A SCHOLAR who studies The Bible in its original text has insisted the controversial film The Passion of The Christ is a true-to-life account.

Middlewich linguist Donald Sinclair Lord said director Mel Gibson had 'done his homework' before filming the movie - currently showing at Northwich's Regal Cinema - and refutes claims it is anti-Semitic or historically inaccurate.

Mr Lord, 77, who has learned 30 languages, including Hebrew, Greek and Latin, said Gibson must have studied the original text to be so accurate in the film.

Mr Lord, of Northwood Avenue, has devoted his life to the pursuit of knowledge and understanding and is unwilling to accept other people's interpretations of books written in foreign languages. He says he commits to learning a language so he can see for himself the truth behind the written word, and his studying has led him to night classes for umpteen subjects, including Chinese ('So I could read the classics'), Welsh, Cornish, Swahili, Egyptian and Hebrew.

Other languages at the tip of his tongue include French, Spanish, German and Italian, and he can get by in Dutch, Swedish and a host of Germanic and Gaelic derivatives. He even studied the new language Esperanto and became a part-time lecturer at Liverpool University.

He also visits synagogues and mosques to hear first hand what other religious books say about the Christian interpretation.

And he has used his linguistic knowhow to check and double check the accuracy of The Bible - and it is his perseverance in languages and biblical study over 50 years which leads him to conclude Gibson's film is accurate.

Mr Lord said: 'I don't think there is much Hollywood gloss - I think it's 100% sincere. He's followed the gospel brilliantly.'

Mr Lord says that criticism of the film, including claims that there aren't enough people in the crowd scenes and that it is anti-Semitic, are unfounded.

'People thought Jesus was a wizard and you couldn't have arrested him in a crowd any more than you could David Beckham because he would slip away,' said Mr Lord. 'That's why he's in the garden, where it is walled.

'People might complain that there weren't enough people, but viewers are used to Hollywood with all the crowds, but he got it right.

'I don't think much about it was historically wrong. There was the scene with the little boys throwing rocks at Judas, but how else could he show his torment? We can let Gibson off for that.

'The other thing was that the handing over of the cloths by Pilate's wife is a bit much - it's pure Gibson - but she did tell Pilate he wasn't to touch this man, that she'd had a dream.

'There are claims it was anti-Semitic, but he was telling it how he saw it and I can't disagree. All the bits are there - I give Gibson top marks.'

Despite his linguistic background, Mr Lord says the pace of the film meant he was unable to understand the spoken words. But he says the decision to add subtitles only came at the last minute - and points out that Gibson didn't want them at all initially.

Mr Lord added: 'I think Gibson, and I'm not a fan of his, has done his level best to tell it like it was and I think he's successful. I would like to discuss all of it with Mel Gibson himself.'

The Passion of The Christ is being shown at the Regal Cinema this week.