FilmIndia (Feb-Dec 1949)

AT HOME AND ABROAD BANNED IN MADRAS Madras. December 21. I'Jugnu", a filthy slander on col-le life produced by Shaukat Art ■ Inductions, has been banned by the 'idras Government as unfit for exJnition throughout the province. AN OLD FRIEND! Hollywood. December 21. 'Sir C. Aubrey Smith. British screen "*r. who starred in many a Hollv \ od picture, died at the age of 85. 4ily recently he finished his role in ; ittle Women". • \oung and old alike will remem Ir the ease which characterized his |rtrayals of the "fine old gentle nn", especially his classic portraval ji "Little Lord Fauntleroy". Apart |«m being a sta»e actor and film £»r, he was a brilliant cricketer and Slaved his favourite game till the £.'e of 75. His clever tactics in bowEljig earned him the nickname I l!ound-the-corner" Smith. E t At the age of 75. he received his it B. E. for he possessed such qualifts which made him almost a "Brij ',h institution". VNOTHER FILTHY PICTURE Bombay. December 25. ('The Hyderabad Government have I inned Jagriti Pictures' "Matlahi" as j It fit for exhibition. This undesira\ je film which was first banned by j je Bombay Board of Censors was \ cently exported to Rangoon, where was running to crowded houses. NEW SAFETY FILM New \ ork. December 19. It is reported that the American ! m industry is likely to abandon the e of cellulose nitrate as base in I vour of acetate. The change has j en called revolutionary by the ide and is expected to take five j ars. This means that the precaujpns taken in storing, delivery and Mowing of films need not be so Hvere as at present. [Films with cellulose nitrate base ?re originally used in America for 1 purposes. In 1929 after the Cle| land disaster in which 12! lives 1 :*e lost through a film fire, safety ray film came to be used. Graduali this has come to be replaced by the etate base. Cell ulose acetate burns more awly than paper. When lit. there onlv a flicker of flame which goes t. Let us hope that this new film checks future film fires which have taken a heavy toll of human lives all over the world. NO MORE GODS? Madras. December 26. W ith the South Indian producers making demons out of gods and gods out of men. the Madras Government is considering a proposal to prohibit film artistes from portraying gods and goddesses on the screen. The government feel that indiscriminate featuring of Hindu gods and goddesses has resulted in the public losing veneration for them. Moreover this would be in consonance with Christianity, Islam, Buddhism and other religions where human beings don't personify gods. So 'Bhagwan' threatens to be an invisible entity in motion pictures in future if the proposal is carried through. BELIEVE IT OR NOT! London, December 28. Many British newspapers and periodicals are contributing voluntarily thousands of pounds to lodge an appeal with the House of Lords against what has been described as a Hollywood attempt "to gag English film criticism and intimidate English film critics." It all started when Mis* Arnot Robertson, a film critic of the British Broadcasting Corporation, clashed with the Metro Goldwyn Maver for giving her opinion on their picture. M. G. M. complained to the B. B. C. and said that she "was completelv out of touch with the tastes and entertainment requirements of the picture-going millions." Miss Robertson demanded a public apology and compensation on the grounds that the letter sent bv the M. G. M. to the B.B.C. was "defamatory." She sued for alleged libel and won the case with £1500 as damages but later lost it when M.G.M. appealed to a higher court. Mr. Tom Driberg. a journalist member of Parliament, speaking about it in a debate on the British Government s new Legal Aid and Advice Bill said. "As things are, it may clearly be difficult in the future for critics or other writers in similar circumstances to risk bringing libel actions at all against these opulent and barbarous Hollywood corporations whoever they may be, who are trying to gag and intimidate English critics." CENTRAL CENSORS ! Bombay, December 28. It is officially learnt that the Government of India are constituting a Central Film Censorship Board shortly. This board will formulate an uniform censorship policy for all