Producers of the film, "Creation," which opens in Britain Sunday, cannot find a distributor in the United States, reports the UK press. It still may land a deal, however.
"Creation" stars Paul Bettany as Darwin and Jennifer Connelly as his deeply religious wife and explores the scientist's "battle between faith and reason" as he wrote "On The Origin of Species."
The UK Telegraph suggests that U.S. distributors passed on the movie because it would prove "hugely divisive in a country where, according to a Gallup poll (published) in February, only 39 percent of Americans believe in the theory of evolution." (For the record, the poll said a quarter of Americans don't believe in the theory, and another 36 percent don't have an opinion either way.)
Jeremy Thomas, the Oscar-winning producer of "Creation," said he was astonished that such attitudes exist 150 years after "On The Origin of Species" was published. "That's what we're up against. In 2009. It's amazing," he said. ... "It is unbelievable to us that this is still a really hot potato in America. There's still a great belief that he made the world in six days.
It's true that some Christians have slammed the film, but the article doesn't cite any instances of distributors shying away from the movie because of fears of Christian protest.
Interesting to read criticism from a Science magazine blogger, which notes the film contains historical inaccuracies; however, John Travis, the mag's European news editor, was more disappointed in the focus on why Darwin was slow to publish "On the Origin of Species." The film implies the delay was due to Darwin's illness, grief over his dead daughter and his desire not to offend his wife.
"In other words, instead of dramatizing how Darwin traveled the world and arrived at the most explosive idea in history, 'Creation' is ultimately about the world's biggest case of writer's block," Travis writes.
Over at Christianity Today, reviewer Lindsay Shaw says: "'Creation' is a well crafted film focusing on themes that are highly relevant to Christians and their friends."
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