Spielberg Movie Can Be Shown, But Copyright Lawsuit Continues

A federal judge Monday rejected an author’s request to halt the release of the Steven Spielberg movie, “Amistad,” in New York and Los Angeles on Wednesday.

But in making the decision, Judge Audrey R. Collins of Federal District Court here allowed the author, Barbara Chase-Riboud, to continue her $10 million copyright infringement lawsuit against Spielberg’s company, Dreamworks, which made the film. The lawsuit is set to be heard early next year.

Chase-Riboud said Dreamworks and Spielberg took portions of her 1989 historical novel, “Echo of Lions,” about a revolt of African slaves, for the screenplay of the movie and failed to give her credit or money for it. Spielberg, a partner in Dreamworks, as well as the film’s writer, David Franzoni, denied reading “Echo of Lions,” and said the movie was based on historical facts, not copyrighted material.

Collins’ decision came after lawyers for both sides tried unsuccessfully to settle the case.

John Shaeffer, one of Chase-Riboud’s lawyers, said the case could have been resolved if Dreamworks agreed to give his client a credit for the screenplay or story.

“They refused any indication that showed her book had any influence on the movie,” Shaeffer said.

Despite Spielberg’s success in court Monday, the lawsuit itself is an embarrassment to the filmmaker, whose credibility was challenged over a movie that he called “perhaps the most important of my career.”