Smith's 'Dogma' raises ire of Catholic League

BY PEGGY McGLONE

Get ready for another holy war of words.

Although the fall release of Kevin Smith's controversial fourth movie, "Dogma," is still uncertain, the Catholic League of America today launches its first strike against the movie, which it describes as insulting to the Catholic faith.

At a press conference this morning in New York City, William Donohue, president of the national Catholic civil rights organization, is scheduled to outline a campaign to protest the movie, including full page newspaper ads.

"I have read the script and all the reviews from Cannes and everything that (star Ben) Affleck and Smith have said," said Donohue, whose organization organized several protests last fall against Terrence McNally's off-Broadway play, "Corpus Christi."

"Our central concern has always been with expressions we find insulting to our religion. This is insult humor, and we are sick and tired of it," he said.

Red Bank native Smith, who runs his production company, View Askew, from his hometown, would not comment on the Catholic League's plans. But at a press conference last month in Cannes, he said he doubted anyone could take offense at his movie, which he describes as "pro-faith."

A self-proclaimed practicing Catholic, Smith said the story grew out of his own crisis of faith.

"I just wanted to get on a soapbox and talk about (it), but I didn't want to be didactic so I just threw in a couple of wacky angels and stoners," he said.

Donohue said Smith's own faith is irrelevant. "I don't care if he was an altar boy ... this (movie) is offensive," he said.

The film stars Affleck and Matt Damon as two fallen angels plotting to regain entrance into paradise and Linda Fiorentino as a Catholic abortion clinic worker who is drafted to thwart their plans. Also appearing in the movie are Salma Hayek, Alan Rickman, Chris Rock and Alanis Morissette, who portrays God.

Variety, the entertainment industry publication, called Smith's movie "a very vulgar pro-faith comedy rather than a sacrilegious goof" and said it was at least 40 minutes too long.

In April, Miramax heads Harvey and Bob Weinstein, anticipating controversy, bought back the film from their company, a Disney subsidiary, to shield the corporate giant from the furor almost certain to arise from Smith's irreverent portrait of the church. They are shopping it around to various distributors, and word is that Lions Gate is the front-runner. There is no confirmed release date, and a Lions Gate spokeswoman had no comment.

Last week, the Weinsteins' attorney engaged the Catholic League by letter, warning its president against making statements intent on motivating "danger or violence."

"Please be advised that any such impermissible activity authorized, committed or encouraged by the league that harms or threatens harm to any person will not be tolerated," wrote lawyer Daniel Petrocelli on the Weinsteins' behalf.

Donohue characterized the letter as absurd and an "attempt to muzzle my free speech" that will only motivate his organization's 350,000 members. In response, Petrocelli said it was meant to encourage the league "to exercise its rights under the First Amendment in a responsible manner."

Donohue said this summer's protest will target Miramax, the company behind 1995's "Priest," also the target of Catholic League protests.

"What bothers me about the Weinsteins is they're going back to the well, actually the sewer," he said, saying the crux of the upcoming campaign will be to encourage Disney to pull the plug on Miramax.

"I'm not going to carry on a fight with Disney. I think they might be turning the corner," said Donohue. "But the Weinsteins are not."