Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954), Monday 23 December 1940, page 8


LOVE SCENE CUT

SHORT.

-T-*-. f

Light Horse Film.

APPEALS PENDING.

The only cut made in the film "Forty Thousand Horsemen" by the Common-wealth Films Censor, Mr. Creswell O'Reilly, which will not be re-inserted for export, is a few feet at the end of

a love scene.

As the Commonwealth Censor is also the censor tor Victoria, the whole film will be shown In all States except Victoria

The producer, Mr. Charles Chauvel, said last night that he would appeal aoauist the deletion in the Victorian screenings.

"I do not intend to let the matter rest as it is," he said. "1 don't think any oi the romantic sequence should be cut for ex-port. I can't see why American films with franker scenes than the one in question in my picture should be passed by Mr. O'Reilly, while an Australian film is victimised. I am sure that when the public in other States see the film with the uncut sequence they will wonder what has been going on."

. The other cuts were replaced in the week-end after the Minister for Customs, Mr. Har-rison, and the Films Appeals Censor. Mr. Leslie, had seen the film.

HORSE OWNER'S VIEWS.

The horses considered by Mr. O'Reiily to have been ill-treated in one of the charge scenes were lent to Mr. Chauvel by Mr. G. T. Potter, of Canterbury Road, Canterbury.

"Any charge of ill-treatment is absolutely unfounded," said Mr. Potter last night. "The 15 horses were returned to me in better condition than when I handed them over."

Mr. C. E. Munro, managing director of Hoyts Theatres, Ltd., which will screen the film in Australia, said last night that the Minlstei would again be asked to review the decision to cut the love scene for export. The deletions, he said, were the worst example of "censorship bungling" he hud encountered in more than 20 years lr> the film business.

Mr. Munro said that the Minister would again be asked to review the decision to cut the romantic sequence for export.