Pictures and the Picturegoer (October 1915 - March 1916)

PICTURES AND THE PICTUREGUER 32 3 s r i n SHAKESPEARE AMONGST THE CENSORS Film Censorships that would ncats the Immortal Plays look like a Belgian Cathedral after a German Bombardment. " A 1.1, comedies must have a serious J~\ purpose" recently declared the Censorship Boards of Pennsylvania and Ohio. The foolishness of ignorant local censorship in the States is glaringly de] ieted in a recent article by W. Stephen Bush in the Moving Picture World. " Even the censors themselves recoil from applying all their rules and regulations," writes Mr. Bush, who remarks that regulations like these make the immortal plays look like a Belgian Cathedral after a German bombardment. " In supposing that Shakespeare has fallen amongst them,'' continues Mr. Bush, ,; I have judged the Censorship Boards by their performances rather than by their theories."' Tried by this fearful test, only six of Shakespeare's plays escape unscathed. Of theothers— comedies, historic dramas, tragedies some are ordered to be suppressed entirely; others are mutilated out of all recognition ; and others suffer more or less material damage. Here is an incomplete list of the detailed results set down by Mr. Bush : Comedy of Errors. — Passed by Ohio censors. Pennsylvania censers deplore the lack of serious purpose in this play, but find no detailed objections and let it pass. Twelfth Night. — Not approved. The strange mixing of the sexes leads to immodest thoughts. A woman masquerading as a man and mce-vfrsa violate the State law and many city ordinances. Shakespeare does not claim that a licence for this masquerading was properly obtained. Midsummer Night's Dream. — Eliminate Scene i. in Act III. It . ridicules respectable mechanics and serves no good purpose whatever. The use of a so-called love-juice is strictly against the rules of the Board. Cut out latter part of Scene ii. in Act III. Reduce all passionate love-scenes to about six feet. The Merchant of Venice.— The sienic views in this play may stand, but Shy lock must be reduced to a Hash. otherwise the tendency to ridicule the .lews will cause the entire suppression i if the play. Winter's Tale. Cut out entirely Scene iii. in Act 111., showing the abandi mment of an infant . which is contrary to the statutes of our States in such case made and pro\ ided. Much Ado About Nothing. N.>t approved. Aside from the levity with which matrimonial questions are treated in this play, we cannot tolerate the ridicule thrown upon Dogberry and Verges, the representatives of lawfully constituted authority. These two estimable officers of the law are held up to ignominj and obloquy. The Tempest. No objection to the scenic views and the spectacular parts, I nit we insist that Caliban be either eliminated entirely or reduced to a flash. AS StEN BY OUR ARTIST. (Tri//i apologies to our own British Boa, -J.) All's Well that Ends Well — Everything after Scene vii. iu Act III. must come. out. Helena has recourse to a degrading artifice which is bound to shock orderly and respectable married couples and may stimulate false sentiments in the breasts of our yonng'men and girls. All the prolonged and passionate love-scenes between Bertram and Diana are especially objectionable and must be removed in their entirety. King John.— All reference to burning out eyes of Prince in Act IV. must come out. Scene i. in Act III. is offensive to Catholics and must be removed. Richard II. — Remove Scene iv. in Act I. as likely to excite prejudice against the rich and thereby inciting class hatred. Cut Scene v. in Act V.. as it consists almost entirely of acts of criminal violence. Richard III.— Not approved. This play abounds in crimes and villainies. Henry IV. (Part I.). Suppress Scene ii. in Act II.. as it plainly shows an act of highway robbery. Suppress all scenes in Eastcheap tavern, because vulgar and disgusting. Henry IV. (Part II.).— Suppress Shallow and Silence. These caricatures of our lawful courts and judges breed a disrespect Eor law among the young. Suppress Dolly 'bear-heel and Falsiaff. The latter character is scandalous in everj respect. His actions with Doily Tearslieet cannot be visualised without grievous moral harm resulting to our children. Suppress all scenes laid in Mrs. Quickly S tavern. Such resorts will not be tolerated in this State. Kino Henry VI. [Part III. b -Omit Scene i.. Act I., showing bloody swords, all the fight between Warwick and York, and all the gruesome sights in Scene iv.. of the same Act. Omit greater part of Scene v. in Act II. as too horrible for portrayal; in Scene vi of Act V. omit stabbing affray (King Henry and Gloucester). King Henry VIII. Thedivorce proceedings of the King against Catherine of Aragon are pointed ont in too much detail. They might have a bad effect on married couples, and mustberedu to a flash. Scene iv. in Act I. must 1 0 ■ adically changed. The sub-title. " He" would kiss you twenty times with i breath."' must be omitted and the kiss following title must be reduced to normal lemrth ordained by Board. Scene iii. in Act. II. must l>e omitted as tending to corrupt young of both si Omit Scene v. of Act V. as it ought offence to a large division of Christ: Titus Andronk Th ■ play is altogether too horrible and gruesome. There are too many deeds of violence and crime, and no soothing elements whatever. There is also torture and mutilation of which the Board cannot approve. Rdmeo and Juliet, but out Juliet. Her' is a girl just in her teens eonducting herself in a most unmaidenly fashion and opening h'r window in the night time or possibly in the early hours of the morning, to a young man to whom she has never been properly introduced. This play abounds in the very kisses and embraces and passionate lo\ which the Board has repeatedly demned. There are too many street brawls of extreme violence. Reduce these to a flash of about ten feet. The Board has frequently announced its disapproval of the administration of secret sleeping potions, and all snch scenes in the play must come ojat. The baft which Romeo and his companions appear in may remain as it is— educational in character. Tkoit.vs and Qres3H>a. -Omit entirely Scene ii. in Act III.. Scenes ii . iii.. iv.. and v. in Act IV. Thes show a disgraceful understanding between Achilles and a daughter of Priam. Cressida's conduct is positively immodest. Omit all passionate lovesci ues and reduce the frequent embraces and kisses of Troilus and Cressida to the length of one embrace and one kis the regulation length ii\ed by the board. OTHELLO.— A coloured man marrying a white woman may give offence. The play may, however, be shown with the following eliminations : Cat out Eago. His conduct and language cannot be tolerated in a respectable community. Omit entirely Act V. This Act shows the smothering of Desdemona and the suicide of Othello. Two such terrible crimes in one short Act wi 1 not be approved by this Board. Julius Cesar. Tha assassination of Julius Csesar must be eliminated, as plainly offending against the rules of