Minister to see film

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 32965, 11 July 1972, Page 2

Minister to see film

(New Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON, July 10. The Minister of Internal Affairs (Mr Highet) will have a private viewing of the controversial film, “A Clockwork Orange,” later this week.

The showing will help him decide whether to refer the film to the Censorship Board of Appeal. The Film Censor (Mr D. C. Mclntosh) released the film with a certificate restricting viewers to those over 20. Mr Highet said today that a large number of complaints had been received from the public about the film. Mr Highet emphasised that he was not in any way expressing lack of confidence in Mr Mclntosh. He said that Mr Mclntosh had agreed that, under the circumstances, Mr Highet should see the film.

Mr Highet has discretion under section 96 of the Cinematograph Films Act to refer a censor’s approval of a film to the Board of Appeal. If he refers “A Clockwork Orange” to the board it will be the first time a Minister of Internal Affairs has exercised this discretion.

Mr Highet said the 25 letters he had received from the public about the film were headed by letters sent to several members of Parliament, from the Prime Minister down, by the antipornography campaigner, Miss Patricia Bartlett. Miss Bartlett enclosed copies of an issue of “Playboy” magazine which carried photographs from the film.

Mr Highet said that some of the letters received by him appeared to be as a result of Miss Bartlett’s campaigning, but there were too many to make one think that she had been responsible for all of them. Among the letters was one from the retired Roman Catholic Bishop of Auckland (Archbishop J. M. Liston). He asked Mr Highet to prevent the film’s distribution. REQUESTS RECEIVED Mr Highet said he had been approached about the film by the Prime Minister (Mr Marshall), the Leader of the Opposition (Mr Kirk), Mr T. J. Young (Lab.. Hutt), Mr B. P. MacDonell (Lab., Dunedin Central), the Minister of Defence (Mr McCready), Mr D. J. Riddiford (Nat., Wellington Central), and the Junior Government Whip (Mr V. S. Young). They had passed on correspondence and representations which had been made to them about the film. <

Mr Kirk and Mr Young had passed on requests from Miss Bartlett that Mr Highet consider using the discretion given him under section 96.

Mr Highet said it was unusual that so many complaints were being received

before a film was released for screening. “Obviously advance publicity has alarmed some people," he said. “I have received many requests for me to exercise the right of appeal on behalf of the public so that the Censorship Board of Appeal can be given the opportunity to consider the censor’s approval of the film.

“It is important to realise that the only way the public, or any member of the public, can appeal against the censor’s approval of a film is for me to exercise my right under section 96 of the Cinematograph Films Act. I have power under this act either to appeal myself or to authorise any other person to appeal. “Whether the Minister of Internal Affairs should himself appeal or authorise an appeal is a matter that would be determined by public opinion, and this right can only be properly exercised if there is a public outcry against a film after it has been released for public screening.

"In the present circumstances, where I am receiving complaints before the film is released, I have decided to view the film myself so that I can make up my own mind whether to exercise my discretion under the act.”

Mr Highet emphasised that he was not setting himself up as a censor, nor was he bringing politics into the situation. FEDERATION CONCERNED The Federation of Film Societies says it is greatly concerned about the intentions of the Minister regarding the film. In a letter to Mr Highet today, the federation’s president (Mr J. F. Reid) said the Ministers action could be damaging to the integrity of film censorship in New Zealand. The federation said it did not dispute the Minister’s right to appeal against the censor’s ruling, but strongly objected to political pressure being brought to bear on the censor.

A Minister should appeal only if, after the film was screened, it substantially affronted public opinion. The independence of the censor should be safeguarded, Mr Reid said.

“What is alarming to the federation is that your intervention is so evidently prompted by Miss Patricia Bartlett, who has not seen the film and whose knowledge of it is seemingly confined to her ‘Playboy’ readings.” There was irony in the fact that the theme of “A Clockwork Orange,” concerned political manipulation of the media, Mr Reid raid.