Motion pictures classified by National Legion of Decency (1959)

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Comparative Statistics on Feature Pictures Reviewed and Classified Class A-I Class A-II Class A-III Class B Class C S.C. Total No. % No. % No. % No. % No. % No. % * 780 61 380 30 89 8 13 1 1,271 1938 332 62 164 31 32 6 5 1 535 1939 312 54 200 35 50 9 9 1.67 573 1940 271 50 210 39 47 9 10 2 539 1941 267 51.25 197 37.81 50 9.6 7 1.34 521 1942 271 51.13 202 38.11 51 9.62 5 .95 530 1943 229 52.16 151 34.40 55 12.53 4 .91 439 1944 191 44.52 184 42.89 51 11.89 3 .70 429 1945 143 38.1 189 50.4 43 11.5 0 0 375 1946 155 39.64 176 45.01 60 15.35 0 0 391 1947 195 44.32 172 39.09 70 15.91 3 .68 440 1948 174 38.58 188 41.69 82 18.18 7 1.55 451 1949 193 41.33 165 35.33 96 20.56 13 2.78 467 1950 179 39 169 36.82 103 22.44 8 1.74 459 **195l 148 33.49 195 44.12 85 19.23 14 3.16 442 ***1952 182 40.81 172 38.56 78 17.49 14 3.14 446 1953 148 38.6 142 37.1 89 23.2 4 1.1 383 1954 138 39.20 127 36.08 78 22.16 9 2.56 352 1955 94 28.74 115 35.17 110 33.64 8 2.45 327 11956 98 29.88 141 42.99 80 24.39 8 2.44 328 1957 139 33.25 131 31.34 137 32.78 11 2.63 418 1958 132 33.42 109 27.59 73 18.48 74 18.73 5 1.27 2 .51 395 1959 70 25 91 32.5 68 24.2 43 15.4 7 2.5 1 .4 280 Comparative Statistics on Domestic and Foreign Feature Pictures Domestic Class A-I Class A-II Class A-III Class B Class C S.C. Total No. % No. % No. % No. % No. % No. % 1955 82 29.82 97 35.27 92 33.45 4 1.45 275 tl956 88 32.71 117 43.50 62 23.05 1 .37 269 1957 111 33.13 114 34.03 109 32.54 1 .30 335 $1958 23 33.82 23 33.82 0 0 22 32.36 0 0 0 0 68 ■1958 97 34.64 79 28.22 65 23.21 39 13.93 0 0 0 0 280 1959 63 27.04' 82 35.19 53 22.75 34 14.59 0 0 1 .43 233 Foreign 1955 12 23.08 18 34.62 18 34.62 4 7.69 52 1956 10 16.95 24 40.68 18 30.51 7 11.86 59 1957 28 33.74 17 20.48 28 33.74 10 12.05 83 $1958 3 75. 0 0 0 0 1 25. 0 0 0 0 4 ■1958 9 20.93 7 16.28 8 18.60 12 27.91 5 11.63 2 4.65 43 1959 7 14.89 9 19.15 15 31.92 9 19.15 7 14.89 0 0 47 * The comparative statistics of the Legion of Decency date from February, 1936. First period covers films reviewed from February, 1936 to November, 1937. From 1938 through 1950 periods are based on films reviewed from November to November. ** This period covers films reviewed from November, 1950 to October, 1951. *** As of 1952 periods run from October to October. $ This period covers films reviewed from October. 1957 through November, 1957. H This period covers films reviewed from December, 1957 to October, 1958 and includes films in the new A-III category. _______ t One film (.30%) was given a "Separate Classification." In appraising the moral status and trend of motion pictures, statistics alone do not provide adequate and reliable measurement. Statistics should be considered in conjunction with other factors such as the kind and amount of objectionableness in a film rated in any given objectionable or condemned category. The evaluation of the situation must be based on qualitative and quantitative considerations as well as the popularity potentiality of the subject, together with its thematic character. 274