Posted on 05/17/2005 9:49:02 AM PDT by smoothsailing
Fonda flick doesn't fly in Hardin County
By JOHN FRIEDLEIN
The owner of Hardin County's two movie theaters is refusing to show the nation's top-grossing movie.
Like many veterans, Ike Boutwell has an issue with "Monster-in-Law" star Jane Fonda. On the ticket window at the Elizabethtown Movie Palace is a sign that tells movie goers the cinema will not show the film because of what she did in Vietnam. Below the message are pictures of Fonda clapping with a North Vietnamese anti-aircraft crew in 1972.
The sign on the marquee outside Showtime Cinemas in Radcliff reads: "No Jane Fonda movie in this theater." More than 30 years after the war's end, Boutwell still bears a grudge. "I trained a lot of pilots during the Vietnam conflict," he said.
Some of his students died from rounds fired from guns like the one Fonda visited during her anti-war trip. "I think when people do something, they need to be held responsible for their actions," he said. "When you give the enemy aid, it makes the war last longer."
He also refused to show Michael Moore's controversial "Fahrenheit 9/11" and has banned Fonda movies from his theater in the past. Fonda's last movie was 1990's "Stanley & Iris."
Boutwell's stance against her latest movie means he's taking a financial hit. "Monster-in-Law" was last weekend's top-grossing movie, bringing in more than $23 million at 3,424 locations nationwide, according to Exhibitor Relations Co. Inc. and Nielsen EDI Inc. The film is a romantic comedy about a mom who tries to wreck her son's relationship.
Amy Haire, who works the ticket booth of the Elizabethtown theater, has received mixed reaction to Boutwell's decision. "A lot of the older gentlemen thought it was great," she said. She got bad looks, though, from some girls and young women who wanted to see the film. She would point to the pictures and tell them it's the owner's discretion not to show it.
Joe Kinney, of Radcliff, said the theater should show the movie and let customers make up their minds about whether to see it. However, he said he isn't a fan of Fonda for political reasons. Despite a few negative comments, Boutwell received mostly positive feedback. One Elizabethtown man made a special trip to the theater Monday to thank him.
"I think Vietnam veterans appreciate this," said Sal Mancuso, who fought in the Mekong Delta during the Vietnam war. He thinks Fonda should be in prison for treason.
Asked about her belated apology for posing in the anti-aircraft pictures, Mancuso laughed. "There is no defense for what she did," he said.
Spc. Mike Carwile, who is with a National Guard medical detachment, said he wasn't even a twinkle in his father's eye when Fonda visited Vietnam.
The 22-year-old learned about her Vietnam War-era activities when he saw the notice outside the theater Monday. He supported Boutwell's decision.
"I think everyone's responsible for what they do," he said.
Copyright © 2005 The News-Enterprise
http://www.thenewsenterprise.com
The review I heard about this movie is that it stinks. I heard one reviewer said, "This movie proves two things... Jane Fonda can still act, and Jennifer Lopez still can't."
*PING*
IMHO, it is a National disgrace that Jane Fonda, John sKerry, and the like are not STILL in a federal pen.
He isn't taking much of a hit. No one is opening a big film right now (which is why it is easy to become #1) because Star Wars 6 will blow away any competition. They will wait weeks before opening something big again. Who wants to open as #2?
I support his stand but think that the leftist media is trying to proclaim Fonda a box-office hero among America when it is hardly the case (first film since 1990).
Good to know there are some people who have values other than money. Nice story.
Go get your own theater. Then you can make your own decision.
Kudos and thanks to Ike Boutwell for standing up!
Jane Fonda can rot in hell for her Vietnam war activities for all I care.
Absolutely! The "marketplace of ideas" in work; though probably not how Brennan pictured it.
$23M on opening weekend is not great.
Way to go! I'd like to see this spread to movies by Martin Sheen, Julia Roberts, Susan Sarandon, Sean Penn, Tim Robbins, and the rest of the anti-US crowd of Hollyweird socialists/communists.
Maybe there's still Mr. Wu's pen...
Idon't have to go to know it either...LOL
The people of Hardin should do everything possible to not let this American businessman go out of business for any good reason. All Americans should see that Hanoi JANE goes out of business.
So he should show a movie because some studio forces it on him (lay back and take it) and if customers boycott his theater as a result, those are the breaks (put some ice on that).
Do you suppose Joe Kinney voted for Bill Clinton?
The left will proclaim victory where ever they can.
Radcliffe and E-town survive on the edge of Fort Knox.....it would be suicide for the theatre t show Fonda's movie. If Ft Knox closed, so would these 2 towns.
*PING*
The good news is I keep seeing box office receipts are way down from where they used to be. I know I can't watch most of those people anymore after I have heard their leftist rants.
As much as I would love to see that in some ways, if you take the anti-US crowd out of the movies, the movies are, simply put, just going to suck.
E-town ping.
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