Perversion for Profit 1964 - 1965 circa
Often quite humorous film which purports to speak about cultural mores and their decline; advises us to be wary of pornography which may appear at the local newsstand, malt shop or drugstore. In reaction to perception of substantial growth in the distribution of pornographic material. Homosexuality is considered pornographic per se.
Shows frank images often with censoring black bars across them [the bars often obscure very little, simply adding to the air of licentious ness]. "For the sake of decency in this film we have partially covered the pictures and disguised the identity of the models." Excellent footage of magazine covers. Striking art cards like the octopus shown as the symbol of pornography and its mass distribution.
Four kinds of magazines shown: girlie, nudist, physique; men's adventure. And cheap paperback exploitation novels.
Rare footage of gay men's magazine covers and interiors including "ONE" subtitled"The Homosexual Viewpoint" May, 1959.
Voiceovers:
"A flood tide of filth is engulfing our country in the form of newstand obscenity, it is threatening to pervert an entire generation of our American children."
Children are the target market:
"We know that once a person is perverted, it is practically impossible for that person to revert to normal attitudes in regard to sex." "No matter who buys this material 75 to 90% of
it ends up in the hands of our children."
Modern technology lends itself to the promulgation of decadence:
"Never in the history of the world have the merchants of obscenity, the teachers of unnatural sex acts had available to them the modern facilities for disseminating this filth. High-speed presses, rapid transportation, mass distribution all have combined to put this violent obscenity within the reach of every man, woman and child in the country."
"Through this material, today's youth can be stimulated to sexual activity for which he has no legitimate outlet. He is even enticed to enter the world of homosexuals, lesbians, sadists, masochists and other sex deviants."
"They [pornographic magazines] constantly portray abnormal sexual behavior as normal; they glorify unnatural sex acts; they tell youngsters that it's smart, it's thrilling; it provides kicks to be a homosexual, a sadist and every other kind of deviant."
Community leaders and medical establishment agree about link of pornography to moral decay of country. This weakening also leads to vulnerablity to Communism.
"The military chaplains association of the United States, practically every major fraternal, civic and religious organization, the juvenile court judges, the Federal Bureau
of Investigation, innumerable psychiatrists, sociologists, and psychologists attribute the moral decay among our people in very large part to the obscene and pornographic literature so prevalent in our society. This moral decay weakens our resistance to the onslaught of the Communist masters of deceit."
Discussion of nudist magazines: "Very few blind people join the nudist colonies." "A young boy in Philadelphia raped and killed a five-year old girl." He testified "that he had been stimulated to this heinous crime by reading a nudist magazine."
Prolonged exposure to physique magazines puts even "normal" males at risk of becoming perverts (homosexuals). Today's conquest is tommorow's competition: supposed homosexual slogan.
Pornography and "fun" lead to illegitimate children and hefty financial burden on taxpayers.
"Life is presented as fun. This warped idea of fun has contributed to the fact that one out of every twenty children born in the United States last year was illegitimate. The care of these children cost taxpayers one billion dollars."
Rise of VD, crime, violence.
"Sex-mad magazines are helping to create criminals faster than we can build jails to house them."
Also shown is a plan for community organizing campaign.
Contacting merchants; writing letters; checking your home etc. "The law is our weapon." "Report objectionable materials to the police."
Narrated by George Putnam.
