Madam, - Your correspondent Michael Dwyer and the editorial (July 23rd) echo the sentiments expressed by Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform Dermot Ahern upon the renaming of the Irish Film Censor's Office as The Irish Film Classification Office: we are moving from darkness into light. Some decisions of the first film censor James Montgomery are cited in support of the proposition.
Or is it that a fundamental expression of Irish sovereignty is being handed over to the Motion Picture Association of America? Six or seven years ago, when the position of censor was advertised, American interests were touting the idea that, really, the idea of film censorship was antediluvian.What the job was about, in essence, was film classification: U18; U15; PG and so on. The idea that one of their films could be repugnant to the moral standards of a people or nation was not something the moguls were prepared to countenance.
In Roman times the censors' primary role was to count (censere) the population. From that engagement with the people as a whole grew their duty to determine and maintain standards of public morality.
James Montgomery was beloved of his contemporaries on account of his outstanding wit. Some of his decisions are used to demonstrate his office as the nadir of Free State backwardness in matters of sexual morality. For example: "the girl dancing on the village green shows more leg than I've seen on a village green in Ireland. Better amputate them." Montgomery's job was to express the moral standards of the Irish people as they were, not as he and intellectual friends like Synge,Yeats and Gogarty, thought they should be.
His first decision was politically sensitive. The German attaché wanted him to ban The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypsebecause it was anti-German. Montgomery refused. The Irish censor made it clear from the outset that he would not succumb to pressure from foreigners, including Americans. "I'm here to prevent the Californication of the Irish nation", he said. What would he have made of the series - Californication- on our screens today?
James Montgomery would not have permitted the INFACT advertisement to appear on our screens. Irish National Fight against Copyright Theft is neither Irish nor national. It is the Motion Picture Association of America masquerading as Irish to usurp our legislation. He would have refused a certificate to Black Hawk Down, the American army-financed murder-of-Muslims fest made to compensate for military defeat in Somalia, because Irish legislation provides that the official censor will not declare works fit for viewing which "stir up hatred against a group on account of their race, colour, nationality, religion, ethnic or national origins".
James Montgomery would not have applauded this change of name because the Irish people never said they wanted it. My guess is he would have seen this move as a sop to American interests. The Irish censor will rubber stamp what Hollywood decides.Californication.
Rarely these days will you hear Montgomery's brilliant ballad The Forgetful Sailor. A pity. It has the sturdy, independent air of a man born upon the Dublin quays who gave his best shot for his fellow citizens in whatever business he tried his hand. - Yours, etc.,
RONAN SHEEHAN,
Ranelagh,
Dublin 6.