It’s well known Orson Scott Card and I have different views on the issue of gay marriage and gay rights. It has been a real dilemma for me: I love the book Ender’s Game, it’s all about tolerance and compassion, and understanding the other… Should I not have made the film because of his views? I wrestled with that, and you know what? I thought: if I don’t put these ideas out on screen we wouldn’t be having this conversation. We are having this conversation precisely because the themes of the book are at odds with his current ideas. I’m very proud of the film, and I felt strongly that I didn’t want to lose my love of this book because its creator seems to be in a different zone to me on this issue.”
— Harrison Ford explaining why he agreed to star in the controversial film adaptation of Enders Game in an interview with The Guardian
Cam
1. I love how the media CONTINUALLY tries to downplay Card’s anti-gay credentials. They keep saying he has anti-gay views. Now, he is a board member of the largest, most well funded Anti-Gay group in the nation. (NOM) And he is responsible for much of that groups anti-gay legislative focus which has funded and pushed anti-gay legislation in multiple states. Claiming he simply has anti-gay views is like claiming that a Grand Wizard of the KKK is just a simple rac-ist.
2. So Ford knew about the authors views and still chose to work with the board member of NOM? Fine, fuck you Ford.
Sparkyu1
What a completely self-absorbed opinion!
“We wouldn’t be having this discussion?” Are you kidding me! We’ve been having this discussion for decades! We’ve been discussing homophobia, bigots and our rights for generations. Who does he think he is that this “discussion” wouldn’t be happening without him and his precious film? Even on supporting homophobic businesses, between Chick-fil-a and Sochi, that discussion is already waging without Harrison Ford constantly defending and downplaying this bigotry so he can justify being party to supporting hatred.
Seconding Cam, fuck you Ford.
2eo
Living in a totally insular world has its benefits, no doubt. But engaging with reality is impossible for people like Ford at this point.
They sorely overestimate their place in the fabric of society, they think they are the arbiters of any and all things, and they’re just a part that exists to entertain and do some charity work, nothing else.
DickGreenleaf
Methinks Mr. Ford does not want his name associated with a film that will tank at the box office.
sportsguy1983
Looking forward to seeing this movie.
Cam
@sportsguy1983:
We get it, you’re a bigot.
Wilberforce
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. Actors are the dumbest goons in the world, next to models. In this case, Ford looks good and has a deep voice. So he thinks that makes his opinion worthwhile. It’s laughable really.
EdgarCarpenter
What he’s said is that the movie, meaning both the script and the acting, is inclusive, and not in any way homophobic.
Card is violently and crazily homophobic these days, but that seems to have happened to him after some physical brain event a few years ago – and the book on which the movie is based was written back before Card started foaming at the mouth, back when he was a much more humane man.
So Harrison Ford is talking about the complexity of this issue – it’s NOT simple, and it’s quite possible for several valid points of view to exist, all of which are gay-supportive.
Ford’s view is that the story and the movie actually run counter to the way Card acts today, and they encourage inclusiveness and people living together in peace – so to him, Card’s current madness is irrelevant. That’s ok with me, it seems to be a well thought out position, and the movie may well be beneficial to watch for a lot of people.
I won’t go see the movie, myself, because I don’t want any more of my money to go to Card (I was a fan before he went through his nasty transformation), but I’m not going to tar Ford with Card’s wickedness, because Ford has been and continues to be an ally of ours.
zaneymcbanes
@EdgarCarpenter: You said what I wanted to say much more eloquently than I could have 🙂
I recently read the book in order to be more informed on the issue of seeing the movie or not. The book is excellent. It doesn’t seem to be homophobic in content, theme, or narrative (misogynist, yes. Though no one seems to be talking about that). I have decided to see the film (a switch in my position, I might add). I made this decision first and foremost because I legitimately want to see how they adapt the book, and also because it has several actors that I adore in it. My support is for people like Asa Butterfield, Harrison Ford, and the director, Gavin Hood, who have come out in such an unambiguous way for the LGBT community.
Additionally, the production company Lionsgate has done such an excellent job of making sure to side with LGBT activists every step of the way for this movie. If you look through a list of their theatrically released films, you will see that they have consistently released LGBT friendly movies. Moneywise, while going and seeing this movie might provide Mr. Card with a certain amount of monetary support (given his producer’s credit, I am not sure exactly if he will get a cut of the profits), it will certainly provide a greater percentage of monetary support to Lionsgate.
Geoff B
@zaneymcbanes: i get what you are saying, but I have to respectfully disagree. As a producer, Card stands to make a fortune if this movie is a monster hit (usually producers make money on the back end, bigger risk, bigger reward). As for Lions Gate, while their position is admirable, they should have stayed away. This movie will live or die depending on the buzz around it and by word of mouth by sci-fi fans. While I’m not at all a sci-fi fan and thus wouldn’t see this movie even if PFLAG exec produced it (well, maybe), my partner loves this stuff and according to him, the buzz and backlash are not in this movie’s favor and lots of sci-fi fans are hoping this movie tanks. Obviously, I have no real idea how this movie will do, but I hope this movie is a big enough flop to kill any chance of Card seeing another one of his books made into a movie and the rest of his miserable life plagued by failure.
Thomathy
I like how Ford characterises this as a ‘different view’ and a ‘conversation’. Sure, maybe Ford wouldn’t be having the ‘conversation’ he’s having. Gays have been having this ‘conversation’ before someone decided it was worth it to make mega-dollars off of the work of an outspoken bigot who has made it his purpose in life to actively keep gays as second-class citizens. On the matter of these ‘different views’, just how different would Card’s views need to be from Ford’s in order for Ford not to want to work with him? I somehow don’t imagine that Ford would make a movie with a frothing at the mouth r@cist …oh wait!
This conversation has been had (and can continue) without lining Ford’s pockets or Card’s. Thanks to Ford for helping to make bigotry profitable. And a big ol’, ‘F*ck You’ to Ford.
(Also, the above comment -unedited- has been in moderation for the last 19 hours. Is Queerty flagging the word ‘r@cist’ or the word ‘f*ck’?
Cam
@Thomathy:
Queerty flags the word “Rac-ist”.
@zaneymcbanes:
The problem is, that Card as producer will make money off the movie, AND if it is a hit, many more of his books could be optioned. AND he is a board member and financial backer of NOM so if he pulls in millions, guess which organization stands to benefit immensely.
Full story here: http://www.queerty.com/harrison-ford-defends-enders-game-despite-disagreeing-with-orson-scott-cards-antigay-stance-20131010/#ixzz2hQnXEJ8L
Aaron
I support Harrison Ford 100%
If you can’t separate the creator from the creation, the artist from the art, then you are out of touch with reality. I don’t see what homosexuality has to do with Ender’s Game. I also don’t see how the film or the cast & crew supporting the film endorses homophobia.
The hate for Ford in this comment section is a bit dramatic. All this suppressed anger from being bullied by society growing up fuels us to lash out and destroy anyone who hold views against us. Even if it means being sloppy about it. Let it go already.
malebolge
For the record, if you follow the link, it isn’t Ford that says that. While the article is about “Harrison ford defends Ender’s Game” to quote the article at the guardian:
Ford said: “This movie doesn’t address any of those issues. It was written 28 years ago; it’s a very impressive act of imagination that he could predict the internet, and that he could predict drone warfare … There is nothing in the film or the book addressing his current dispositions, or prejudices. We care about the positive aspects of the story we are telling.”
What is pulled there is actually the quote of director Gavin Hood. Per the article:
Hood was even more vehement in his rejection of Card’s position on same-sex marriage. “It’s well known Orson Scott Card and I have different views on the issue of gay marriage and gay rights … It has been a real dilemma for me: I love the book Ender’s Game, it’s all about tolerance and compassion, and understanding the other …”
Maybe you’re still angry at Ford for defending the book, but at least everyone can now be angry at him for what he said and not a quote from the director of the film?
ezywonder
Ford is laffable. He should have kept himself from making himself look like a self serving ass.
Cam
@Aaron: said…
“I support Harrison Ford 100%
If you can’t separate the creator from the creation, the artist from the art, then you are out of touch with reality.
_______________________
No, actually if you can’t understand that Ford going out and trying to minimize the fact that Card, a producer who stands to make millions if this movie is a hit and spawns sequels, is also a board member and funder of NOM.
Ford has lent not only his star power, but now his words to the defense of Card’s work. Your problem is, that you don’t seem to understand the incredibly simple concept of, if you lie down with dogs, you rise up with fleas.
But please, keep on trying to explain away Ford’s defense of his poor choices.
jwrappaport
I doubt anyone here can make the Kessel Run in under 12 parsecs, so there.
zaneymcbanes
@Geoff B: I haven’t heard exactly what type of producer Card is though. Not all producers get a cut of the profits. A lot of the time they give a producer credit just as a show of thanks. It’s been stated that Card had minimal involvement with the film, so I’m doubtful he’s making much money off the film’s success. I would be interested if you know the exact nature of his credit, though?
I will grant that increased book sales will be a direct contribution to Card, but the advertisement for that is being done by the mere existence of the movie. From my minimal browsing of Card’s wikipedia page, the other books in the Ender’s series don’t seem to lend themselves to becoming a movie franchise given the way they are spaced out, and he hasn’t had a big enough hit outside of Ender’s Game to have Hollywood sniffing round his door anytime soon.