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Crusades film attacked over portrayal of

Posted by Tiglath (Guest) davidchibo@hotmail.com - Monday, January 19 2004, 9:38:15 (EST)
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Crusades film attacked over portrayal of Arabs

January 19, 2004

Kingdom of Heaven has been accused of distorting reality, reports Charlotte Edwardes in London.

Sir Ridley Scott, the Oscar-nominated director, was savaged by senior British academics on Saturday over his forthcoming film which they say distorts the history of the Crusades to portray Arabs in a favourable light.

The film, starring Orlando Bloom, Jeremy Irons and Liam Neeson, is described by its makers as being "historically accurate" and designed to be "a fascinating history lesson".

Academics, however - including Jonathan Riley-Smith, Britain's leading authority on the Crusades - attacked the plot of Kingdom of Heaven, describing it as rubbish, ridiculous, complete fiction and dangerous to Arab relations.

The film, which began shooting last week in Spain, is set in the time of King Baldwin IV (1161-1185), leading up to the Battle of Hattin in 1187, when Saladin conquered Jerusalem for the Muslims.

The Knights Templar, the warrior monks, are portrayed as "the baddies" while Muslim leader Saladin is "a hero of the piece", Sir Ridley's spokesman said. "At the end of our picture, our heroes defend the Muslims, which was historically correct."

Professor Riley-Smith, of Cambridge University, said the plot was "complete and utter nonsense". He said that it relied on the romanticised view of the Crusades propagated by Sir Walter Scott in his book The Talisman, published in 1825 and now discredited by academics.

"They refer to The Talisman, which depicts the Muslims as sophisticated and civilised, and the Crusaders are all brutes and barbarians. It has nothing to do with reality."

He added that Sir Ridley's efforts were misguided and pandered to Islamic fundamentalism.

Amin Maalouf, the French historian and author of The Crusades Through Arab Eyes, said: "Cruelty was not on one side but on all."

Sir Ridley's spokesman said the film portrayed the Arabs in a positive light.

"It's trying to be fair and we hope that the Muslim world sees the rectification of history," he said.

- Telegraph

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Crusades film attacked over portrayal of Tiglath - Monday, January 19 2004, 9:38:15 (EST)
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