Canadian journalist, turned politician — turned journalist again, Arthur Kent has a new lawsuit pending against the filmmakers of the recent Hollywood film “Charlie Wilson’s War”. The 2007 film, which did less than blockbuster box office (although a respectable 66 million was nothing to dismiss) grabbed mixed reviews. The movie stars Tom Hanks, Phillip Seymour Hoffman and Julia Roberts. The story follows the exploits of a U.S. Congressman from Texas who helped facilitate the CIA and the U.S. support for the Afghan “mujahedeen” fighters who ultimately drove the former Soviet Union’s Red Army from Afghanistan. According to the film’s PR it’s “based on an unbelievable true story”. Mr. Kent begs to differ.
As ERSNews first reported this past February, Kent, doesn’t think to highly of the film on many fronts. He is now suing the filmmakers over what he claims was the unapproved illegal use of his reporting from Afghanistan in the film without his permission or credit.
The Enterprise Report has obtained the lawsuit filed just last week in Los Angeles Federal Court. Take a read. Although it’s not as compelling as front line battlefield reporting and even less entertaining than a Tom Hanks acceptance speech at the Academy Awards, it will be fun to watch and see how this one pans out. We’ll keep you posted as this Hollywood saga unfolds!
