Monday, September 3, 2012

Follow Your Code

Lee Van Cleef was known for his villainous roles in films and the Italian Westerns he made.  As he started out in Hollywood, he let it be known he had a code:  He would never harm a child, a dog, or hurt a woman.  He stuck to that code, although when he was making the classic Western The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, his character of Angel Eyes was to slap a woman.  He reminded the filmmakers of his code, and as a result, his double stood in for him during that scene. 

Van Cleef was true to his code.

Kirk Cameron is a devout Christian who has vowed never to kiss anyone but his wife.  When filming the movie Fireproof, he was supposed to kiss his cinematic wife near the end.  He reminded the filmmakers of his vow, and they had his wife stand in during that scene, filming it in long shot.  Her hair was a different color, but it was lit to where it looked like the sun was making it look that way.

Cameron was true to his code.

My friend Michael F. Blake has written one of the best books I've ever read, Code of Honor:  The Making of Three Great American Westerns.  It deals far more than with cinematic history, but with one's codes.  It allows us to realize that whether we realize it or not, we each have our own code, and attempt to live up to it.

We need to recognize our code and follow it.  In these treacherous times, honor is a dying thing.  Find your code and follow it.