`Hail Mary' bedevils aldermen

Ald. Aloysius A. Majerczyk (12th) assured fellow members of theCity Council he wasn't asking for censorship.

But there stood Majerczyk, a former policeman, leading thecharge against the continued showing of Jean Luc-Godard's film, "HailMary."

"I'm not going to repeat the many reasons why the movie `HailMary' should not be shown in Chicago or anywhere else for thatmatter," Majerczyk growled.

Majerczyk was, of course, playing to a packed gallery offollowers who were in the Council chambers to register their supportfor him.

He went on to point out that Godard's modern dress portrayal ofthe Blessed Virgin's story is blasphemous.

"The story of the Blessed Virgin," he said, "is not one to bechanged by a moviemaker in the name of so-called art.

"If they can do that with the Blessed Virgin, they can do thatwith any historical figure they want."

For weeks, Majerczyk has been active with a group picketingFacets Multimedia on West Fullerton where "Hail Mary" has beenplaying.

The film, thanks to interest created by Majerczyk and hisfollowers, has been extended until April 24.

With help from Ald. Roman C. Pucinski (41st), Majer-czyksucceeded Tuesday in getting a resolution through the City Councildemanding that showing of the film be halted in Chicago.

There were other great and subtle thinkers in the Council whoalso stood up to be recognized for their advanced views.

For example, there was Ald. Burton F. Natarus (42nd), who willspeak any time a TV light goes on.

Natarus gave a typical Natarus speech. Everything he discusseson the floor takes on the seriousness of trying to save a wronglyaccused man on Death Row.

"Maybe there are some things so sacred and so holy theyshouldn't be depicted in this way," Natarus said. He was the onlyCity Council member who admitted seeing the film.

But he said he didn't like it. So now he wants to run it out oftown.

Ald. Ed H. Smith (28th) had an even better reason for kicking"Hail Mary" out of the city: "If the French want to show this film,let them take it to France."

I almost forgot Ald. George J. Hagopian (30th). He labored tohis feet and proclaimed that his ancestors in Armenia had beenmartyred for their faith.

What that had to do with censoring films in Chicago required abig leap of the imagination.

But I continued to pay careful attention because Hagopian speaksin public so rarely.

"I have read about `Hail Mary,' he said. "There is no way Iwould pay to see it."

From what we all know about Chicago aldermen there is no waythat most of them ever pay for anything, so what was different aboutthis film?

"I have seven children and 16 grandchildren," Hagopian said,"and there is no way in the world I would want any of them to seethis filth."

The problem for Hagopian, as with all other know-nothingaldermen involved in this unusual public display of ignorance, isthat they haven't seen the film.

They really didn't know what they were talking about. Theyrarely do. But this time, it was so much more obvious.

But since when has an alderman ever stopped talking justbecause he didn't know what he was talking about?

Ald. Lawrence S. Bloom (5th) was the only alderman who stood upto advise caution and restraint. He tried to be the voice of reason.

Bloom was all alone as he read to the indifferent Councilmembers a review of the film written by Roger Ebert of the ChicagoSun-Times.

The review took the form of a letter to Joseph CardinalBernardin pointing out that " Hail Mary" was neither a very good filmnor was it blasphemous.

Ebert gave the film 1 1/2 stars.

I'd give the Council a single star - for histrionics.