The Film Renter and Moving Picture News (Jan-Feb 1923)

THE FILM RENTER & MOVING PICTURE NEWS. January 4, 192%. LOCAL CENSORSHIP OF THE PICTURES. How the Trade may Co-operate with Watch ‘Committees. (By SIR ROBERT PEACOCK, M.V.0., Chief Constable of Manchester). on sound and proper principles have a great future. The films of the present day undoubtedly show a great intellectual advance on their predecessors of a decade ago, and in the great majority . of cases the people who control the destinies of the film-world are in favour of a more wholesome and artistic class of entertainment. T? pictures, for good or evil, have come to stay, and if developed Encouragement to Worthy Exhibitors. The question arises, what attitude should the authorities adopt to an industry whose possibilities from an educational point of view are unlimited ? In my view, every encouragement should be given to those exhibitors who consistently screen wholesome films. Out of the vast number of films shown on the screens of this country there are certain to be a number of crude and lurid presentations of crime and vice, and other distorted, sensational and impossible conceptions. These, in my opinion, constitute a very undesirable | type of cntertainment to put before the public, especially children and adolescents. This class of film should receive the condemnation of all rightminded people, and most certainly of the Licensing Authorities throughout the country. The Manchester Salat This brings me to the subject of Censorship. The Gshesenich Act, 1909, lays down definite requirements, and gives power to Licensing Authorities to impose certain conditions and restrictions with a view to ensuring that the intcrests of the vast public who attend these places shall be safeguarded. In Manchester a special staff of officers has been appointed,and they are responsible to the Watch Committce and Chicf Constable for the supervision of the kinemas, theatres, and other places of entertainment. They specialise in this class of work, and are, therefore, fully conversant with the various Acts and regulations governing these places. Visits are made at irregular intervals with a view to secing that the regulations are strictly adhered to. Any objectional matter, either on the stage or screen, is reported to the Chief Constable, and if it is deemed desirable (in the case of the kinema) the film is, by arrangement, privately viewed by the Watch Committee, and if any objection is taken to any film, or portion thereof, the persons responsible are officially informed that the portions of film complained of will be prohibited for public entertainment in the City of Manchester. The Manchester Watch Commitiee are fully alive to their responsibilities, and ee Oe have, on occasions, prohibited public exhibitions of a number of films coming Str Rozpert Peacocr, M.V.O. within this category. A Licensing Clause, Film censorship is a difficult problem, but it is quite clear, having regard to the Appeal heard on July 12, 1921, in the King’s Bench Division—Middlesex County Council v. Messrs. Dubrowsky and Michaels—that the authority granting the kinema licence is the only responsible body so far as censorship is concerned. As an ‘ earnest of their desire tc co-operate with the kinema trade, the Mamncliester Watch Committee conferred with representatives of the exhibitors respecting undesirable films, and the Committee gave their assent to the following proposal, which was put forward by the exhibitors :— No film (other than those rolating to processions and other “ables events) shall be publicly exhibited that has not been trade shown in Manchester, and should the Watch Committeo or officers acting on their behalf have any objection to any film that has been trade shown, they shall notify the parties concerned within seven days after the trade show. The parties concerned shall give a reasonable notice to the Chief Constable of all trade shows about to be held in Manchester. : : This is now a condition governing all kinema licences granted in Manchester. The most important part of the foregoing clause from the exhibitor’s point of view is the regulation providing that no film that has not been trade shown may be publicly exhibited in Manchester. This is a boon to (Continued overleaf)