Bravo, Miller, for taking stand

On Wednesday, movie star Heath Ledger called Utah Mormons "immature" as a society for believing the film "Brokeback Mountain" is controversial. I think it's unintentionally hilarious an actor from Hollywood, a town not known as a bastion of societal maturity, seeks to instruct Utahns on what is and isn't controversial.

As a film distributor, it is obvious to me that Ledger and Focus Features are deliberately trying to rouse an argument with someone from an "immature" moral place like Utah to score a free, worldwide PR campaign that will make them an Oscar shoe-in.

I have decided to take the bait, because I believe Larry Miller's actual moral stand should be applauded, at least as much as Ledger's faux moral "look-at-me" game.

Bravo Larry for canceling "Brokeback Mountain." It is your right to choose what content you accept or reject for your theaters. If Ledger gets to choose to make blatantly controversial homosexual love stories, you get to choose to abstain from running them. Moreover, shame on all the middle-American theater owners who know their neighborhoods don't want this movie, but lack the moral courage to stand up to Ledger and Focus Features. Finally to filmgoers: If you want morality, go see "Narnia" or one of the other family films available at Jordan Commons.

Randy Davis

Vice President of Film Distribution

Excel Entertainment Group