Hail Mary

Minneapolis Star and Tribune, 04/13/86

Hail Mary Stolen (from Reading Eagle, 4/9/86)

Thieves broke into a theater and stole a copy of "Hail Mary," the controversial French film about a modern-day Madonna, the theater manager said.

Canisters holding the Jean-Luc Godard film were taken early Monday after 3,000 people packed the theater over the weekend to see the movie protesters have called tasteless and blasphemous. The film depicts Mary as a gas station attendant and Joseph as a taxi driver, and includes frontal nudity.

The thieves also damaged two projectors, breaking light bulbs worth $750 each, said Tom Ladd, manager of the Uptown Theater.

The theft forced the cancellations of three shows, but Ladd said the corporation that owns the theater was flying another copy of the film in from California for today's shows.

Ladd predicted the break-in would boost interest in the film, which he said has drawn crowds three times larger than most Godard films.

About 40 people picketed the Uptown on Friday, opening night.