The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1913-04-07
OBJECTIONABLE FILMS
No Pictures With shivers In Them
Are to be Allowed Shown on the
Screens of the
Country.
by Henry Wood. Rome correspon.
dent of the United Prose


everything censurable, has just pro-
unced another. This time 1T is a ma.
'iohal censorship on moving picture
SHOWS, and it has been brought ahout
With neatness and dispatch a tri,e
dlsconcerting to other countries where
dllierent governmental authority
exists.
Wnlle 1t is rue in .rtaly that king
IS king, and parliament parl;a.
ment, and cabinet of ministers is q
cabinet OF ministers, it also happens
IN Italy that prime minister In gen
eral and Prime Minister Giolitti In
particular. is little bit Of king
and a parliament and cabinet. and
an emperor and car ard few 9th.
er things authoritative all mixed IN
IN one. AS a consequence. when II
occurred to Giolitti that censorship
OF moving pictures might be desirable
the thing not only was just as good as
done, but If anything, just little bit
more so.
Neither the king, not the cabinet
formed by Giolitti for advising him
nor parliament, nor even the moving
picture show managers were consult.
ed, and since then there has been
nothing left to be done except for the
moving picture show managers to flg-
ure out from the censorship order is
sued by Premier Giolitti to every off,
Ger of public safety in Italy whether
anything remains thai they can ac-
tually produce without having to go
to Jail. The question, too. is still
just a trifle in doubt.
Premier Giolitti began his circular
establishing the censorship with a
long preamble upon the possibilities
of evil of moving picture shows. He
pointed out first how the productions
might be contrary to public morals,
to good custom, and to public order.
Then he discussed at Length the spe-
cial effect which certain films might
have upon people OF weak mind and
character, upon children and upon
the public in general when such pro-
ductions might show certain lack of
respect for governmental authority.
There followed then the order es-
tablishing the official government cen
sors and the provision that no film
can be produced in Italy for the first
time without having been presented
in full before one of these censors
and favorably passed upon by him.
For films that have been permitted
presentation in other countries it IS
only necessary that proof of this fact
be presented to the censor and that
he be given a detailed description OF
the plot, the scenario and the action
shown
Five different kinds Of productions
are then specifically prohibited the
censor however, having the right to
exercise his judgment more leniently
or more severely as the case may de-
mand There are first prohibited all
films that might be contrary to pub
lie decency and good breeding. Then
comes the prohibition OF productions
which might be contrary to decorum,
to the established conceptions oA
honor, to the national reputation, to
public order generally and to the in
ternational relations with other coun-
tries.
The third clause has to deal espec.
tally with criminal films and prohibits
which might be regarded as
a school for criminals Or that might |
have a bad effect upon children or
persons mentally or morally excit-
able. The fourth provision is aimed
at anything which might tend to
create disrespect OF public author
ity and in this no effort is made to
conceal the fact that 1t Is intended to
prohibit those very popular films
where the poor policeman gets the
worst Of it. The clause makes it very |
evident that film-drama writer's here
after must cast their policemen in
the role of very much respected
hero.
Finally, the last clause, which is ad- /
mitted 10 have been destined espec (
tally for the impressionable Italian /
that is very susceptible
to scenes Of cruelty, prohibits every,
thing of that kind. mentioning espec-
tally surgical operations, cruelty to
animals or scenes Of any kind calcu-
lated to make the "shivers come"
With the same dispatch with which
Premier Gilolitti has ordered the cen
sorship, it has been put into force,
and moving picture producers as well
as exhibitors Throughout Italy are
now complying with the full provis-
ions of the censorship,
Rome, April La Nouva Gro |