CINEMA CENSORSHIP.

Free Lance, Volume XVI, Issue 839, 4 August 1916, Page 8

CINEMA CENSORSHIP.

Its Importance to the Public. <

or theatrical matters. The final appeal should be to the Minister. Let him take the responsibility. We cannot truthfully say. we envy him his job, but after all some one must be finally responsible, and we would infinitely more trust the good sense of Mr. Russell himself than that of the aver_age Stipendiary Magistrate. . • • ♦ It rests, however, much more with the picture theatre proprietors and maJiagers than with any one else, to see that the new Act works easily. If ■those directly interested in the business themselves exhibit tact and commonsense, plus a judicious regard for common decency, the duties of the censors, whoever they may prove to be, should be carried out smoothly and easily. In any case the new system is worth and should be given a fair trial.

WIST not a few directions the Hon. G.I W. Russell, Minister of Internal! Affairs, has proved of late that* he is. a man of both idea and courage. But we hope that he will give very careful consideration to the selection of thegentlemen who are to act as censors of: cinema films, as provided for by the Bill. passed this week. Mr. Russell hints, we notice, that certain public servants (asyet unselected) shall act as censors. If he can find the right class of man the Public Service all very well and good. But if public servants are to act in thei capacity they must be men freefrom all suspicions of shall we say, "•Wowserism" ? Male varieties of theMrs. Grundy species could make themselves most objectionable in such a capacity. The ideal censor would be. a broad and clean-minded man who would- exercise the functions of censor with discretion.

"■*-** As a matter of fact we do not believe that many films have been, shown in x this country to.which the adjective indecent could fairly be attached. Silly and _ vulgar many of the. pictures, especially those of American origin, undoubtedly are, but sheer indecency is, very fortunately, very rare. We agree with the Minister that some of the posters by which the pictures are advertised are more objectionable than the pictures themselves, but in this direction the police, and not a film censor, - should more properly be called upon to act.

The proposal of one member of the House that a magistrate should be the final arbiter is quite absurd. The average Stipendiary Magistrate is often a dull-witted, " respectable mediocrity whose opinions on art, literature, or the drama are only apt to be governed by what he imagines, rightly or wrongly, to be feeling." He is far * too much inclined to "play to the gallery" to be a fit person to give judgment upon