Hollywood Hits the Red Carpet

AMERICAN CINEMATHEQUE: You don't have to be Sherlock Holmes to see one of Robert Downey Jr.'s motives at the American Cinematheque Award dinner: He was using the occasion to help Mel Gibson. Downey said he asked Gibson to present the award because the actor aided him when Downey's reputation for drug abuse had made him unhireable. "He cast me in the lead of a movie that was actually developed for him," said the honoree of 2003's The Singing Detective. "He kept a roof over my head." He then asked the crowd to join him in "forgiving my friend his trespasses -- unless you are without sin, and if you are, you're in the wrong f--ing industry." Downey's speech was greeted with wild applause. The night also included remarks from Jon Favreau, Jamie Foxx, Jack Black and Sherlock Holmes director Guy Ritchie. -- Bill Higgins