The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-12-12

10 absurd are the regulations of
- the boards of moving picture
censors and the standards
which they establish that they
have naturally been made the sub
-tcct of no end of ridicule. Two
Statcs-Ohio and Iennsylvania-are
afflicted with special restrictions. No.
body could blame the Pennsylvania
Ccnsors for refusing to allow II fight
sceAo ia Geraldine k'arrar's "Carnicn."
which a unexpectedly vulgar. But
other cases In which they interviewed
have been less reasonable.
w. s.. Bush has contributed to one
of the moving picture papers n hypo-
thetical article in which he describes
what might happen In case the draiifas
Of Shakespeare might fall under such
intelligent censorship AS the state
boards provide. Some of his possible
cases are very amusing.
The censor boards of Pennsylvania
and Ohio, writes MIR. Bush, have es-
tahlished rules and regulations and
standards" To which the producers of
motion pictures arc expected to con-
form under all kinds of pains and pen
allies. These rules are little known,
except perhaps one or two that are
particularly foolish, such az the Brett
niger cdict that 'all comedies must
have "A serious purpose" Even the
ccnsurs themselves rccoil from apply
ing all their rules and regulations. j
have, therefore, judged them by their
performances rather than by their
theories.
plays escape ~unscathcd, These are
King Henry W the first part OF
king Henry W. '"Timon of Ath-
ems 'Coriolanus,' 1.-THE Comedy OF
Errors and Loves Labor Lost"
I have omitted "Pericles. Prince OF
Tyre and The TWO Noble Kinsmen'
from my list. There is doubt as to the
part Shakespeare had in these two
plays and besides they have been acted
very rarely.
None of the other plays stands the
I'cnnsylyania-Ohio test. Some of them
are ordered suppressed entirely; Others
are mutilated out of all recognition:
the rest suffer more or less material
damage. Comedies, historic dramas
and tragcdies-all fall under the ban In
varying degrees, with the sole excep.
tons o noted.
Then he supplies some examples OF
what might happen, such as:
"Romeo and Juliet Cut out Juliet.
Here is a girl Just in her teens conduct
ing herself in "A most unmaidenly fashion
and ~orening her window in the night
time - possibly In the early hours of
the racrYfing to a young maj To whom
she hA1 never been properly introduced
This 1sAS abounds in the very kisses and
embSaccr and passionate love scenes
which the board has repeatedly con
demned. There are too many strcet
brawls OF extreme violence. Reduce
these TO IA fash of about ten feet. The
board has frequently its dis
approval OF the administration of secret
sleeping potions and all such scenes II
the play must come out. The ball which
Romeo and his companions appear II
may remain as it is-educational IL
character.
"Othello." 4 colored man marrying
q white woman ma give Offence. The
play may, however. be shown with thu
following Examinations Cut out Iago
His conduct and language cannot lie toll
Grated IN a respectable community. Omi'
II 49, l.
smothering of DesdcmonA and the sui
eide of Otheilo, Two such terrible
crimes in one short act viii not be ap
proved by this board.
"Julius Cesar" The assassination
Of Julius Cesar must Dc eliminated. "a:
plainly offending against the rules o
the board. AS the plot, however, re
uuircS that the fact of the death he con
vcyed to the spectators two courset
may be pursued Mark Antony ma,
10 shown receiving IA letter ANNOUNCING
cjpsar's death or Cesar may be show
diving a natural death caused by rheu
matism or old age. Reduce all riots t,
- fash. omit Scene u. in Act III. a
plainly contrary To- rules of the board
"Antouy and Cleopatra" Eliminate
cleopatra. Her protested contempt 70
marriage and her plainly adulterou
passion for II married man and he
habitual cruelty to her slaves sts mp he
q Q woman from, whose dreadful cx
ample the boys and girls of Ohio o
Pennsylvania must be saved M all haz
ards. There il "a snake in this play
II is true that the snake Is small, but il
effect on the women and children canno
hut bc dcletcrious.
king Lear Not approved. Thi
play is u grave menace to the famil,
life and the homes Of PENNSYLVANIA 90
ohio). Thcre are Al least four shameful
and scaudalous family discords and dis
llptious, involving crimina relations u
the part of husbands. wives, illegitimat
0.'-priug and ia ithiess servants. Blood
anil bt1bsruus scenes abound lJcath .
Cordoba, binding Of GloSter, Utmost ha
h4tual tearing out Of eyes, inhuinauiiic
OF Duke Of coruwalD. Immoral scenes
100, are scattered through the play
.\dultcrics, poisuuings and acts Of de
gcnoraCy are constantly mot with. Ncvc
have the rules and regulations Of GU
board been moro rccklcssly violated tina,
In this play.
"iidmlot.' Not approved. This pla
- TOO hid'ous H. receive the approval q
our board. which has repeatedly rule,
out the very things in which this pla
Hhound>, The drinking of hot blood,
for instance, and the doing OF such "busi
ness as the bitter day would quake 1
look on is highly unbccomiug and migl.
amount - disordcrly conduct or eve
WHERE TO lance