Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954), Saturday 8 February 1930, page 17


AUSTRALIAN FILM.

Leave to Export Refused.

CHIEF CENSOR'S ACTION.

An Austrailan-made film "The Devil's Play-ground" has been considered by the Chief Commonwealth Censor (Mr. W. Cresswell O'Reilly), who has refused the permit neces

Isary In order that It may oe sent aoroau. This does not mean, however, that the film is Irrevocably banned. It means simply that Fine Arts Film Productions, Ltd., the organisa-tion which owns the picture, will apply to the Censorship Appeal Board to have the Chief Censor's decision set aside. Only when the Appeal Board has ruled on the ques-tion will the film (if the decision is ad-verse) be deprived definitely of Its oversea markets. The procedure as i égards films going out of the Commonwealth is the same as the procedure in the case of films which are entering from abroad. Only a month or two ago, an English talking film. "Blackmail," was condemned by the Chief Censor, yet the Appeal Boaro allowed It to pass with minor

alterations.

Even if the decision goes against "The Devil's Playground," the film may be exhibited throughout Australia without any possibility of Federal Interference. The censorship of films within the Commonwealth Is a matter for the State authorities. An example of this form of censorship arose at the end of last year, when members of the State censorship body, consisting of officials from the police and Chief Secretary's departments, viewed thj Fox film, "The Cock-Eyed World," and ordered certain cuts to be made In it. ,

The Commonwealth censorship regulations specify the following heads under which a film may be condemned:-(a) Blasphemy, In-decency, or obscenity; (b) likely to be In-jurious to morality, or to encourage or Incite to crime; (c) likely to be offensive to the people of any friendly nation; (d) likely to be offensive to the people of the British Empire; (e) depletion of any matter the exhibition of which is undesirable In the public Interest, or likely to prove detrimental or prejudicial to the Commonwealth. According to the Chief Censor, "The Devil's Playground" violates four out of the five stipulations, namely (a), (b),

(d), and (e).

The film was photographed along various beaches near Sydney. It Is a story of the

South Sea Islands.