The New York herald., 1921-05-16
BRITONS CRITICISE
SEX FRENZY FILMS
Protest American Screens
Showing White Women in
Semi-Nude State.
RACIAL PROBLEM ENTERS
Fear Effect on Black and Hed
Races-Saturnalia, One
Writer'S Epithet.
RACIAL PROBLEM ENTERS

Special Correspondence OF The NEW YORK
HERALD.
LONDON, May 4.--The sex frenzy"
Of American films imported into England
and, more important British colonies
has aroused a strong feeling of resent
ment here. While America is generally
looked upon as the land with racial
problems. England. too. has that prob
lem. and it is the danger OF complications
in this respect that has caused much of
the antipathy toward American Aims.
Referring to the films showing white
women in q state OF semi-nudity, with as
little Of the semi-discernibe az the pro-
ducers dare SCREEN" Lionel Phillips,
Il. r. G. S., says:
This may not do a great amount of
harm in a white mans country. but |
cannot think that the rulers of india.
more especially in times like the present,
are likely to find their task made easier
by white women exposing as much OF
themselves as they dare for natives to
gaze at when they patronize the pictures.
How prevalent this type of film Is anc
how assiduously it's export to India is
doomed may be Judged from a glance at
any illustrations Of the flms."
Mr.. Phillips says the American Aim
business is frauSht with harmful results
to this country and India. He Is a large
exporter Of Aims to all parts OF the Brit
ish Empire and he thinks public atten-
ton should be drawn to 'the very un-
desirable type OF American fllm brazenly
advertised as suitable for exhibition to
the natives of India"
Agitation Spreads Rapidly.
Agitation against American films is
spreading rapidly because of this sat
urnalia of sex," as one writer calls II.
American films have been very popular
here. and still are for that matter. but
there is a growing danger that in not
distant future they will lose much of
their following. American picture stars
and producers do much better work than
is shown by European made films. and
1t is fact that the favorite at home are
almost as popular here. which was per
haps best illustrated by the reception ac-
corded Douglas Fairbanks and Mary
Pickford when they visited London. But
attacks by the press here and the will
ingness shown to publish attacks by
readers threaten to hurt the American
film business abroad.
The New York correspondent Of the
Weekly Dispatch, one of London's lead
ing Sunday papers. speaks OF the latest
films shown in New York as follows:
Sex appeal, sex interest in every con-
ceivable guise, dominate almost without
exception the principal films Of note at
present before the public or advertised
TO be shown In the next few weeks.
IN most of them reticence. even common
decency. is at a discount; in many the
sex element is deliberately worked up
by every imaginable means to the high
est pitch.
ct even enters the latest Mary Pick
ford picture. though 1t is so crudely
handled as TO be merely ridiculous, and
an almost frcnEied exaggeration Of the
,aer4e d!sftgures even the otherwise beau
.isG! Griffith fllm, Way Down East :
but In the hands of the less cultured
members OF re producing fraternity the
sex frenzy becomes positively nauseat-
ing Even first clsss houses are show
ing film piays with such titles as Secret
Sin" and Forbidden Fruit" depicting
hectic midnight revels that leave nothing
to the imagination In any scene In mar
riage. honeymoon or love. Illicit or other
wise"
Lurid Advertisements cited.
Criticism also Is heard here OF adver-
tisements of American Aims, such as