Clearly the filmmakers feel that Stevens was being heroic to overcome personal pride and to muffle his true convictions to the occasion, but they want you to know that if you can't stomach such dishonest tactics you too have a representative in the film.
One proposal that has come to pass is a ban on film profanity, meaning releases are subject to cuts – including Leviathan, the Golden Globe-winning drama that Russia is nevertheless trying to muffle, given its biting portrayal of local Russian politics and bureaucracy.
But its efforts could not muffle the bang made by a non-binding shareholder vote against a ludicrous compensation scheme for Vikram Pandit, its chief executive.In this section The not-for-profit sector A new kind of outrage Beware Teutonic caution Stuck in the middle Conscience v commerce Weaken, dammit!
The weakness in world petrol rises, which has limited price rises at the pump, has helped muffle complaints.
Could it be that mainland China is trying to muffle dissent?Many in Hong Kong believe, without hard evidence, that mainland China has played a shadowy role in the rash of resignations.
It is to muffle such unease that the government is discussing only vague plans for change, to be brought in gradually over the next two decades.
Sir John might have helped to muffle the political row, but in financial circles the real fight will continue.
Within a couple of days of the video's appearance, references to it in the official media began diminishing: a strong hint that censors had decided to muffle the brouhaha it had sparked.
The Palestinian press offered no positive comments, and though the protests were largely small the police did nothing to muffle the expressions of anger.Mr Obama's message, said Palestinian officials, was as derisory as the choreography of his visit.
In a secular Britain that sees discrimination on sexual orientation as akin to racism, the row over gay marriage will muffle the churches' already feeble efforts to get across their messages of love and justice.The churches will have lost the battle over gay marriageBut the fight is doomed.
Unfortunately, issues and prejudices survived from the earlier period that North could only muffle.
