveheart" and "Lethal Weapon" has always been considered a Hollywood renegade. His detractors say he’s crazy for risking his film future by expressing his strong Christian beliefs in the "The Passion." Gibson’s supporters, including William A. Donohue, the outspoken head of the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights, are nominating him for sainthood.

"St. Mel. That’s what he is in the eyes of millions of Americans," Donahue said. "But for some, he’s Satan.

"We are at a cultural tipping point," Donohue added. "Never has the division between the elites and the masses been more evident. Many good things are happening: the smack-in-the-face that the public awarded Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake; the public revulsion to the anti-marriage campaign; the firing of Howard Stern from many radio outlets; and, most of all, the public’s embrace of ‘The Passion of the Christ.’

"Already, left-wing censors in Hollywood are out to get Mel," Donohue said. "They think they can stop him. But it’s too late for the blacklisters to win. Nothing can stop the public from rallying around St. Mel."

Ironically, the graphic violence in Gibson’s "Passion" has been condemned by some movie critics who have called it "borderline pornographic." These same critics rush to Quentin Tarantino’s defense for producing such ultra-violent films as "Reservoir Dogs," "Pulp Fiction" and "Kill Bill." To them, Tarantino is a cultural icon who should be honored for his cutting-edge direction, while Gibson is vilified for showing too much blood.

Unlike Donahue, I would not be so quick to nominate Gibson for sainthood. A quick look at his movie career reveals that he has established a name for himself as an action hero, following in the footsteps of John Wayne and Clint Eastwood.

"Mad Max" and "The Road Warrior," two of Gibson’s earliest films, set new standards in the popular car-crash genre. The graphic battle scenes in his epic film "Braveheart," for which is won an Academy Award, as well as "The Patriot" can make even the most hardened moviegoers squirm in their seats. And of course his popular "Lethal Weapon" series, with co-star Danny Glover, contain non-stop gun battles from beginning to end.

"The Passion" has been given an R rating by the Motion Picture Association of America for its sequences of graphic violence. Reviewers for the U.S. bishops’ conference say, "As depicted, the violence, while explicit and extreme, does not seem an end in itself. It is not the kind of violence made to look exciting, glamorized or without consequences. It attempts to convey the depths of salvific divine love. Nonetheless, viewers' justifiable reaction is to be repelled by such unremitting inhumanity."

"Part of the controversy about (the film) has been that the scenes of the crucifixion are violent and brutal," said Allentown Bishop Edward Cullen. "And so, I should think, they must be. The reality itself was violent and brutal. It was intended to be precisely that. Crucifixion was a dreadful, deplorable way to die."

Early indications point to Gibson reaping box office gold with this film, despite the attack from critics. Opening-day receipts totaled $23.6 million, with the weekend gross surpassing $117.5 million. If that trend continues, then his stature in Hollywood will only grow, not diminish. — M.F.F.

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