Movie Madness

The slashing that American films undergo in foreign countries may somewhat pacify those who grumble whenever the impassioned scenes in French imports are suddenly cut short. Bathing suit sequences that wouldn't make an American Grandma blush are scrapped minutes after they reach the Irish censors' office, and Tarzan has never appeared in Spain without a full suit of clothes. Since nearly 40 percent of Hollywood's profit comes from abroad, the film czars have gathered legions of experts to remove objectionable parts before they leave this country. But it's impossible to out guess foreign whims, and the film companies are paying millions in censor fees while they watch the cellulose flutter into the trash.

Surprisingly enough, most of the complaints are against "violence and brutality," not the overly spicy episodes. When one movie pictured a man clubbing another over the head with an old water hose the British censors brought out their scissors. "It's an act someone could imitate," they said. A particularly good example is that Cinema scope epic, "King of the Khyber Ribes." In one scene the natives have a rollicking time galloping back and forth as they toss spears into the captive Britishers-no American censor murmured a word of objection. In Europe, however, the "atrocity" found approval for showing in only a few countries. A Hollywood expert has estimated that about four out of every five cuts are because of "that excess sadism." Both Britain and Australia are especially touchy about actors who kick dogs or beat horses. In a few countries the authorities fear violent scenes will incite action among the politically unstable, as in Indonesia, where the storming of the Bastille was omitted from all showings.

Occasionally a movie is filmed with racier dialogue in the foreign version than in the American. In the original "Mr. Robert," a character just leers about his flirtations, but in the European filming he mumbles a few blunt lines. Usually it is the other way around. India was upset with "Demetrius and the Gladiators," particularly with the scene with a semi-clad gladiator in the background. All the Asian countries are rigidly strict, removing any embrace that lingers more than a second or two ("depending on the quality").

Unexpected additions to the censorship list came with a warming in the cold war. Egypt now rejects all slightly anti-communist films with the argument that there is no communist party in their country, and therefore no need for the propaganda. India has banned movies like "The Red Danube," and rejected newsreels that showed Stalin's death in "somewhat capitalistic" light. The French kept out "Hell and High Water" until certain controversial figures were eliminated, and Finland has recently banned "The Peking Express" and "Night People."

Besides the general censorship trends, each country has its own individual peculiarities. Iran's potentates ousted "Mr. Imperium" because the king in the movie cavorted with "a common singer." The filming of "David and Bathsheba" seemed to irritate everyone-the Moslems were shocked by David's unsaintly behavior, Egypt sliced out a hot diplomatic exchange between David and the Egyptian ambassador, and Spain's censor worried because the film was based entirely on the Old Testament. The moral standards in India oppose any dance sequences "if there is a shaking," as well as all drinking. In the "Student Prince," for example, a song was dropped only because beer was mentioned. Sometimes a foreign government directly interfers, as when King Farouk, discomforted with the vivid portrayal of a slovish Nero, put thumbs down on "Quo Vadis." In all, many countries outlaw more American films than they admit, and sometimes pay for a portion of their movie imports with the censorship fees. But Hollywood isn't worried yet, and won't, said one producer, "until they get tired of Technicolor."