Bishops sign petition to rerelease film about Irish Catholic soldiers

Published: 2003-11-13

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- The quest to get a 4-year-old movie back on the big screen took its next step as more than two dozen bishops signing a petition asking the studio to either rerelease the film or to sell the rights to a studio that will. The movie, "One Man's Hero," deals with the San Patricio Battalion, a group of Irish immigrant soldiers who deserted the U.S. Army after promises of citizenship were not honored and the soldiers were mistreated because of their Catholic faith. The men fled to Mexico before and during the Mexican-American War amid a new promise of citizenship, plus land. "One Man's Hero," which stars Tom Berenger, was screened before about a dozen bishops -- and an equal number of reporters -- Nov. 11 at the Washington hotel hosting the U.S. bishops' fall general meeting in Washington. After the movie, the bishops in attendance signed the petition. The movie was made for Orion Pictures, but Orion was sold to MGM before the film was released. MGM showed the film in 60 theaters, mostly in the U.S. Southwest, then issued the film on video.

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