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MEL GIBSON: THE WHOLE STORY. Cont'd.

Mel Gibson in The Patriot Directing

But he wanted to prove he was more than a Hollywood hunk, and won high critical praise in Hamlet in 1990 before directing his first film, The Man Without a Face, three years later.

The next film he directed was also his next big success - Braveheart scored five Oscars in 1996, including best picture and best director. A string of thriller and action movies like Ransom, The Patriot and Signs along with lighter fare such as What Women Want followed - and proved he is still a major draw at the box office. And with his fee reputed to have reached $25m (£13m) per film, he has accumulated enough cash to be able to make films like The Passion without having to rely on big studios. He has also said he prefers directing to acting. "It's more fun, that's all there is to it," he has said. "It's essentially the same job, which is storytelling, but you have more control over the way you want to tell the story."

Christ film 'riddled with errors'

Scholars have said Mel Gibson's film about the last 12 hours of Jesus' life is riddled with historical errors.

Their complaints about The Passion of the Christ range from inaccuracies about hairstyles and clothes to a lack of gospel context. Gibson has said he consulted scholars, theologians, priests and spiritual writers before scripting the film. The film opened for preview screenings in the US on Monday to an enthusiastic response from audiences. It has been accused of being anti-Semitic, although Gibson has denied this, saying he has faithfully portrayed the Bible's account, and has been supported by Christian groups. Scholars critical of the film questioned its characters' use of Latin and Aramaic, saying Greek was the main language spoken in Jerusalem during Jesus' time. Anthropologist Joe Zias also questioned the portrayal of Jesus with long hair, saying: "Jewish men back in antiquity did not have long hair." John Dominic Crossan, a professor of religious studies at the De Paul University in Chicago, said lack of historical context was the movie's "basic flaw".

Everybody should see it - it gives life meaning

Joan Moder, US filmgoer

Other experts criticised the depiction of Pontius Pilate, Jesus' crucifixion, and even his wearing of a loin cloth. But cinemagoers at early screenings of the R-rated movie in the US were more impressed. Kathleen Lewandowski, who saw it in Chicago, said: "I was gasping for breath." Fellow Chicago viewer Joan Moder said: "Everybody should see it. It gives life meaning."

'Great service'

A member of the St John Cantius Society in Chicago, Brother Chad, described it as "a very powerful movie". "Gibson portrays everything very well," he said. "He's done a great service to the world." The movie was "appropriately violent," he said. "It got across what Christ went through. It is not anti-Semitic, not putting blame on the Jews. It's all of us." The film has its official nationwide opening in the US on Wednesday.