THE SINS OF THE SILVER SHEET

At last Massachusetts is to have a censorship of the movies. A strenuous effort on the part of our public moralists has resulted in the adoption of this method for preventing to corruption of our youth. The public, or that part of it which is articulate, is heartily sick of seeing demoralizing photoplays--every one else seems to enjoy them. For if we are to believe the producers, they have been "giving the public what it wants" as a favor, and quite against their personal inclinations.

It is in the practical working, not in its theoretical desirability, that the difficulties of a censorship lie. The requirements differ from state to state; one can "get by" with more in New York than in Massachusetts. The picture as seen in the one place will differ materially from that which is shown in the other. What further contortions the already highly elastic plot is doomed to undergo! Therein lies the fallacy of trying to censor the play after it is finished. Particularly objectionable parts are, indeed, removed and the piece rewritten and patched up; but the scissors cannot eliminate that much more subtle and deadly, influence of "atmosphere". Yet unhealthy atmosphere". Yet unhealthy atmosphere, such as sordid or criminal backgrounds, scenes of "night life", etc., is what the new regulation particularly aims at removing.

The establishment of the censorship will inevitably lead to a period, long or short, of patched photoplays, which era will last until, either the public or the producers or the reformers have learned the required lesson. The reformers are in earnest: the public is apathetic and prone to take meekly anything that is set before it; the producers are the slaves of whoever can make the most noise. It therefore looks as if the reformers will be allowed ample opportunity to see what they can do toward raising the level of our movies. At present there is certainly room for improvement.