Gadhafi told him that he would solve all of his problems and that he and his team could shoot the film in Libya. Surat at-Takwir is read in a scene from "The Message".Īkkad took Quinn and went to Libya, where he managed to arrange a meeting with Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi. The Moroccan government even warned Akkad to “leave the country as soon as possible.” A team of 500 people began preparations to shoot scenes for both versions of the film in the Moroccan desert when Saudi Arabia and Morocco announced the withdrawal of their support. Maurice Jarre, a veteran Oscar laureate, composed the score – becoming so focused on the project that he composed the score alone in the desert.Īkkad attempted to shoot an Arabic version of the film, titled “Al-Risalah” and put together a cast of prominent Arab actors of the time. The film's director of cinematography was Jack Hildyard, the Oscar-winning director of “The Bridge on the River Kwai” and the script was written by Harry Craig under the supervision of Egyptian Islamic historian Tawfiq al-Hakim. The project featured celebrities like Irene Papas, Michael Ansara, Andre Morell, Michael Forest and Johnny Sekka. Quinn's acceptance of the role of Hamza, the Prophet Muhammad's uncle, convinced many other actors who had been hesitant to take on roles. He made his first deal with Mexican-American actor Anthony Quinn. He traveled to Saudi Arabia and on to Morocco, where he received positive feedback when pitching his project, and left with the support of the two wealthy Islamic states. Akkad believed that in order to understand the prophet's messages, one needed to understand his life, so Akkad rolled up his sleeves and set to work on his project, “The Message.” In an interview with the Washington Post, he said, “Being a Muslim myself who lived in the West, I felt that it was my obligation, my duty, to tell the truth about Islam.”Īctor Anthony Quinn as Prophet Muhammad's uncle Hamza in a scene from "The Message." For Akkad, all the crises in the world could be linked to the failure to understand the universal messages of the Prophet Muhammad. The experience marked Akkad's first foray as a director in the country, however. They worked together for a long time on a film that would tell the story of the Algerian liberation struggle, but it was never finished due to financial problems. Later, the young filmmaker would meet Sam Peckinpah, a legendary director from the same school.
Although he was poor, he was academically successful. Akkad managed to study at the University of California despite the challenges he faced. When Akkad arrived in Los Angeles with just $200 in his pocket, a pocket-size Quran and poor English, a new world order was being established following World War II. Moustapha Akkad directed "The Message" in the Libyan capital Tripoli with a team of 500 people.Īkkad said this was the first step in his 50-year adventure in cinema, noting: “Hadn't my father acted like this back in those days, there would have been neither ‘The Message’ nor ‘Lion of the Desert.’”
From now on, I may or may not see you again. Soon, the 18-year-old was saying goodbye to his family at the Damascus airport, where his father handed him $200 he had saved and a Quran, and said: “All I can do for you is to give you these. However, Akkad's father listened and allowed his son to pursue his passion. and become a Hollywood director – a pipe dream in 1940s Aleppo. When Akkad turned 18, he informed his father of his dream to move to the U.S. Akkad was born in 1930, as the son of a customs officer from Aleppo. The driving force that pushed the director to create “The Message” was a sense of loyalty to his family. Let's reflect on the “messages” of the film of the veteran director, who passed away exactly 15 years ago. He was tragically killed in an al-Qaida terror attack in Amman, Jordan. Moustapha Akkad, the director of “The Message” – a quality, landmark production describing the history of Islam – died in November 2005.