FILM CENSORSHIP
SIR,—Before we had the 'X' certificate, we could not have had the film of Spare the Rod because we had not a certificate that was really for adults only. Now that we have an 'X' certificate and we could have Spare the Rod, the producer cannot risk his backer's nitney on it because the big cinema circuits wouldn't show it, because they believe that adult cinemagocrs would refuse to see it, be- cause it would have a label which might make it seem other than it was! As a first step. we should reihstatc the 'H' certificate, while maintaining the 'X' certifi- cate. As a second step, a conference of British film producers, writers and creative technicians should be called to thrash out with representa- tives of the censors, exhibitors and distributors the problem of educating the adult public in the values and purposes of the various certifi- cates, so that the squeamish can be informed, selective and reassured.
Exhibitors are worried that more than half of our population does not visit the cinema regularly; so let us give the public the variety which the full use of the four certificates would afford. We should then make progress in converting the missing millions to the great medium of the cinema.—Yours faithfully,
ADRIAN BRUNEL
First House, Gerrard's Cross
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