In the four decades that he's been making films, Woody Allen has become as synonymous with New York as bagels and Broadway.

But, in recent years the director who is famous for capturing a certain kind of urban neuroticism has spent much of his time working in Europe, shooting 2006's "Scoop" and "Cassandra's Dream" (2007) and "Match Point" (2005) in London and  2008's "Vicky Cristina Barcelona" in the titular Spanish city.

For his latest film "Whatever Works" starring "Curb Your Enthusiasm" star Larry David, though, Allen returns to New York. It recently premiered at New York's Tribeca Film Festival. Click here to read our story.

ROME, Italy– The man sitting opposite me is regarded by many as not only one of the most talented directors in Hollywood, but also as one of the nicest guys in the business. But this view is by no means unanimous. Others would have you believe that I’m sitting opposite the enemy of Catholics the world over, the scourge of a billion souls.

Angels & Demons director Ron Howard talks to The Screening Room about making the film.

In a clear attempt to dispel this impression, the scourge offers me a squirt of his hand sanitizer as we say goodbye at the conclusion of our interview in Rome before the premier of his new feature “Angels & Demons”.

 With keen anticipation for his follow-up to blockbuster success "The Da Vinci Code" there will be plenty of flesh to press in the hours ahead - and Ron Howard is taking no chances with swine flu already postponing the film’s opening in Mexico.

 He talked about the controversy surrounding the film. The Vatican and Catholic church has so far stopped short of an official statement about the film - but feelings are still running high in the wake of the first film. The name of author Dan Brown was enough to earn a refusal of permission to shoot in the Vatican City and the churches of Rome.

Many in the church were upset by the storyline of "The Da Vinci Code," which suggested Jesus Christ married Mary Magdalene and had children who could then be traced to a living heir.

Exploring similar territory, "Angels & Demons" speculates that in previous centuries the church dealt with a provocative group of scientists and free-thinkers called The Illuminati by hunting them down and killing them.

The story for the new film is set in Rome. It forced the film-makers to improvise, going undercover and even posing as tourists to shoot vital images which would help set designers create landmark locations such as the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter's Square in Hollywood’s own City of Angels - better known as Los Angeles.

On the surface, my interview with Howard appeared to go well. The director appeared friendly, open and courteous – but I was not to be so easily taken in by his act. For I had uncovered evidence destined to put him on potential collision course with the church.

It was only a fleeting glimpse - but I had seen it in the new movie. A two-second shot of a statuette towering over St. Peter’s Square in Vatican City. The figure had a beard, it was bald - and bore a distinct resemblance to the mortal at the helm of this unearthly blockbuster.

Either Howard had emulated Alfred Hitchcock and other film-makers by including himself in his own production –- or worse, he was attempting to make people follow a false idol by presenting himself in God’s image. I challenged him on the matter.

At first Howard pretended not to understand what I was talking about. Then a smile drew across his face - and to my surprise he even laughed.

"Oh I know the shot you mean," he confessed. "Bushy beard, bald head?"

"That’s the one!" I countered, savouring my moment as a member of the Spanish Inquisition might have rejoiced at breaking a particularly persistent sinner’s resistance to repentance.

"Sorry, that’s not me," he replied. "I think he looks more like Lenin, don’t you?"

 With that the mask that had briefly slipped returned once more and the jovial face – the one that Howard projects to the world – was back in place. And then we were shaking hands and swapping hand sanitizer.

My inquisition was at an end. But would the false prophecies of Ron Howard be enough to convince millions of Catholics to enter the cinematic den of iniquity?

I pray we will soon know the answer.