TNAG-1990-FCO40-2823-Broadcasting-in-Hong-Kong-1989 — Page 98

CONFIDENTIAL

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELNO 319

OF 30053OZ JANUARY 89

INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG

5

HKD 306/2

035230

MDHIAN 0327

FILM CENSORSHIP: IF I WERE FOR REAL

1. A TAIWAN-MADE FILM QUOTE IF I WERE FOR REAL UNQUOTE HAS BEEN SUBMITTED TO THE COMMISSIONER FOR TELEVISION AND ENTERTAINMENT LICENSING (CTEL) TO BE APPROVED FOR SHOWING IN HONG KONG. THE FILM HAS BEEN BANNED FIVE TIMES BEFORE, UNDER THE PREVIOUS LEGISLATION, ON THE GROUNDS THAT ITS SHOWING WOULD DAMAGE RELATIONS WITH OTHER TERRITORIES. IT IS BASED ON A MAINLAND PLAY ABOUT A YOUNG MAN WHO MANIPULATES THE CORRUPT COMMUNIST PARTY AND GOVERNMENT MACHINERY IN THE EARLY '70S TO HIS OWN ADVANTAGE. IT IS REASONABLY WELL ACTED AND PRODUCED. ITS APPROACH IS IN MOST PLACES SATIRICAL WITHOUT BEING TOO HEAVY-HANDED.

2. THREE MAIN CONSIDERATIONS HAVE LED TO ITS BANNING IN THE PAST:

A) ALTHOUGH THE PLAY WAS ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN CHINA AND WAS, WE BELIEVE, SHOWN BRIEFLY IN SHANGHAI BEFORE BEING CRITICISED, THE FILM WAS PRODUCED IN TAIWAN AND CAN BE SEEN AS ANTI-MAINLAND

PROPAGANDA:

B) IT PORTRAYS A REAL-LIFE CHARACTER, LI DA, AT THE TIME DEPUTY CHIEF OF GENERAL STAFF OF THE PLA, WHO IS STILL ALIVE. IN THE FILM THE HERO IMPERSONATES LI DA'S SON. HOWEVER THE CHARACTER LI DA APPEARS IN THE ORIGINAL PLAY AS PRODUCED ON THE MAINLAND, AND IS NOT UNSYMPATHETICALLY PORTRAYED:

C) THE TAIWAN PRODUCER HAS ADDED TO THE ORIGINAL MAINLAND AUTHOR'S SCRIPT A FINAL SCENE IN WHICH THE HERO AND HEROINE COMMIT SUICIDE FOLLOWING THE FORMER'S ARREST AND IMPRISONMENT. THIS CONSIDERABLY HEIGHTENS THE IMPRESSION OF HOSTILE PROPAGANDA ALTHOUGH IT ONLY OCCUPIES A VERY SMALL PROPORTION OF THE FILM.

3. SINCE THE LAST BANNING, NEW FILM CENSORSHIP LEGISLATION HAS BEEN INTRODUCED. IT TOOK EFFECT IN NOVEMBER 1988. ONLY A SMALL PART OF THE LEGISLATION DEALS WITH POLITICAL CENSORSHIP: BUT THIS HAS BEEN CHANGED IN TWO IMPORTANT RESPECTS. IN THE FIRST PLACE THE

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