Reel and Slide (Jan-Sep 1919)

REEL and SLIDE 17 Policy Standards of Review Board What Has Been Learned in a Decade of Practical Censorship by National Body Ideas of Value to Educators and Ministers in Selection of Pictures for Own Use N' PART III (Copyright) 'OTHING appears more foolish to the audiences of motion pictures than the constant picturing of weapons such as guns, revolvers, knives, clubs, etc. Unless the action depicted, in addition to being senseless, is also immoral or criminal, the National Board holds that it should not be handled through regulation, but rather through the gradual protests of public opinion. When, however, for example, "frontr ier justice" obtains results in opposition to the regular agents of the law, the National Board must almost always eliminate the action. It is opposed to the successful balking of the law. Some latitude may be shown to pictures of the "wild and woolly" variety where next (o impossible deeds are pictured. It would be impossible for the motion-picture patron to duplicate them, and the atmosphere is that of rough romance. In a picture portraying new and disorganized communities it sometimes happens that the logical effect (that it is at times laudable to contravene the law) is lost, and the total effect of the picture — namely, that the forces of good triumph over the forces of evil — warrants the Board in passing it. The National Board holds that respect be shown for the law in action and in thought. Pictures involving the law and officers of the law require careful handling. In individual pictures there may be a certain value in showing the miscarriage of justice. This must be handled, however, with discretion, and the work approached in a spirit of greater seriousness than that of amusement or entertainment. This is a difficult thing to accomplish, and the National Board warns producers against attempting it. If, however, a real moral lesson is taught by the play it should be passed. A real social service is performed by the presentation of officials who use their office for personal ends, dishonesty, etc. Such pictures present not an attack against law, but against dishonorable officials who are lawbreakers. It should be recognized by reviewers and the public that the good-natured fun of the comedy which deals with such officials is not to be regarded as an attack upon the officers or the organized forces of law and order. Punishment Following Crime The atmosphere of romantic adventure should not be thrown around a criminal. Individuals or gangs should not be shown in attractive and successful exploits either in a multiple reel or serial against the forces of the law. The suggestion left in the minds of the impressionable is the possibility of reproducing the same or similar action. It is well to show that evil brings its own reward. The catastrophe should follow necessarily, logically and in a convincing manner and not merely as accidental or providential. Nor is it satisfactory to terminate a series of crime episodes by excessive moralizing at the end of a story. This is recognized as poor morals and poor art. If the action is convincing it is permissible to have retribution as an act of Divine Will or Providence. Truth and sincerity are a sine qua non in such cases. It is preferable to' have retribution come through the hands of authorized officers of the law, rather than through revenge or other extralegal means. It is a vicious suggestion to permit law to be taken into one's own hands. Appeal to the unwritten law and to "frontier justice" can only be frowned upon by the law-respecting and dramatically capable actor and producer. The National Board is opposed to such presentations except as stated in section 38. The National Board has no objection to some specific crimes. It should not attempt to eliminate the portrayal of all evil from motion pictures. The serious drama almost always depicts a struggle between the forces of good on the one hand, and the forces of evil on the other. To eliminate either one of these elements would be very largely to eliminate drama itself. Usually the forces of evil are represented by a villain who commits crime and seeks his ends through violence. Accordingly the question for the National Board is "What are the methods and results of the crimes and the manner in which they are performed?" It objects to the methods of crime which are suggestive, instructive, sustained and gruesome. It insists upon a sane balancing of the picture as a whole so that the final effect of the picture will be good, or at the worst harmless. The portrayal of crime should not degenerate into pandering to a morbid appetite, but should seek ends which are legitimate for the drama. The extended exposition of methods of crimes which involve tricks, skill or unusual ingenuity will not be permitted. Serials with a succession of episodes are generally melodramatic. The National Board has felt that one review committee should see the entire series. This committee must necessarily reserve its judgment on the total moral effect to the end of the episodes. Incidents which violate the general standards are treated individually. It is distinctly unfair to pass judgment on a serial from particular episodes. The National Board recognizes the necessity of suspense and of episodal climaxes. It is understood in the very nature of the case that the hero or heroine be on hand for the next episode. While such serials in detail must keep within the recognized ethical standards of society, the temporary success of criminals is not sufficient for condemnation. Ingenious methods of crime, cruelty, etc., are judged by general standards. Motives and Results of Crime Every film presents special problems. Two of the principal points to be borne in mind by the reviewer are the motives and the results of the crime or crimes depicted. An adequate motive for committing a crime is always necessary. The National Board will insist on punishment of the criminal when his crime might be considered by the young and impressionable spectator as an excusable or praiseworthy act. In other cases it is desirable that the criminal be punished in some way, but the National Board does not always insist upon this. Careful discrimination must be made between the merits of the motive and the suggestion lurking in it as an excuse for the crime. Under no conditions will it pass a picture where apparent approval is given of any cause for crime. The results of the crime should be in the long run disastrous to the criminal so that the impression carried is that the crime will inevitably find one out soon or late and bring on a catastrophe. This causes the temporary gain from the crime to sink into insignificance. The result should spring logically and convincingly from the crime and should take a reasonable proportion of thefilm. Tfie motives, incidents and results are always considered in reviewing these pictures. Crimes of violence may be roughly divided into those against property and against persons. Possibly theft, fraud, forgery, burglary and robbery may be considered under the first head by a slight stretch of the use of the term. No suggestively instructive or ingenious methods may be exploited. These include, for example, the ways in which safes can be opened, checks raised, signatures forged, houses entered, pockets picked, etc. These can be adequately presented by suggestion or by such distant views that it is _ impossible to know just what is being done. Open, close-up views are usually removed. Producers sometimes have such scenes take place in the dark, in the distance, or with the operation obscured from the view of the audience by the persons of one or more actors. Arson Difficult Problem There is widespread opposition to misleading films dealing with the arms of the Government such as the Army, the Navy, the Post Office and the Treasury. It is equally distasteful to present officials in the pursuit of their official duties in a misleading and disparaging fashion. Respect for law and order calls for a dignified and sincere presentation. There are also certain symbols of Government like the flag which deserve respect and careful consideration. Especially dangerous is the presentation of any attempt at train wrecking or tampering with railroad apparatus and the mails. This is one of the crimes which is always eliminated by the National Board. All cases dealing with the Government will receive critical consideration by the National Board. Arson is a difficult crime to present in photoplays in such a manner that the suggestion be not a menace to the public. It is most easily imitated by children and by the impressionable. All details of this crime are eliminated as being suggestive and instructive. Many films have been revised in which a clearly defined pyromaniac is shown at work. Excessive preparations and the actual application of the torch are not permitted in films depicting arson taking place in present-day modern surroundings.