Copyright case thrown out

The federal judge this week dismissed a copyright infringement claim filed in the US District Court by two New Zealand playwrights.

Anthony McCarten and Stephen Sinclair had claimed the hit movie was 'strikingly similar' to their own 1987 play, Ladies Night, which toured the North of England.

They sued Mr Beaufoy, whose parents live in Glusburn, alongside film studio 20th Century Fox, director Peter Cattaneo and producer Uberto Pasolini.

The playwrights filed their $100 million lawsuit in March claiming that the Full Monty shared elements with their play including its premise, Northern setting and seven scenes .

In court documents, Mr Beaufoy and his colleagues had denied seeing Ladies Night and said the idea for their film came from articles in English publications about the growing popularity of strip clubs in England.

Judge Gary Taylor this week granted a dismissal motion. Judge Taylor said in his summing up that Britain could be a more appropriate or convenient forum for the litigation.

Mr Beaufoy said yesterday: "It is very good news. But I knew that it was a completely opportunistic claim, so I have ignored it. They waited six months before they filed until the film had made as much money as possible.

Mr Beaufoy accepted it could still be possible for the case to be heard in the United Kingdom. "I would take them on wherever," he said. "I have a 100 per cent proof clear conscience. I can stand in any court and be proved right."

Defence attorney Bert Fields said he was pleased with the ruling and the action was now over in the USA but conceded there could be an appeal.

The playwrights' lawyer Don Engel said Fox earned most of the movie's profits. he added: "English courts do not give any remedy for copyright infringement not occurring there or in Western Europe.

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