[To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.] Sitt,—All lovers of young
folk will be grateful for the outspoken condemnation by " Crusader " in your current issue of the film "Vaudeville." I have recently seen the vile thing. Not knowing what it was like and reading only certain laudatory Press notices of it, I thought it might be interesting if not amusing to children, particularly as the advertisements made a feature of some acrobatic performances with which children are usually thrilled.
I was spending the Christmas holidays at a seaside resort and on Boxing Day I said to my little granddaughters, " We will go to the pictures " To my horror this long film was shown.. As " Crusader " says, it is an exhibition of sexual jealousy in circus life, to the vice and immorality being added coarse and ugly surroundings and behaviour. Things were shown on the screen which no actors and actresses on the stage, at least in this country, would dare to do. I cannot understand decent-minded people looking at such scenes without tingling all over with shame.
How is it that such a film passes the censor and receives commendatory notices in the Press ? Can it be, as suggested by a recent writer in the Morning Post, that newspaper critics do not bother to view these films ? If that is the case we who care for the moral welfare of young people must support Mr. Cholmeley in condemning outright the cinema for its effect. on children, or at least we must back up the demand of Mr. Ebbutt of the Daily News for a special censor- ship of films to be shown to children.—I am, Sir, &c., C. H. STRANGE.
20 Dudley Road, Tunbridge Wells.
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