Theater Credits 'Passion' Money to Movie Starring Bush Hater

NewsMax ^ | 3/19/04 | Limbacher

[Tumbleweed_Connection]

Although "The Passion of the Christ" is one of the most popular movies of all time, with box office of more than $285 million so far, a TV news station in Miami wonders "should that dollar figure even be higher ... yes."

Here's the scoop, as reported today by WSVN-TV:

Frances Cannon "is upset because she says Gibson's movie isn't getting all the credit or cash it deserves."

A deeply religious woman, she and her family paid to see the movie but noticed their six tickets were marked "Hidalgo," not "The Passion of the Christ."

(The unpopular "Hidalgo," by the way, just so happens to star Bush-hating appeasement activist Viggo Mortensen.)

Whe Mrs. Cannon noticed the mistake and asked the cashier to fix it, the manager intervened. "He told me that they have already sold enough tickets and these six credits wouldn't matter anyway ... he's [Gibson] made enough money anyway."

She contacted Seven News after the manager again refused to give proper credit to "The Passion."

'Theft'

The station's legal expert, Howard Finkelstein, said: "This is clearly a breach of contract ... when someone makes a movie they get money based upon ticket sales ... in this case the money that Mel Gibson's movie should have gotten went to another movie ... if this was done intentionally it's theft."

The station says a corporate official of the chain, which it did not identify, admitted the manager was wrong, should have corrected the error and would correct it.

WSVN reports: "The theater wanted to know why Frances was so concerned about this. Bottom line ... she didn't want to get anyone in trouble ... she just wanted to make sure that Mel Gibson's movie got the money she paid ... We contacted Mel Gibson's people ... they are aware of the situation."

The reader who sent us this tip wonders, "Is this kind of theft of Mel Gibson going on in other parts of the country?"

Movie fans, check your ticket stubs, and raise hell if your money is incorrectly going to Viggo or the other pampered leftists of Tinseltown.

[missyme]

HOLLYWOOD IS HOPING BY ALL ODDS TO KNOCK THE PASSION OUT OF IT'S NUMBER 1 SLOT THIS WEEKEND.

LET'S KEEP IT NUMBER ONE! PLEASE BUY A TICKET THIS WEEKEND EVEN IF YOU CANNOT GO AND GIVE IT TO SOMEONE OR JUST TITHE TWOARDS THE SUPPORT OF THE MOVIE.

LETS KEEP THE PASSION NUMBER ONE!!

[Terry Mross]

A theater is under contract to show each film on a certain number of screens. He can't arbitrarily yank one in favor of the other. Well, he can't "legally" do it anyway. As for percentages, it's negotiable. I'm told Mel is paying higher percentage than most.

[Anitius Severinus Boethius]

I said some theater or another, not every theater. Some chains are very lax about customer service, others are very well run. Your friend was a good manager, I have known theater managers that shouldn't be trusted to sell sno-caps at the counter. It happens. One bad manager does not a conspiracy make.

[shield]

If they don't get Mel one way, they'll try another way. I am so glad this women was sharp enough to catch this and report it!!! PRAISE THE LORD.

[My Favorite Headache]

Good story bump

[Quix]

GOODNESS! FOR SURE!

REMEMBER, The traitorous, liberal, satanic, commie left

believes there IS NO RIGHT OR WRONG . . . so they consider themselves free to do whatever feels good even if it means

shafting decent people in the right.

Sheesh!

Shrillery and Billdo's 'morals' ride again!

[PeoplesRep_of_LA]

I said some theater or another, not every theater. Some chains are very lax about customer service, others are very well run. Your friend was a good manager, I have known theater managers that shouldn't be trusted to sell sno-caps at the counter. It happens. One bad manager does not a conspiracy make.

Huh? You're meandering between points here makes no sense...OK, he is a bad manager, that's what I said, and yes the evidence points to him knowing full well that the tickets were going to the wrong picture because any idiot can fix that problem, and would want to because its so easy to fire those people. I didn't say the "conspiracy" went beyond him but I will say that his reaction to a customer is too odd to simply leave it at him being just a "bad manager"

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

Why didn't Newsmax identify the theatre chain...it would be a big help to all of us, unless, of course, actual theft did not happen.

[Piranha]

Where do they get the extra copies of the movies to show? Do they get extra copies of movies from the distributors? I'm surprised to hear that if it is true.

[luckymom]

Hey folks, let's just all get out and go see The Passion (again) this weekend! It's only going to take about $5.5 million to pass Matrix Reloaded for #1 R rated movie of all time, according to Box Office Mojo! Piece of cake!!!

[TheDon]

Shhhhhhh!!!! I am of the "Just Shut Up and Sing" mentality, but if I am exposed to too much of an entertainers anti-capitalist/Christian/American attitudes, it becomes to distracting to enjoy any of their work. Please don't spoil me on this guy.

[CherylBower]

If you buy your tickets on-line, this can't happen. And it is so much easier. No lines for tickets. Just go to the ABO and pick them up. No person to deal with either. I don't know how they handle under 17 for R movies.

[Vets_Husband_and_Wife]

WOW!!! Will send out an e-mail! Talk about a bunch of crooks!

[Marie]

This is completely off topic, but I gotta tell this story anyway. When my son was first learning to read we lived by an abandoned church and we drove by it almost every day.

One day my son sighs and says, "The Crunch of Chris. No wonder nobody goes there. I'd hate to know what they did to that guy!"

[PeoplesRep_of_LA]

Sorry, I felt the same way after I saw him with that shirt. I so loved LOTR and had such a hard time seeing past what a left wing wacko he is, I guess I'm just trying to make everyone miserable...:-(

[LiteKeeper]

bump

[rockrr]

"Good post. Never woulda looked at the ticket before. Now I will. No matter how cynical you get about the left, you just can't keep up."

I did notice once (several years ago). I asked about it because I was concerned that I might not be able to get into the right show. The ticket-taker told me not to worry & let us through ("Just move along now, nothing to see here").

Things that make you go, "Hmmmmm"

[Burkeman1]

I think it is most likely laziness or a mistake rather than some sort of anti Mel conspiracy.

[Tumbleweed_Connection]

Don't forget this is opening in foreign countries where F-ing's pals reside.

[missyme]

Has anyone heard how it is doing overseas as of yet?