Apr 24, 2009
Famed director Ron Howard recently published an article boldly claiming that his upcoming movie “Angels & Demons,” based on Dan Brown’s novel, is not anti-Catholic. His article, Angels & Demons: It's A Thriller, Not A Crusade was published by the Huffington Post… but don’t laugh too fast. A rarity in the Huffy, this article is serious, and should not be ignored.
In his article, Mr. Howard goes after William Donohue for “paint(ing) me and the movie I directed, “Angels & Demons,” as anti-Catholic.”
Let me be clear: neither I nor Angels & Demons are anti-Catholic. And let me be a little controversial: I believe Catholics, including most in the hierarchy of the Church, will enjoy the movie for what it is: an exciting mystery set in the awe-inspiring beauty of Rome. After all, in Angels & Demons, Professor Robert Langdon teams up with the Catholic Church to thwart a vicious attack against the Vatican. What, exactly, is anti-Catholic about that?
Mr. Howard sounds sincere. In his favor, it has to be said that hardly anyone can accuse him of systematic anti-Catholicism after making “Cinderella Man.” If anything, he will never be forgotten by Catholics for that movie.