The Comedy of Errors

The title of Shakespeare's shortest, and one of his earliest, plays, comes to mind as I contemplate the imbroglio over the Sony comedy film, The Interview. A series of incidents have dogged this enterprise: the genesis of the spoof; the over-the-top reaction of North Korea; the threats to theatergoers; the caving of Sony over the principle of free speech that was allegedly challenged by the North Koreans; the lack of total solidarity in support of Sony from elements of Hollywood; and the escalation of the issue to the level of the U.S. President who promised a proportional retaliation.

What seems to be mostly lost among the commentariat is the origin of the project itself. (A propos, it is sometime said that Americans are culturally tone deaf. If so, it seems partly due to the fact that we are semi-isolated, separated from much of the world by two huge oceans. Hollywood is a long way away from Mt. Sinjar).

Although Sony has nothing to do with the U.S. Government, and Hollywood has dramatized world leaders before (such as Charles de Gaulle in Day of the Jackal), it seems appropriate to pose the following question: whoever, individually or collectively, came up with the idea of putting together a film, even a farce, which includes an assassination by the Central Intelligence Agency of a living world leader, namely Kim Jong Eun of North Korea?

How can such an idea not have been misplaced? How can a reaction not have been anticipated in its severity from such a regime as North Korea? Again, the imperative comes to mind: examine the consequences fully before acting.

Statements and views expressed in this commentary are solely those of the author and do not imply endorsement by Harvard University, the Harvard Kennedy School, or the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs.