page 46

The People and the Pictures

(By “Sound-Track .“)

Twenty-Five years ago the silent picture was evolving from the slap-stick comedy type to the finished feature of the post-war period. Throughout the years of the Great War and for some time following, the Americans had a complete monopoly of the industry, and it is only now that Britain is beginning to forge ahead on the film road and produce pictures which rank high in entertainment value.

Only a short four years ago, came the miracle of the talking-picture, bursting upon the world of filmdom like a meteor out of a clear sky and sealing the doom of the silent film as completely as though it had never existed. Again, the Americans were the pioneers in this marvel of “something new” in entertainment.

To-day, the “talkies” are one hundred per cent, perfect and a commonplace of our social life. What next? Who knows what lies over the horizon? Probably the wide film, the “third dimension” which is being constantly experimented upon, will be the next wonder; giving the picture the effect of depth as in stereoscopic views, but taking in a wider sweep, not possible in the present form of film.

The innovation of the talking-picture caused an upheaval in the film world and, for a time at any rate, meant the virtual eclipse of the foreign stars—at least until they had perfected themselves in the English language. It meant, also, that thousands of people were forced to find new ways of earning a livelihood, particularly vaudeville entertainers and orchestra musicians. Many of the vaudeville performers, however, found a place in the new entertainment.

The invention created new ploblems for the Censor. It was a comparatively simple job to make cuts in silent film, but quite another story when it came to dealing with sound-film, which had to be handled tenderly if continuity of action and dialogue were to be preserved. There was the added strain of listening to the dialogue, watching scenes, and following the themes of the stories in the miles of film submitted for examination. But cutting is an art that practice makes perfect, and the excisions are now made so deftly that it is almost impossible to detect omissions; unless the cut has been a major one. Most of the film exchanges do their own cutting, but a fair proportion is done in the Censor's office by a skilled operator. Preservation of the continuity of the story is the first and paramount consideration and much can be done in this direction by a careful perusal of the script or dialogue-sheets. A knowledge of the technical side of the film business is essential. The Censor must understand the use of such terms as “L.Ss,” “ML.S.,” “C.Us,” “N.F.G.,” “C.F.G.,” etc., which interpreted mean “Long Shots,” “Medium Long shots,” “Close-ups,” “Near foreground,” “Centre-fore-ground,” etc.; abbreviations used in connection with the photography of the scenes in the picture.

The New Zealand Cinematograph Films Act gives the Censors—there are two of them, one full and one part-time—absolute discretion in the matter of making excisions, reconstructing, or wholly rejecting films; the only direction being that contained in Section 5 (4) of the Act, which reads:—

“The approval of the Censor shall not be given with respect to any film or to any part of a film which in his opinion depicts any matter that is contrary to public order or decency, or the exhibition of which would for any other reason be undesirable in the public interest.”

Two forms of certificate are in general use: “U,” “approved for general exhibition” and “A,” “approved, but recommended more especially for adult audiences.” The regulations provide that the certificates must be photographed on to the film and exhibited on the screen. Another form of certificate seldom used restricts the exhibition to certain specified classes of persons.

“What the eye does not see the heart does not grieve” is an adage that may be said to apply appropriately to censorship work. It must not be lost sight of that the pictures are made primarily for entertainment, and the people are entitled to that entertainment which, broadly speaking, the censorship regulates in such a manner that there shall be no moral harm done, no offence given to people's beliefs, and nothing done which is against public interest or morality. Many minor cuts are made necessary to remove current slang terms which may have an offensive application in this country, for vulgar or suggestive incidents or for too frequent use of swear words, or irreverent treatment of sacred subjects. The film hero may be a perfect gentleman in all respects, but his speech may be marred by some phrases or his actions by certain incidents which call for action by the Censor. The film villain, moreover, may do or say something which renders him rather worse in the opinion of the Censor than is intended by the character, and again he (the villain) is marked down for slaughter. It is understood that sex is one of the main problems of censorship. It is the undesirable emphasis of sex; its physical manifestations, conjugal unfaithfulness, and the eternal triangle that give the most trouble. These things are often made cheap and common instead of being treated with restraint and reserve, and are responsible for the rejection of many films. Sordidness and brutality, tense and unrelieved by any redeeming features were responsible also for other rejections. These are page 47 only a few of the things that obtrude in censorship work. There are other things on the list of prohibitions that need to be watched for and guarded against.

In these critical times, scenes depicting bank robberies or the planning incidental thereto have to be carefully scrutinised. Quite recently, a picture, harmless in itself, was rejected until incidents very realistically done in connection with a daring bank robbery were considerably modified. Civil disturbances and riot scenes occurring in other parts of the world and sometimes shown in news-reels are strictly censored in view of their possible psychological effect on crowds.

With their long experience of the picture business, the Americans produced films perhaps more finished in technical excellence. There was a polish, an artistry, and meticulous attention to detail sometimes lacking in other films. They have spared no trouble or expense to make their films as nearly perfect as it is humanly possible to do.

British films are, however, improving in technique; they are well presented, and in recent productions the calibre of the players has been of an increasingly higher standard. British pictures are rapidly coming to the front, the most pleasing feature being the perfect enunciation of the English-speaking voices.

A noticeable feature of many recent American films was the peculiar tendency to satirize events in their national life.

“The Dark Horse,” a picture screened a short time ago was a shrewd tilt at the ballyhoo methods adopted by the Conventions of the various States of the Union in electing a President. “Night Mayor” satirized Mr. James Walker, who was superseded in his position as Mayor of New York; while the films made at the expense of the American police and the Prohibition Laws are legion.

A Censor's job, like a policeman's life, is not entirely a happy one. The work involves constant strain and a heavy sense of responsibility.

Some producers attempt to “buck the censor,” as it is termed, by “putting over” something which over-steps the mark. The Censor has to be continually on the alert for this kind of thing. People do not know what has been taken out of pictures; they only see what in their opinion should not have been left in. The films, like nothing else in the wide world, are forever in the full blaze of publicity, a target for the criticism of well-intentioned busy-bodies, many of whom would arbitrarily decide, if they had the power, what the people shall or shall not be allowed to see. Broadmindedness and tolerance are essential qualifications for the position.

In closing, a word or two on the systems operating in England and Australia may be of interest. In England the Chief Censor is appointed by the trade, who in turn appoints examiners who do the actual censoring of films. The names of these examiners are kept secret. They are entirely independent of the trade. While the system appears to work satisfactorily there has been some criticism. Similar forms of approval are in use as in this country, viz: “U” and “A” certificates.

In Australia there is a Commonwealth Film Censorship Board at Sydney with a Chief Censor who acts as Chairman. One of the members of the Board is a woman. Films are passed for exhibition throughout the States of the Commonwealth, except Victoria, where the pictures have first to be passed by the Censor of that State before being shown in Victorian theatres. This system has given rise to considerable trouble and it is understood that action making for uniformity of censorship to permit of pictures being exhibited throughout the whole of Australia is under way.

page 48