I believe that is true about Mel as I recall seeing something reliable a few years back - just do not recall what it was anymore. Note - I said believe because I truly do not remember exactly what I read, but I found it particularly galling after I watched "Payback", which I thought was a miserably poor story that celebrated and showcased violence just for the $ake of doing it. I personally feel that media and societal issues are far more influential on crime than the presence of legally owned and safely used firearms are or ever will be, and anyone who speaks against lawful gun ownership and then sells violence for entertainment is a hypocrite/phony of the rankest order.
Still, I think "Patriot" and "Braveheart" are excellent films - classics.
Hard to believe someone could make films like that about freedom and then want to deny lawful Americans lawful firearms ownership, isn't it?