Pride Month: when The Killing of Sister George came to Wales

Norena Shopland

In 1968, the comedy play The Killing of Sister George was turned into a film by director Robert Aldrich and filmed in America. Beryl Reid, who had appeared in the original play, reprised the role of an ageing lesbian actress, June ‘George’ Buckridge, and the breakdown of her long-term relationship with a younger woman (Susannah York).

Aldrich added scenes that included a lesbian sex scene and turned it into a serious drama exploring lesbianism.

Due to the sex scene (without any sex and tame by today’s standards) the film received an X-rating and when brought to the UK in 1969, it suffered similar censorship problems. The British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) demanded changes, but various councils had allowed the film to go ahead regardless.

Liberal

The Chief Censor of the BBFC, John Trevelyan, had a more liberal approach to the role than his predecessors. Under his tenure he passed content, including adultery and premarital sex (Room at the Top, 1959), homosexuality (Victim, 1961), and abortion (Alfie, 1966) on British cinema screens.

Meanwhile, Caernarvon were trying to decide whether to show the film, and fourteen men from the council attended a private viewing, nine to five agreeing it could go ahead, but they did clamp an X on it. Most saying that it contained nothing more than usually seen on TV.

Colwyn Bay passed it without comment. Neath Borough Council said okay, but not Neath Rural Council.

They too wanted a private viewing, causing one unnamed journalist to write, under the title of ‘Self-appointed Supreme Court of Public Morals,’ in the Neath Guardian, that ‘then they would make up their minds whether it was fit and proper for me and all the other Thomases, Davieses, Joneses, Williamses, Morganses and Evanses in their area. You see, they were under the distinct impression that we are unable to decide for ourselves. That we are too immature.’

Pontypridd Council too struggled with the decision. In September, Councillor Mrs Mary Murphy said she knew very little about ‘the problem’ (lesbianism) but believed the council should not authorise the showing of the film. Others thought they could not ban it before a viewing and arranged for a private screening so they could make up their minds — they banned it.

In June 1970, Trevelyan asked Pontypridd to think again, as the town was being seen as an anomaly that such an ‘important’ place was refusing to show it.

Cuts

He had authorised a revised version, with some cuts in the sex scene, but the men on Pontypridd council still resisted. The Pontypridd Observer, covering the varying local attitudes joined a nationwide debate questioning the moral right of censorship.

Several Pontypridd councillors defended the film, particularly following the cuts, some arguing ‘lesbianism was a way of life,’ while others thought it was ‘trash’ and believed they had a moral responsibility to protect the people of Pontypridd.

Councillor John Charles Anzani who had been both praised and criticised for his stand, said, ‘As far as I am concerned, I feel it is an absolutely disgusting film— degrading to human beings and pornographic. I am concerned about human values being destroyed for a profit motive.’

Mr E. R. Bowden supported Anzani and complained that, should the film be allowed, posters would be shown around the town and he supported the ‘profit motive.’ ‘If people want to see muck,’ he said, ‘then let them go outside our town to search for it.’

Eddie Smith disagreed: ‘I certainly do not feel one film would create a sex explosion in the town or an epidemic of immorality. If people wish to see this film then I say they should have that right. I feel the councillors should not impose their will on the majority of the townspeople.’

The councillors agreed to watch the film again— and banned it again.

Despite demands for the film to be shown it remained banned, forcing people out of Pontypridd to see it.

It was all so short lived, the revised version was shown on TV in 1970 and received little comment, although ‘Seven disgusted viewers, Llandudno’ did write to the Liverpool Daily Post (Welsh Edition), ‘I suppose one must accept homosexuality in private, but surely it is not a suitable subject for constant entertainment as provided on both television and cinema.’

Doing what many do, forget LGBTQ+ people pay taxes and as such are entitled to see themselves represented.

All subsequent home releases of the film have been fully uncut, and it can be watched on YouTube.