Story--Not Cast’s Race--Makes Film a Hit

I am so tired of everything in our society having to relate to black vs. white. In Judy Brennan’s article “Holiday Box Office 101� (Calendar, Jan. 11), she quotes John Krier as saying the reason “The Preacher’s Wife� didn’t do well is because “white audiences [generally] won’t go to see an all-black-cast movie no matter how good it is.� Well, I am white, it was good, and everyone in the audience the day I went to see it was white. I also went to see “One Fine Day,� which also has not fared well at the box office. Why don’t we just admit that most people don’t want to see sweet romantic movies; they’re more interested in sex and violence. Put the blame where it lies; don’t make everything a racial issue.

DONNA ANDERSON

Los Angeles

There used to be a great time of year for films after the summer onslaught. It was called . . . fall. I have always anticipated this time of year to see films that are either possible Oscar contenders or smaller films that are not the huge blockbusters that we’re accustomed to seeing at Christmastime or in the summer. Apparently, however, Hollywood now thinks that every film must come out a week before or after Memorial Day or Christmas, and they are now either discovering their mistake (highly unlikely) or labeling the movies that did not do well in the first two hours of release as “failures� (very likely).

Thank you, Ms. Brennan, for a fine article. Maybe a few studio heads will actually read it themselves and gain some wisdom. Hey, a guy can dream.

BRIAN HOWE

Studio City