The Da Vinci Code—Novel into Film:
New Popular Gospel
Introduction
In May 2006, director Ron Howard’s film adaptation of Dan Brown’s
hugely popular novel The Da Vinci Code (2003) opened in theaters worldwide.
The novel has sold over 60.5 million copies worldwide, making it one of the
most popular books of all time. Moreover, the film grossed $753 million:
domestic was over $217 million, and foreign was over $535 million. According
to critic Timothy Beal, Brown’s novel “is nothing short of a modern-day
apocryphal Gospel” (B14).
Key changes between the novel and the film will be examined with the
purpose of showing that the film’s focus on rediscovering the lost sacred
feminine is actually reaching out to the audience with a new popular “gospel.”
The film translates and even extends the gospel of the novel for the theater
audience. The popular gospel presented in the film advocates freedom to
discover the self, the value of other people, and the divine. In fact, the film
makes a great point of positing that the human is the divine and the divine is
human. The film clearly suggests that freedom from the tyranny of the formal,
regulated Catholic Church, freedom from the persecution and violence that often
accompany protecting that formal church (usually administered by men), and
recognition of the sacred feminine is central to Christian belief. Therefore, film
presents these issues as more important than formal religious practice following
the “one true God,” thus creating a new “popular gospel.”
To set the stage for the discussion that follows, a brief review of the film’s
cast is in order. Tom Hanks stars as Robert Langdon, Harvard professor of
religious symbology. Ron Howard chose Hanks not only for his box-office
appeal but also because the character actor could comfortably play the film’s
Langdon role—someone who is intelligent, curious, fascinated by the details of
life, masculine (but not too sexy), someone with a dry sense of humor, a helpful
collaborator, an everyman figure (“A Portrait of Langdon”).
French actress Audrey Tautou plays Agent Sophie Neveu. Howard and his
team interviewed several French actresses, but eventually chose Tautou as
someone who could be strong, yet sensitive and vulnerable at times. She would
appear centered and serious, as well as enigmatic and ethereal during her
emotional journey in the film (“Who is Sophie Neveu?”).
Other supporting members of the international cast include Jean Reno as
Captain Bezu Fache; Sir Ian McKellen as Sir Leigh Teabing; Paul Bettany as the
monk Silas; and Alfred Molina as Bishop Manuel Aringarosa. Howard is proud
to state that he signed all of his first choices for roles in this film (“Unusual
Suspects”).