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SPIRITUALLY BANKRUPT NO MORE

February 26, 2005

He was one of the first film stars to command (and get) $25 mil per film. He was the talk of Hollywood. His films were riveting. People Magazine claimed he was one of the 50 most beautiful people in the WORLD! And yet he found himself, as he describes it, “spiritually bankrupt”.

He decided to turn to directing where he could put his PASSION on the screen. Not to be a sluggard, he also decided to be the principal actor in his first film he’d direct. And at the 68th Academy Awards, Mel Gibson’s film Braveheart earned him and astonishing double award: Best Actor and Best Director!

It wasn’t enough. To really display his PASSION, he would have to display his FAITH as well. As the Financial Times asked on Friday, “How come this 48 year old American-born, Australian-raised star turned film-maker can fund, finish and release a near-impossible artistic dream without any help from the main studios, and then sit back as the skies rain money?”

Hollywood is talking about “black-listing” him as though he needed those big studio giants like Dream Works. Mel not only funded the $25 mil effort from his own resources, he went out after a small player like Newmarket Films (My Big Fat Greek Wedding) to distribute his film. Who needs the big boys when you’re GOOD and have GOD on your side?

Spiritually bankrupt no more and my guess is there’s more to come in this genre. Why not? It should gross far more than the $200 mil I predicted months ago.

Written by Ernie · Filed Under Daily Commentary 

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