NURSE CAVELL FILM

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 129, 29 February 1928, Page 11

NURSE CAVELL FILM

MORE ABOUT THE OFFICIAL BAN SIR AUSTEN CHAMBERLAIN STATES REASONS OBJECTIONABLE EXECUTION SCENE BY i'ELEGRAPH.—PRESS ASSOCIATION. Copyright London, February 27. In the House of Commons Mr. Leopold Amery, Dominions Secretary, in replv to questions said that he had not received any request to communicate with the Dominion Governments on the subject of the exhibition of the film “Dawn.” The German Government had made no representations to the Colonial Office on the subject. The Foreign Secretary, Sir Austen Chamberlain, stated that the German Embassy on September 26, 1927, drew the attention of the Foreign Office to “Dawn.” It was informed that the Government had no powers of political censorship. The German Ambassador on January 74 spoke to him on the subject. As personally he felt strongly on the subject, he interviewed Mr. T. P. O’Connor on . January IS and begged him particularly to give attention to tlie character of tlie film when it was submitted to the Board of Censors. Mr. Crookshank (C.) : Have members of the German Embassy, the Government’s film adviser, or anv member of the Government seen the film ? Sir Austen Chamberlain: 1 have not seen it, and, for reasons already explained,’ do not propose to see it under any circumstances. Objectionable Shooting Scene. Sir Austen went on to say that the Government’s adviser on November 3, 1927, told him that the producer, Mr. Wilcox, had thus described the shooting scene: “One of the firing party definitely refuses to level his rifle at Nurse Cavell and is shot on the spot. The rest line up and on the order to fire raise their rifles in order to fire above her head. She falls to the ground faintimy. The officer steps forward and dispatches her.” “I believe this is an entirely apocryphal version of _ the event,” said Sir Austen. “1 feel it is an outrage on a noble woman’s memory.” Commander Kenworthy (Lab.) asked why there was no objection taken durinc the preparation of the film. Sir Austen Chamberlain: “I have other things to attend to than to study forthcoming films in the newspapers. I therefore acted on Mr. Wilcox’s description of the film to the adviser.” Sir Austen said that it was not true that nobodv in authority had seen the film. The Government’s adviser saw the film and discussed it with Mr. Wilcox. “Would Do the Same Again.” Sir Austen Chamberlain, further questioned, said that his own objection to the film had been restated by Lord Birkenhead in the “Dailv Telegraph” on Saturday. What he did in the matter was undertaken on his own responsibility. If he had to act again, he would do the same. The Foreign Secretary told a questioner that the exhibition of the German film. “The World War Through German Spectacles,” was prohibited. in the Occupied Territories by the Rhineland High Commissioner.

THE FIRING PARTY SCENE PRODUCER REPLIES TO SIR AUSTEN CHAMBERLAIN London, February 27. Mr. Wilcox, producer of “The Dawn,” replying to Sir Austen Chainjierlain, denies supplying the Government adviser with’ the details described. They do not form part of the film and were never taken. He met the adviser only once, when he unofficially visited the studio without reference to “The Dawn,” and saw certain scenes. The actual firing partv scene runs: “On the command, firing party, ready.” Rammeler’s refusal to shoot is played to where the officer steps forward. The actual shooting is not shown. It is merely reflected by the expression of Nurse Cavell, who faints. Ihe firing partv is brought back to ‘Order.’ As the officer moves from the side of the firing party, the scene is transferred to the Lutheran chaplain’s face, his expression indicating what occurs. Thereafter the scene dissolves to a line from Rupert Brooke’s poem, ‘Some corner of a foreign field, etc.,' which dissolves to Nurse Cavell's grave. The firing party does not fire over her head. lhe firing partv does not give the coup de graee. The actual shooting is not shown. It is utterly untrue to sav that the adviser or anv other official has seen the film, though the adviser asked telephonicallv this afternoon if he might. lam showing “The Dawn ’ privately in Berlin next week.