The Profit (film)

Eric Rath plays a paranoid cult leader named L. Conrad Powers (a parody of L. Ron Hubbard), whose organization is called the "Church of Scientific Spiritualism." The narrative starts with Leland Conrad Powers getting interested in cults and he watches a Black Mass from behind a tree being performed by Zach Carson. Carson invites Powers to perform the "Caliban Working" and afterwards Carson gives Powers $20,000 to sell sailboats. Powers sails off with the boat, the money, and Helen Hughes. In retribution, Carson evokes Satan to summon a typhoon. The film often takes the form of parody. One of the church followers in the film creates a device that can read thoughts, called a "Mind Meter." Scientologists use a similar-looking device, the e-meter, as an aid in Scientology counseling, claimed to measure the "mass of a thought". Other elements in the film that have been cited as similar to L. Ron Hubbard and Scientology include conflict with the Internal Revenue Service, an infiltration of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, usage of military uniforms and science fiction theology. L. Conrad Powers is supported in the film by a "Tom Cruise-style celebrity," before eventually becoming a "reclusive demagogue." == Production ==

The film's director stated that the script was based upon a fictional character he had created with "many parallels to reality." According to the director, the film's cast and crew faced harassment from Scientologists throughout production. Representatives from the Foundation for Religious Tolerance of Florida — a Scientology front group — came to the shooting sites of the film and handed out fliers which demeaned the film's financial backers. They followed crew members home in order to "press them for information about the content of the film." In addition to the protests, promotional videos shipped to Cannes, France were reported to have disappeared, and Alexander believed that an individual disguised as himself came to pick up the videos. The founder of the Foundation for Religious Tolerance of Florida, Mary DeMoss of Clearwater, Florida, characterized the movie as a "hate propaganda film," denied that anyone from her foundation followed crewmembers home and stated that the fliers were passed out in order to let crew members know "who was behind this." == Church of Scientology's response ==

Initially in response to the film, Church of Scientology spokesman Ben Shaw agreed with the film's director that "the movie is fiction and has nothing to do with Scientology." According to the St. Petersburg Times, "Minton went from being Scientology's archenemy to a cooperating witness who wanted out of an expensive fight against the church." == Reception ==

''Tampa Bay's 10'' reported on the opening of the film at the Cinema Cafe in Clearwater, Florida on August 24, 2001, noting the film's controversial nature, and the fact that it appeared to be an exposé of the Church of Scientology. The report stated that a subtle message of the film was director Alexander's critique of Scientology and his motivation to bring information about it to the public. Alexander stated in an interview with FOX 13 News, that he felt he could better inform others about cults through a fictional portrayal than he could have through a documentary. In a separate review in the St. Petersburg Times, Steve Persall did not view the film in high regard. Persall noted that although Peter Alexander stated the film was a "warning against the influence of religious cults," Kick described the film as "obviously based on L. Ron Hubbard and the Church of Scientology." The Times noted that the film depicted a con man who had started a religion in order to become wealthy, and noted that the film is "banned in the US because of a lawsuit taken out against it by The Church of Scientology," even though the filmmaker stated the film does not depict L. Ron Hubbard. José Hernández of Cineol.net noted that the film was banned due to a court order, and might never be seen other than in a clandestine manner. ==Cast==

• Eric Rath as Leland Conrad Powers • Cliff Roca as Mitchell Cabot • Jeff Hughes as Zack Carson • Christine Eads as Helen Hughes • Margaret Mary Bastick as Dr. Mary Kimbrough • Lanny Fuettere as Jack Hunt • Jane Eaton as Babs Lewis • Cheryl Bourque as Sally Ann Semple • David Abrams as Vern Maffitt ==See also==