Hollywood has a long-held reputation for being a tool of the Far Left. Much of the criticism is well deserved, but to be fair, wonderful movies with positive messages have also been produced.
In the movie industry, the ultimate achievement is earning an Academy Award called the Oscar.
And this year, abortion has surfaced as a controversial issue.
It could be legitimately said that the Oscar Award is the Golden Calf of Hollywood. Many have bowed down and paid homage, sacrificing their morals and ethics to attain Hollywood’s most prestigious accolade.
So when someone from the industry takes a stand for truth and justice, it grabs attention.
Filmmaker Keith Merrill is a 1973 Oscar winner and longtime member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. As a member he will be voting in the Best Picture category like he has done for many years.
This year there are 366 feature films vying for the top spot. One of them, Never Rarely Sometimes Always, is only a borderline contender, but it’s getting attention. The movie centers on a 17-year-old girl who travels across the state line from Pennsylvania to New York where she doesn’t have to obtain parental consent for her abortion.
When Merrill was contacted to see if he had viewed the movie, he gave an unbridled response that left no one wondering where he stood on the subject matter.
“I received the screener but as…the father of eight children and 39 grandchildren. AND pro-life advocate, I have ZERO interest in watching a woman cross state lines so someone can murder her unborn child…There is nothing heroic about a mother working so hard to kill her child.”
Hollywood probably didn’t see that coming.
Eliza Hittman, the movie’s director wasn’t pleased, and called him out on Instagram (later deleted), where it got the attention of Variety. Hittman lamented that the Academy was still “painfully monopolized by an old white puritanical male guard.”
In the Variety article, Merrill didn’t back down. Quite the contrary, he set the record straight by pointing out that just last year the Academy had achieved its 2020 goal of diversifying its membership to include more women and minorities.
Merrill said, “Her film is an expression of who she is. My absence of interest in watching her film is an expression of who I am.” He further stated that both were worthy of respect and validity.
Merrill further told Variety that he doesn’t watch horror flicks or those with “graphic sex or gratuitous violence or radical social agendas.”
Of the 366 films competing for Best Picture, at least one Oscar voter isn’t giving Never Rarely Sometimes Always the time of day.
Keith Merrill deserves an award for courageously standing up for truth during a time when many are fearful of the cancel culture and cowering in silence.
For innocent human life,
It’s wonderful to know of someone in that industry who is unafraid to stand up straight on an upside-down topic! God bless Keith Merrill!
Kudos to Keith Merrill who stands up for what he believes. We need more men like him.
I bet Mother Delores Hart wont be voting for it either!
I absolutely agree! I wish more of us were as courageous enough to stand up tall for our beliefs, especially in such a clear cut case of right and wrong. I’m thrilled to hear about Keith Merrill, and thank him for standing tall for my beliefs, too!
I’m grateful that there are still some Americans who have a backbone and some moral principles! God bless Mr. Merrill and America!
Thank you to Keith Merrill for standing up for his beliefs and not caving to the popular culture of the day. We need many more like him, especially in Hollywood!
There is always a light at the end of the tunnel. Kieth Merrill is the light, in this case.
“Never, Never,Never”.WSC
back down or give up. “We shall overcome”MLK
Thank you Bradley for a wonderful sensitive and insightful paper you are absolutely correct we must fight back carefully sensitively and with love but we must stand up for families are baby children and mothers and dads in this time of violence this is an American disgrace an American Holocaust it cannot stand we are praying here in New Hampshire and doing all we can to advocate for life and goodness and truth your organization your team and you yourself are doing a marvellous and courageous job tore these essential goals thank you for all you do keep up the good work we are praying for you you remain in our hearts Martin connerton family and colleagues and social workers here in the great state of New Hampshire peace
My Heart skipped a beat when I read about Keith Merrill. It gave me new hope!