Posted on 02/28/2005 1:28:36 PM PST by nickcarraway
Hollywood A-lister buys the rights to the book ‘Stealing from Angels'
Fittingly, just ten days after the death of Sr Lucia dos Santos, the last survivor to witness the appearances of the Virgin Mary at the Portuguese town of Fatima in 1917, Mel Gibson has bought the rights to the book ‘Stealing from Angels’.
Brian Dullaghan’s novel tells the story of a young Irish man who escapes a dreary life in his hometown only to slip into a life of major crime in New York. Everything changes when he meets Maria and he jumps ship again, this time to Maria’s hometown in Italy. However, blissful happiness does not follow and when the couple are connected to the murder of Pope John Paul and the third secret of Fatima, things really implode.
‘Stealing from Angels’ is a work of fiction that tells the tale of a man who shoulders a huge secret and trusts no one.
The third prophecy
Those familiar with the three prophesies revealed by the Virgin Mary at Fatima will be aware that the first two referred to the two World Wars and the third to the long kept secret that Sr Lucia ultimately revealed that foretold the 1981 attempt on Pope John Paul II’s life.
In 2000, when the Pope visited the shrine at Fatima, Cardinal Soldano, authorised to read a statement on behalf of the pontiff, described the prophecy: "the 'bishop clothed in white' makes his way with great effort toward the cross amid the corpses of those who were martyred. He too falls to the ground, apparently dead, under a burst of gunfire." Pope John Paul II credits the Madonna of Fatima with his survival following the assassination attempt by Turkish right-winger Mehmet Ali Agca in St Peter's Square.
‘Stealing from Angels’ has received rave reviews and is very popular in America, not least, in the same vein as The Da Vinci Code, because people can indulge their desire for church conspiracy theories – especially relating to the Catholic Church.
Mel Gibson’s interest will again stir up the controversy. Gibson is known to practice pre-Vatican II ‘traditional’ Catholicism and much was made amid ‘The Passion’ furore of his father’s Vatican conspiracy theories.
But let’s put this to one side. The film will not hit screens until 2006 and Gibson has proved himself an exceptional actor and director. He has also treated key figures in the Catholic hierarchy with respect and even sought their opinions ahead of the worldwide release of ‘The Passion of The Christ’.
Mel Gibson travelled to Fatima in September of 2003 to show the film to religious institutions. He visited Sr Lucia’s convent in Coimbra and managed to secure an agreement to show ‘The Passion’ to the sisters. Later, Gibson returned to Portugal and made another secret visit to the convent to meet with Sr Lucia.
One thing’s for sure; this film is destined to be a controversial box office blockbuster. But before the conspiracy theories get out of hand, not to mention individual reader interpretations, the author himself has the final say in an interview with The Tribune: “It’s a great story and that is that,” said Dullaghan.
Hollywood holds its breath…
Kind of Nostradomus-esque. It could mean anything.
Mel is on Michael Medved show right now talking about the Oscars.
Hm, a fantasy movie?
That interpretation of the Third Secret is highly questionable...Many others believe that the Third Secret had to do with the breakdown of the Church prior to the Second Coming of Christ...but the powers that be in the Vatican have successfully scuttled it...
YES!!!!!
Gipson never tried to hide his Romanist outlook, it was the evangelicals who were gushing over him, unconcerned with any doctrinal problems.
Protestants will always have doctrinal problems with Catholics. I liked the movie anyway.
He's really overthinking this. Just make quality movies about Jesus and the disciples, about Paul, etc. Retire a bazillionaire.
Drat. I would've enjoyed seeing the other project he was talking about (the Maccabean Revolt). Still, I give this movie better than even odds of being more entertaining than anything else that will be in theaters alongside it.
If Mr. Gibson does the Fatima movie, it won't be for the purpose of bringing protestants and Catholics together. I don't think that was his aim, either, in The Passion of the Christ.
I think Mr. Gibson wants to make films about things he feels strongly about, and he's wealthy enough to do whatever he wants.
As a Catholic, I look forward to any films he makes about his beliefs.
Oh, that will be a BEAUTIFUL movie! So much better than if he had told the story of the Maccabees as the rumor had it. I have to read this book.
You think so?
Not if they constantly compromise on them?
Did you like how Mary was portrayed in the movie?
Bump
Exactly, if the protestants don't want to see it, let them stay away. No one is going to force them to see it. If Mel Gibson wanted to make more money he could make another Lethal Weapon. No, he wants to make another "Caravaggio". I can feel it in my bones... this subject will look absolutely, stunningly beautiful on film... I can't wait.
The Sun Moved In The Sky! Of course you know that, but the others may not. Ten Thousand People witnessed it. But that's the thing about miracles... no matter how many witness one half will convince themselves they didn't see it and the rest of the world will disbelieve anyway.
I saw the movie only once, but I can't remember anything glaringly wrong with how Mary was portrayed. Obviously, Mel took a lot of artistic license with her character. What do you think?
I'm just here for the gasoline.
I'll believe he's working on a particular project when I hear it's actually started shooting.
With all due respect, that's because he's inclined to do Catholic-friendly movies. The passion and resurrection of Christ appeal to all Christians, across the board, and is the essence of the gospel message. If he starts becoming sectarian, to make movies with topics that appeal only to Catholics, he certainly has the resources to do so (as you say), but he will lose a large segment of his audience. But then, maybe producing movies that have a particular Catholic slant to them is what he wants to do. More power to him -- it's his money afterall -- but all of the Protestants I know who lauded him for "The Passion" won't bother seeing his future movies if that's the tact he takes.
I agree, and I have no problem with that.
I'm not so sure what the reaction of Evangelicals to this will be. Suspicion, certainly. But Evangelicals might conceivably take an interest in it nonetheless, as outsiders, just as they take an interest in Jewish affairs.
I also wonder what Catholics will make of it. Will it appeal only to schismatic or "traditional" Catholics, by suggesting that parts of the third secret were suppressed, or will it also appeal to faithful Catholics who accept the Novus Ordo? And what about all the liberal Catholics and just plain Catholics who probably went to see The Passion?
It's clearly a very different kettle of fish from The Passion. But much depends on how Mel handles it.
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