Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954), Saturday 21 December 1940, page 13


|¡ CUTS; IN, FILM

STORED. -.

J -i

Light Horse Story.

MINISTERS_CRITICISE.

Censorship deletions in the charge scenes in the Light Horse film "Forty Thousand Horsemen" will be restored in the picture for export to the United

States.

This is the decision made by the Com-monwealth Films Appeal Censor, Mr. Leslie, yesterday.

Yesterday's decision is a reversal of Mr. Leslie's previous finding, which upheld the cuts ordered by the Chief Commonwealth Film Censor, Mr. W. Cresswell O'Reilly. Universal Pictures and Mr. Charles. Chauvel (the producer of the film) were previously informed verbally by the censorship office that Mr. Leslie had upheld Mr. O'Reilly's decision.

It Is believed that Mr. Leslie Is still up-holding other cuts recommended by Mr. O'Reilly. These include a romantic scene in a descit hut, and a cafe chantant sequence in Cairo, portraying eastern dancers.

Mr. C. E. Munro, managing director of Hoyts Theatres, said last night that no cuts would be made in the film for the Sydney season, as It had been passed by the New South Wales Chief Secretary's Department It would be exhibited without cuts In all other States except Victoria. The Commonwealth Censor is also the film censor for Victoria.

The Minister for Customs, Mr. Harrison (whose department administers film censor-ship), and Mr. Leslie, viewed the film yester-day afternoon. Mr. Harrison would make

no comment afterwards.

Mr. Leslie said last night that he had given his decision to Mr. o;Reil)y, who would com-municate it to fchb company.

Mr.' K. |C. Mclntyie, managing director of Universal Pictuies Pty, Ltd, which will distlibtite the lilm tluoughout Austialia and in Amcuca, said last night that he had been offloially^lnformcd-that, he would receive to-

day £ letter frqm _the censor authonslng the rcinclusïorf of the 'cuts 'in the charge 'scenes.

He had Hot Beeh .lnTornfedí about the final fate of the other ¿wo minor cuts.

STUPID, BUSINESS.

"It is splendid that the charge scene Is to

be",retained." %./Mcintyre» skid. t'What a stupid business it has been. You can't have a chaige before Beersheba without a few horses falling. Thanks to the censorship the film,, which (,represehfs l8 , months or two yeais' worti, :has. missed -the' Clipper, which was to take It to Los Angeles to be viewed by executives who will plan its distubution in the United States. It is satisfactory, how-ever, that the produqer has been vindicated."

Mr. Charles Chauvel, producer of the film, 1 ¡«aid last night that the method of deciding

the first appeal, which had upheld the order of the Chief Commonwealth Films Censor for a number of cuts, had been a travesty.

"I was never given ony opportunity to discuss any section or phase of the pictute Which may Have worried either Mr. O'Reilly or Mr. Leslie," he added.

"Dunng the making of the film on the Cronulla sandhills, the horse yards were visited by an officer of the R.S.P.CA, and he expressed his full satisfaction with the care and use of the horses. As this officer lived at Croniiila, and was always on the spot, he was asked to visit our location whenever ho felt inclined."

MINISTER'S COMMENT.

"I viewed 'Forty Thousand Hoisemon,' and I could not find a scene which would prove in any way objectionable to the aveiagc Aus-

tralian."

The Chief Secietary, Mt. Tonklng, bald this yesterday.

Both the Premier, Mr. Mair, and Mr. Ton-kin, criticised the censoring by the Common-wealth Film Censor, Mi. O'Reilly, of portions ot the Aüsti alian pictuie, "Foi ty Thousand

Horsemen "

Mr. O'Reilly declined last night to comment on the criticism of his action.