Credit controversy

Ed Zwick’s “moral” code? (“Ed Zwick’s Moral Code,” Nov. 30). What version of Webster’s did Rachel Abramowitz use for her definition of “moral”? The article opens with Zwick “yelling on the phone.” The object of his rage is Warner Bros. with whom he is battling on behalf “... of Hans Zimmer’s two assistants whose names had been arbitrarily cut” from the tail credits of “The Last Samurai.” The article goes on to say that Zwick “... exacted a promise from the top studio brass to fix the problem.”

Bravo to Mr. Zwick on his beau geste. Our personal dilemma here is that the Ed Zwick whose so-called moral compass led him to defend those assistants is the same Ed Zwick who led the charge to deny credit to the original writers of this project by claiming that nine previous drafts and numerous outlines all dealing with the same story is not the same project as Mr. Zwick’s film.

“The Last Samurai” evolved out of the scripts that preceded it -- scripts Mr. Zwick had clear access to -- with themes, character arcs and plot points that mirror the finished film. Denials, no matter how artfully constructed, cannot change the facts.

Not to question Mr. Zwick’s “moral” choice to fight the good fight on behalf of the composer’s assistants (though they probably should be grateful that Mr. Zwick doesn’t fancy himself a musician as well), but his convenient amnesia with respect to the contributions and hard work of the first writers on this film is inexcusable. Ironically, honor, integrity and loyalty lie at the heart of every draft of this film. But they are sadly lacking in the ensuing Writers Guild of America credits determination process. A grievance has been filed with the National Labor Relations Board to look into the failure of the WGA to act impartially on behalf of all writers involved with this film. If Mr. Zwick is as truly interested in justice as he claims, perhaps he should recalibrate his moral compass and petition the guild to hold a fair and impartial credits arbitration on “The Last Samurai” to set the record straight. Assuming he knows he’s right, what is he afraid of?

Michael Alan Eddy

Danbury, Conn.

Garner Simmons

Westlake Village

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Ed Zwick responds: “Six years ago, I was given a screenplay about a Westerner who brings a load of bourbon to Japan, which was then trampled by a load of cattle. This same man is shanghaied into leading a cattle drive across Japan with the Caucasian widow of an American missionary. It was my choice to throw the screenplay out and begin again with new source material, but it was and remains the purview of the Writers Guild to determine credits.” The Writers Guild declined to comment.