The Nurse Cavell Film T HE banning of the Nurse Cavell
film, Dawn, by the British Board of Film Censors has directed our thoughts to larger issues than the fate of the production in question. Many issues are involved, and the casting up of a balance between the pros and cons is not as simple as it might appear at first sight. We shall attempt to set forth the arguments for and against the showing of Dawn.
Those who favour the withdrawal of the Board of Censors' ban can make a strong case. The liberty of the Press has, for many years, been a cherished possession of the Englishman, and official censorship or interference with the exhibition of films, except in a matter of urgent public interest, is likewise to be deplored. Nurse Cavell was one of the heroines of the War, and she typifies for the British people the wonderful role that woman played in the struggle, and as such a film connected with her name makes a special appeal. Whatever international or military law may have to say on the subject of the penalties to which Nurse Cavell rendered herself liable, public opinion in -this country has always thought that Germany made a great blunder in permitting her execution.
It must be remembered that all those who write about Dawn are doing so without having seen the film, but according to the producers the film does not pander to the war spirit ; rather does it show up war as a thing to be hated. In the English-speaking world, rightly or wrongly, the execution of Nurse Cavell was regarded with horror, and those who favour the exhibition of the film say that it is not reasonable to expect us to gloss over her story. Finally, there is the manner in which the prohi- bition was effected. It was certainly unfortunate that no inkling of the Government's disapproval was given before the film was ready. The popular Press has strongly criticized the Foreign Office, and has asked why Sir Austen Chamberlain should intervene in the present case, while apparently no obstacles have been raised against the showing this week of the German film, The War Through German Spectacles. From the German standpoint, it is arguable that the cause of European friendship would have been better served if no protest had been made, and if the film had been produced in the ordinary way of business, for the controversy, which has been taking place in the columns of the Press, has undoubtedly stirred up passions that were dying down and bitter memories, too recent to be impartial, have been reawakened.
In support of Sir Austen Chamberlain's position and the action of the British Board of Film Censors is the knowledge that the exhibition of the film would without question fan the embers of hate steadily dying down since Locarno. It would be impossible to witness so poignant a story as the final chapter in Nurse Cavell's life without the arousing of bitter feelings, and once more we should be involved in controversy as to some of the darker pages in the history of the War. As Lord Birkenhead said, in his letter to the Daily Telegraph on Saturday, we should all " strive by every effort to put away the memory of these old unhappy things in the effort to establish a new and more humane relationship."
If the effect of seeing the film were merely to increase our detestation of war, its exhibition would be legitimate, but that emphatically would not be so. Our first concern must be European peace, and no arguments, however strong, can justify the creation of ill-feeling against one particular, nation. The exhibition of the film in Great .Britain would be , a step backWards from Locarno, and would send us back along the path up which we have so painfully climbed during the past three years. If- the film were shown, we should once again find ourselves involved in interminable arguments about espionage in war-time and the punishment of spies. The progressive forces in Germany 'have had many internal difficulties to overcome, for " Junkerism " is not yet dead, and it is evident from the German Press comments that the banning of the film by the British Board of Censors has greatly strengthened the hands of the moderate forces. Our action has shown that our adhesion to Locarno implies a very real desire to work for a changed spirit in European affairs. To sum up, therefore, while we think that a good case can be made in favour of the exhibition of the film, no arguments, to our mind, can compare in: urgency with the undoubted fact that the showing of the film would reawaken passions that were dying down, and be in direct contravention to the spirit of Locarno.
Nurse Cavell was an heroic figure, and her final words will probably be immortal. She stands out as a supreme example of devotion to her country, yet to her patriotism was not enough. Remembering that final sentence of hers, " I must have no hatred or bitterness to anyone," can we imagine that she would have approved of the re-telling of her life's end in such a way as to re-create hatred and bitterness against our former foes ?
The attention which has been directed to the banning of the Cavell film has made us realize, however, that the question of the censorship of films, as at present conducted, is not entirely satisfactory. There would seem to be a need for the institution of some more formal authority than we at present possess. How far is the prohibition of a film permissible because it may hurt the suscepti- bilities of the audience ? During the past two weeks it has been stated that the American producers are with- drawing the film The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse because it engenders the old war spirit. An Irish film, The Callaghan and the Murphys, has also been withdrawn in America because of Irish opposition. The exhibition of Beau Geste in Shanghai recently was the cause of distur- bances and active protests by French ex-soldiers. And more recently still comes the intimation from the Berlin correspondent of the Times that the film depicting the life of Martin Luther has been shown on the Berlin screens for the last time because of strong Roman Catholic. protests. The view of Protestants in Germany is that in a film attempting to present the life of Martin Luther, it would have been impossible to have ignored some of those causes which directly inspired the Reformation. On a former occasion, an American film was shown in this country depicting scenes from the Revolutionary War in the eighteenth century distinctly unfavourable to the British point of view, and it might be said to have jeopardized British-American relations.
If a central film-licensing authority is set up, what ar9 the instructions it will receive from the Government ? Must nothing be shown on the screen which might hurt the susceptibilities of another nation or of a section 01 our own people ? We mention these difficulties to show how warily the film censors will have to tread. When the larger problem comes to be considered we can only hope that the greatest possible latitude will be given. We would sooner risk treading on some toes than that repression and official interference should become the order of the day. This is not to say that there are not occasions when a film should be banned ; we think the Nurse Cavell film is a case in point, but on the whole we would rather have too much freedom than too little.
Previous page
