This weekend, as suspense loomed over whether or not there really had been a test screening of "Doubt" in Manhattan last week, we heard from producer Scott Rudin, who recently won the best-picture Oscar as producer of "No Country for Old Men" (losing to himself as producer of "There Will Be Blood"). BTW, he's also been a producer of such other Oscar champs as "The Queen," "Iris" and, egad, "The Hours."

Yes, Scott says, there really was a test screening of "Doubt" (adaptation of the Tonys-sweeping drama now starring Meryl Streep) in Manhattan. Held secretly at Lincoln Square Cinema — just so he and screenwriter John Patrick Shanley (Oscar winner for "Moonstruck") could gauge audience reax. Miramax knew nothing about it and he even kept it hush from his Oscar consultants and film reps at 42 West. Scott says that he likes to do this with most of his films, if the filmmakers are up for it, because it's "extraordinarily helpful," letting him know when a pic is in "fighting shape."

OK, that explains a lot. Thanks for clearing that up, Scott. As we all know, the Internet is abuzz all the time with bogus accounts of alleged screenings by posters who want us to think that they've got the inside dish on hot stuff.

What made this drama about "Doubt" so keen was that it played out like a true drama full of real doubt. First, the claim appeared on the Internet, in a low-key way, then it spread megafast as dishy cyber-gossip. Seemed suspicious, though. So when I heard about the report, I checked in first with Miramax. Rep not only insisted that there wasn't a test screening, but also said the report was "crazy." Just in case the screening took place without the studio's knowledge, I checked with the producer's reps, who had no reason to keep the screening hush once word had leaked out and the word was so positive. But the reps I contacted at 42 West knew nuthin'.

Clearly, at this point, the claim seemed to be a sham, so I report the denials. (Click here.)

But then, oops, as cyberhubbub grew, the Miramax rep decided to dig deeper and — oh-lordy-have-mercy — found out that there really was a screening. So he contacted me and I posted the correction (Click here), explaining that the studio hadn't been informed about it ahead of time.

However, I couldn't help confessing my bafflement over how such a screening could occur without Rudin's reps at 42 West knowing about it.

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