Catholic Group, Moviemakers Clash Over 'Dogma'

BY PATRICK RIZZO

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A dispute between a Roman Catholic group and film producers Bob and Harvey Weinstein heated up Wednesday as the Weinsteins said they would hold the Catholic League responsible if violence occurs during protests against the religious satire film ``Dogma.''

In a letter received Wednesday by the Catholic League, an organization with 350,000 members, lawyers for the Weinsteins said they ``intend to hold the League fully accountable for any wrongdoing, injury or damages it causes'' as a result of protests against the movie.

The New York-based league has made clear it opposes the film but has not threatened violent protests against ``Dogma.'' Wednesday it vowed to press ahead with efforts against the movie, which are to include a newspaper advertisement.

The Weinstein brothers, co-heads of Walt Disney Co.'s Miramax Films subsidiary, in April formed a company to acquire the rights to ``Dogma,'' a religious satire by 28-year-old director Kevin Smith, whose credits include ``Chasing Amy.''

The Weinsteins bought the rights from Miramax to shield parent company Disney, whose typical fare is family entertainment like the animated film ``Tarzan'' being released nationwide Friday, from embarrassment.

``Dogma,'' not yet finished, tells of two renegade angels, played by Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, who believe Catholic church laws are fallible and who set about exploiting a legal loophole as a way to reenter heaven.

The script includes a fictional foul-mouthed 13th apostle named Rufus, played by comedian Chris Rock, and a Catholic woman, played by Linda Fiorentino, who works at an Illinois abortion clinic.

On April 8, the League said it would ``tackle'' the film and, in response to a comment by Affleck that the movie was ''meant to push buttons,'' the group said it had a few buttons of its own to push without going into details.

The letter to the Catholic League, signed by Los Angeles lawyer Daniel Petrocelli, said: ``Please be advised that any ... impermissible activity authorized, committed or encouraged by the League that harms or threatens harm to any person will not be tolerated.''

Petrocelli did not return phone calls and it was unclear what inspired his comments.

League President William Donohue responded in a statement: ''The Catholic League protest of 'Dogma' will now proceed with even more vigor than ever before. Fascistic attempts to silence us will never win.''

League spokesman Rick Hinshaw told Reuters that the group planned to place an advertisement in the New York Times calling for Disney to break its ties with the Weinsteins.

``If they (Disney) really want to recapture their ... stature as a promoter of family entertainment, officially separating from the Weinsteins would be called for,'' Hinshaw said.

Miramax and Roman Catholics have crossed swords before.

In 1995, Miramax released ``Priest,'' which outraged Catholic groups and sparked calls for boycotts against Disney products because of its portrayal of a Catholic priest who had a homosexual affair.