Religion: Thelema
Name: Johnny Faro
Other Names: John E. Faro; John E. "Johnny" Faro
Classification: supporting character villain
Publisher(s): Majestic Films International
First Appearance: Ruby Cairo (1993)
Creators: Robert Dillon, Michael Thomas, Graeme Clifford, Viggo Mortensen (actor)
Number of Appearances: 1
Occupation: businessperson, pilot, smuggler
Nation: USA
Race: white
Gender: male
Note: faked his own death
The movie Ruby Cairo (retitled Deception when released on DVD) focuses on Elizabeth Faro's investigation of her husband Johnny Faro's death. Originally distraught when she is informed her husband died in a plane crash, she uncovers evidence that he may actually be alive.
When Elizabeth finally tracks down her husband Johnny in a home he secretly maintained in Cairo, Egypt, she finds a book in his room: The Book of the Law. Johnny Faro was clearly reading this book, and it seems to have been significant to him, but when asked about it, he refused to talk about it.
The Book the Law, written (or transcribed?) by Aleister Crowley is the central sacred text (scripture) of Thelema religion. The movie does not provide enough information to fully and explicitly indicate Johnny Faro's relationship with The Book of the Law and the Thelemite religion, but it can be inferred that Faro is a Thelemite, or at least has strong Thelemite sympathies. One might interpret Faro's behavior in the film as emblematic of Thelema's central principle: "Do what thou Wilt." It is interesting to note that the Thelema's central deities are drawn from the pantheon of classical Egyptian religion, and Faro's principle home is in Cairo, Egypt. Faro is never explicitly said to be a Thelemite or a follower of The Book of the Law. This association is subtext. It would be worthwhile to study the movie Ruby Cairo and its Thelemite themes in depth, but doing so is beyond the scope of this page.
Suggested links for further research about this character and the character's religious affiliation:
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruby_Cairo
- http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0107999/