Dusk for the Sundance Kid

Reese Witherspoon can’t be pleased with the performance of her new movie “Rendition.” It is a colossal bomb and will disappear as quickly as one of the movie’s characters, courtesy of the evil CIA, of course.

Once again, Hollywood is on a “let’s make America look bad” binge. This is directly caused by loathing for the Bush administration, which the entertainment left sees as a combination of the Third Reich and Emperor Nero.

Thus, a series of earnest “America is a human-rights violator” films are coming to a theater near you, and the odds are you will ignore them.

Good.

The Sundance Kid, Robert Redford, has directed a movie called “Lions for Lambs,” of which Variety opines: “Back-bendingly liberal but also deeply patriotic.”

Well, that doesn’t sound so bad, but then Redford goes to Rome and says this about the USA: “We have lost lives, we’ve lost sacred freedoms, we’ve lost financial stability.”

Really, Bob? You seem mighty rich to me, and I believe you can make movies that say anything you want them to say. So what’s this loss of “sacred freedoms” deal?

While researching this column, I came across a letter written by Samuel Goldwyn in 1961. Goldwyn was a major movie mogul responsible for hundreds of classic films. In this letter Goldwyn tells producer Jerry Wald: “Today we are at a crucial period in history. Even if the cold war never develops into a hot one, our country still has its hands full all over the world. The pictures we send abroad have an effect in every corner of the globe.

“We should never lose sight of the fact that, no matter how entertaining a picture may be or how much money it may make, it can do our country a great deal of harm if it plays into the hands of our enemies. ... We have a great responsibility in this regard — far greater than almost any other segment of our country — and we must guide ourselves accordingly.”

I believe Samuel Goldwyn, if he were alive today, would be appalled at how radically leftist the American entertainment industry has become. He would, I suspect, also suggest to Redford that he tone it down.

There is no question that every time a Robert Redford, Sean Penn or Barbra Streisand bash the United States to the overseas press, millions of America-haters rub their hands with glee. Prop up Hugo Chavez, sure. Shake hands with the Iranian fascists, certainly.

But the tide has turned against these showbiz pinheads, and the failure of movies like “Rendition” proves it. Dissent is fine. Dishonest propaganda is not.

Robert Redford and his crew might bemoan the loss of “sacred rights,” but I’m with Samuel Goldwyn. These Hollywood big shots have an obligation to the country that has allowed them to become wealthy and speak their collective minds on any subject they choose.

The Sundance Kid has truly been out in the sun way too long. Wise up, Bob.

[Veteran TV news anchor Bill O’Reilly is host of the Fox News show “The O’Reilly Factor” and author of the book “Who’s Looking Out For You?” This column originates on the website www.billoreilly.com.] COPYRIGHT 2007 BillOReilly.com.