Woody Allen has fired back at bosses of an American clothing company, insisting they've engaged in a "despicable effort to intimidate" him by dragging up details of his marriage to adopted daughter Soon-Yi Previn.
The Oscar-winning filmmaker, 73, filed a $10 million (£6.7 million) lawsuit against bosses at American Apparel last year (08), claiming advertising chiefs used his likeness on billboards without his consent.
He was depicted dressed as a rabbi in ads placed across New York and Los Angeles.
Lawyers for the clothing company's boss Dov Charney claim Allen's well-publicised troubles with ex-girlfriend Mia Farrow, and his marriage to their adopted daughter Previn, have soiled his reputation and insist the director's endorsement isn't worth a multi-million dollar payout.
Allen's lawyers fired back in a Manhattan federal court filing on Wednesday (15Apr09), saying: "The clear, underlying objective of this latest... campaign is to seek to tarnish Mr. Allen's reputation a second time."
His lawyers also allege the director has received "numerous unsolicited (advertisement) offers... most in the multi-million dollar range".
The case is due to go to trial on 18 May (09) in Manhattan Federal Court.
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