The Washington herald., 1921-03-09

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SAYS CENSORSHIP HEARING
LACKED SPECIFIC DATA
To the Editor. ne wsshinston HenId: a
The interesting and amusinm
sioners in regard TO the necessity
for further regulation Of motion
pictures was, 1t seems TO me, defec-x
tive In that IL provided no specino3
Information as TO the exhibition OF
unit films. In the lack of q wells
defined suggestion as TO corrective
measures and In the failure on tbs
part Of exhibitors and their repre-
sentatives to offer anything con-
structive in the way Of suggestions
or even to admit the necessity %
better conditions.
II Ia a mistake for the men who
have invested their money In tho
| Industry TO refuse to recognize that
conditions should be better and that
there is a popular demand for SUCH
better conditions
had occasion not long ago to
| call the attention of an exhibitor to
a comedy in which girls were shown
donnipg one-piece bathing suits be-
hind some bushes. During the time
| one girl was naked from the vsisc
up and from the upper limbs down,
This film was shown in a housa
owned and operated by an entirely
responsible and reputable gentle-
man.
On the evening Of the day OF tbs
hearing my wife and ] dropped into
this same theater, and despite tho
fact that there was nothing on the
posters to lead one to expect such
an exhibition. the inevitable hsrem
bathing pool was dragged in, with
] nude women playing around in the
pool
The exhibition Of "Kismet" in thu
District was spoiled by just such an
Improper scene. have a letter
from the National Board OF Review
of Motion Pictures. an institution
financed by motion picture produ-
GERS themselves and conducted In
their interest. saying:
Regarding 'Kismet.' the national
board sent out a bulletin TO city
officials in regard 10 this picture
outlining eliminations to be made
in it. II the picture were shown in
I
having been made i will be glad to
learn OF it,
The following action was taken
on "Kismet" as outlined in the bull
Ietin:
-'KIsmet (nine reels). Robert-
son-Cole: Passed without change
The original unrevised copy Of this
picture contained several scenes
showing the nude. These were de-
leted by the producing company
through their own editorial departs
ment The sample print submitteG
to the national board was passed
as presented IL being understood
that all copies Of the picture placed
on exhibition would correspond ex-'
actly with this sample print as pre-
sented TO the board. In their ed,,
itIng OF the film the Robertson Cold
Company had eliminated all views
OF the nude girls bathing in tha
Oriental scenes OF the picture ex-
cept that occurring In the hsc
scene of the house OF the Sultan'2
chief OF police, where q girl far
in the background steps out OF -
bathing pool covering herself with.
a cloak as she leaves the scene-
This does not comprise more than.
five feet of film and was not OBJ
, jected to by the national board. ax
il could not be construed TO be sug-
gestiNe in any way
, Kismet was shown in waxhinE-
ton without these eliminations. It
I appears. therefore. that this film
! was shown in this city in a form
which did not have the approval
OF the producers themselves. 1t sp-
Iesred in a house owned by a man
who / believe is a Christian gem
, tleman. or who at least has that
reputation. The trouble is careless
ness and negligence.
J Are the producers and exhibitors
! gcing to allow such conditions TO
continue until criticism swells 10 a
storm OF indignation and inhicts
: permanent injury upon the indus
try? No one wishes the motion
) pictures TO be confined within the
: narrow limits Of the pretuoices Of
any single man or group Of men.
: but We all know what decency, as
il is understood by the common.
average American mind. means. and
the motion pictures should conform
to It
The appeal OF John Temple Graves
to the exhibitors to meet the dis
satisfied portion OF the public half
; way should be seriously considered
) by them, otherwise an attitude Of
antagonism may develop between
such ORGANIZATIONS as represent re-
form, the church. groups Of citi-.
rens. women's clubs and welfare
! organizations upon the one hand
! and the industry upon the other.
! The time to stop that kind OF thing
is before IL has gone too far. and
II should be stopped by concessions.
Stubborn denial and resistance will;
not avail. DEETS PICKETT.
. Research Secretary. Board Of Tem-
perance. Prohibition ana Publio
! Morals, N. r. Church.
; Washington. March ..