From Deseret News archives:
Yanking film shows Miller's inconsistency
That's car-dealer/Jazz owner Larry Miller, of course.
A week or so ago, after being told by a radio talk-show host that one of his theaters was scheduled to open "Brokeback Mountain" last Friday, and then being apprised of the R-rated film's story about a pair of cowboys who enter into a gay relationship Miller decided to cancel his contract for the film.
Unfortunately, it was too late to cancel Friday's newspaper ads, so when people got wind of it, Miller was both vilified and called a hero.
Perhaps I'm alone in thinking this isn't much of a news story and judging from the ink it's generated, that seems to be the case but what's the big deal?
And why have people been dropping the c-word . . . "censorship"?
This is not censorship. This is a movie finding itself in three of the county's venues instead of four.
Last Friday, the movie was still playing in three other local theaters the Broadway downtown, the Century on 3300 South and State, and another multiplex that's right up the road from Jordan Commons, the Cinemark Theatres at Jordan Landing.
Turning away customers that can't be good for business.
And will someone in the mood to see "Brokeback Mountain" really want to settle for "Hostel" or "The Chronicles of Narnia"?
On the other hand, you can get from Jordan Commons to Jordan Landing before you can say, "The Jazz are winning again."
Anyway, let's not kid ourselves. Miller's quick decision was not a business decision. Does it make good business sense to pull "Brokeback Mountain" when it's already on its way to becoming a box-office blockbuster? Especially when you're still showing "The Work and the Glory: American Zion" to a virtually empty auditorium every night?
But, hey, it's his theater. And if he wants to show "The Work and the Glory" on every screen or sell Edsels in his auto dealerships that's his prerogative.
I'm not going to get into stone-throwing, as some people already have, about Miller's restaurants serving liquor or his theaters being open on Sunday. Judge not, I say.
Comments
- Tiger opens with a 66 in Australia 1:18 a.m.
- Crash kills Utah County man 1:12 a.m.
- UCAT cheaper education option 1:12 a.m.
- Post office to be named for Rex Lee 1:11 a.m.
- Police probe synagogue vandalism 1:09 a.m.
- New charges added in fraud case 1:09 a.m.
- Mom takes plea deal in girl's beating 1:08 a.m.
- Drug trafficking operation busted 1:07 a.m.
- News yule writing contest starting up 12:59 a.m.
- Alpine District school honored 12:59 a.m.
- SLC council OKs gay rights policies
- 'Love story' of crash victim ends
- Utah Jazz have a problem at point
- BYU football recruit turning heads
- Alta's Ohai is Ms. Soccer 2009
- Prep football: Felt's Facts Week
- 12 Utes return to Texas
- Cougars' defensive hoops clinic
- Long days for BYU interns
- Wyoming writer amazed by BYU
- House passes health care bill
287 - SLC council OKs gay rights policies
246 - TCU showdown has big implications
193 - Senators want food tax restored
157 - Cougars crush hapless Cowboys
155 - Utah Jazz fall apart against Kings
131 - TCU 4th in AP poll; U. 16th, Y. 22nd
119 - S.L. vote pending on gay protections
109 - Pratt pleads not guilty to sex charges
101 - Letters: Strange breed in Utah
92
f you don't have an Xbox 360 and always wanted one, Saturday is your day.
Dashboard Confessional has scheduled a new show at In the …
Beck, Hannity, and Limbaugh get the audience they deserve and vice versa. ...
I find the rule,very discriminitory. I am not gay, I don't understand what...
I understand we were outmanned last night. However, this effort was awful....
My advice to Jonathan is shoot it when they pass it to you as soon as you...
Maybe they should try drafting a shooting guard who can shoot from outside ....
The sad thing about it is that there are actually people out there that are...
Thank you TCU and BYU. Your wanting to beat Utah so bad has to drive you...
Play fes and koufos. Look to the future. It looks like we will have two...
Oh come on. Obama's a horrible president, but I couldn't care less which...
"We had the best soccer of any place in the state. There's no disputing...



You can be the first to comment on this story.