ARTICLES
May 2000 ARTICLESLETTERS
Contents © 2000
by Jim Holman.
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Shame
Pro-Lifers Protest Academy Awards
By Cheryl Sullenger
Dozens of pro-lifers lined the streets outside the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on March 26 to protest the film, The Cider House Rules, which was nominated for seven Academy Awards. But wait! Wasn't The Cider House Rules a touching story about a man who runs an orphanage? This may be the impression many received from reading reviews and viewing trailers of the Disney/Miramax production; however, Cider House was nothing short of a film promoting abortion. Recognizing this, Planned Parenthood promoted the film from its release and later lavished it with its "Maggie" Award.
A pro-life youth group called The Survivors organized two days of picketing aimed at exposing the truth about abortion to the movie industry.
The group of about 20 began their Oscar protest the day before the Academy Awards ceremony, at the Bel Air home of actor Michael Caine, whose portrayal of ether-addicted abortionist, Wilbur Larch, earned him a nomination and later an Oscar for best supporting actor. Large graphic photos of aborted children lined the exclusive street along with signs that read, "Shame on Caine," and "Abortionists Don't Run Orphanages," and "Throw the Cider House Oscar Back in the Dumpster!" Although Caine was not to be seen, several of his neighbors did come out to watch as the pro-lifers sang hymns and gave interviews to several reporters who were present.
Later that evening, the group moved their picket to the streets of Beverly Hills where Disney/Miramax was holding a pre-Oscar party at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel. Many of the stars arriving in limousines took the time to crack a window and flip off the pro-lifers or yell disparaging remarks; however, the tinted glass in the limousines prevented the pro-lifers from identifying the vehicle's occupants.
The following day, The Surviors and members of the San Diego-based California Life Coalition took up position near Shrine Auditorium, the site of the Oscar ceremony. Many sign-bearing protesters lined the street across from the red carpet. Others were stationed on the busy street where dozens of limousines paused for their opportunity to turn onto the cordoned-off avenue and deposit their celebrities in front of the awaiting crowds of fans and media. As each limousine paused to await its turn to enter, Heather Mechanic of San Diego pleaded with the occupants to repent for supporting abortion and proclaimed to each passerby the shame The Cider House Rules was bringing on the movie industry.
Several of the stars rolled down their windows to either comment to or photograph the picketers. As the man who found the stolen Oscar statuettes in a dumpster passed by in his limo, he appeared distressed by the large photos of an aborted child. "Don't roll up your window, sir," asked one of the pro-lifers. "Please don't turn your back on these poor children. This is the truth about what happens to them at the abortion clinics of America. We should face the truth so this will stop." He nodded, and smiled before his limo drove on.
Other reaction was not so positive, however. During her pre-Oscar program aired on E! Joan Rivers had some comments to make to Cider House director Lasse Hallstrom about the protesters. "What a marvelous picture!" Joan said as she began her interview.
"Oh, thank you! Say it again," responded the beaming Hallstrom.
"What a marvelous picture!" repeated Rivers. Then she asked, "were you upset coming in when you saw some of the posters they had out that were kind of protesting the whole point of Cider House Rules?"
Hallstrom sighed, then smiled, "we missed them all, fortunately."
"I wanted to open up the door and go, like, 'Go to hell!" said Rivers. Hallstrom, distracted momentarily by the crowds, said, "I couldn't hear you."
Rivers repeated, "I just wanted to open the limo door and say, 'just go to hell!"
"Oh right. Absolutely," replied an increasingly nervous-looking Hallstrom.
The picture went on to win two Academy Awards that evening. After Michael Caine received his Oscar, he commented that the abortionist he played was the "most compassionate man I know." Writer John Irving, who came away with an Oscar for best adaptation of a screenplay, personally thanked Planned Parenthood and the National Abortion Rights League -- comments which received wild applause.