This article originally appeared in
June 20, 2007
'Da Vinci' case dropped
By ERIC J. LYMAN
TAORMINA, Sicily -- The obscenity investigation into "The Da Vinci Code"
was dropped a day after it was launched, as the state attorney in the Italian
port village of Civitavecchia it is no longer looking into the charges.
It was announced Monday that a criminal investigation had been launched
into whether the 2006 film based on the best-selling Dan Brown novel was
in violation of Article 528 of Italy's penal code. If found guilty of the charges,
Brown, director Ron Howard and eight other defendants could have been
subject to unlimited fines and jail time.
The investigation was reportedly based on complaints from clergy in the
area, who alleged that the film was "obscene" from a religious perspective.
But on Tuesday, the process was dropped.
While the local media speculated that the change of course may have been
sparked by all the negative publicity for the town 40 miles north of Rome --
the story was widely reported in the international media -- an official
answering the phone at the state attorney's office said the decision was
made based on the merits of the case.
"There are no grounds for this investigation," the official said.
The news of a possible lawsuit broke just as Howard and his team are
beginning pre-production work on "Angels and Demons," the sequel to "The
Da Vinci Code."
By ERIC J. LYMAN
TAORMINA, Sicily -- The obscenity investigation into "The Da Vinci Code"
was dropped a day after it was launched, as the state attorney in the Italian
port village of Civitavecchia it is no longer looking into the charges.
It was announced Monday that a criminal investigation had been launched
into whether the 2006 film based on the best-selling Dan Brown novel was
in violation of Article 528 of Italy's penal code. If found guilty of the charges,
Brown, director Ron Howard and eight other defendants could have been
subject to unlimited fines and jail time.
The investigation was reportedly based on complaints from clergy in the
area, who alleged that the film was "obscene" from a religious perspective.
But on Tuesday, the process was dropped.
While the local media speculated that the change of course may have been
sparked by all the negative publicity for the town 40 miles north of Rome --
the story was widely reported in the international media -- an official
answering the phone at the state attorney's office said the decision was
made based on the merits of the case.
"There are no grounds for this investigation," the official said.
The news of a possible lawsuit broke just as Howard and his team are
beginning pre-production work on "Angels and Demons," the sequel to "The
Da Vinci Code."
| (c) 2007 The Hollywood Reporter All rights reserved. |
| Volume 77; Number 9 |
| Volume 77; Number 9 |
October 26, 2007
Howard's 'Angels' ready
to fly
June 20, 2007
'Da Vinci' case dropped
June 19, 2007
'Da Vinci Code' under
investigation in Italy
February 19, 2007
Opus Dei thanks 'Da Vinci
Code'
May 24, 2006
Copycats follow 'Da Vinci'
May 17, 2006
Silent night for 'Da Vinci'
May 16, 2006
'Da Vinci' protests,
boycotts spread
April 26, 2006
'Code' cracked by clergy
Howard's 'Angels' ready
to fly
June 20, 2007
'Da Vinci' case dropped
June 19, 2007
'Da Vinci Code' under
investigation in Italy
February 19, 2007
Opus Dei thanks 'Da Vinci
Code'
May 24, 2006
Copycats follow 'Da Vinci'
May 17, 2006
Silent night for 'Da Vinci'
May 16, 2006
'Da Vinci' protests,
boycotts spread
April 26, 2006
'Code' cracked by clergy