Genre : Action, Adventure, Biography, Drama
Duration : 177 min
The beautifully crafted historical epic tells the story of the birth of the Islamic faith and the story of the Prophet Muhammad - who, according tofollowers of Islam, is never seen or heard (as this is offensive to some Islamic schools of thought). In the 7th century, Muhammad is visited in Mecca by the angel Gabriel, who urges him to get the people of Mecca to reject the 300 idols of the Kaaba and worship the one true God. This exposes the corrupt political and military leaders ofwho ruled Mecca. With the help of his uncle, a brave warrior named Hamza (Anthony Quinn), Mohammed and his followers return to Mecca to liberate the city in the name of God. The Message (originally broadcast in the United States).S. as Muhammad, the Messenger of God) caused great controversy during production and initial publication. Unfounded rumors suggested that not only would Mohammed appear in the film, but that Charlton Heston or Peter O'Toole would play him. This led to angry protests from Muslim extremists until director Moustapha Akkad hired a team of respected Islamic clerics as technical advisors. The message was filmed in two versions, one in English and one in Arabic (titled Al-Ris-Alah),, with different actors taking on certain roles due to language requirements.
