The Cine Technician (1953-1956)

July 1955 " In India we do both," he said, and he gave the respective examples of Two Acres of Land and Aan, The Savage Princess, of which The Times wrote with delightful ambiguity : " Has to be seen to be believed." It was perhaps a blessing in disguise that Indian film-makers did not have as much money as Hollywood moguls, and so they did not often attempt to compete on the same plane as the Hollywood extravaganzas. I always seem to be writing of the problems of foreign film industries— U.S.A., Italy, Hungary, and now India, but that is because I think that we are inclined to be rather insular and over-proud of our own undoubted successes. Indian film-makers are learning to please their own people first, and as a result are finding that they are beginning to please audiences in other countries, too. We are often tempted to worry too much about whether our films will please the Americans, and that is why films from the Continent and from Asia are well worth study. What about co-production? As in international affairs, India bridges the two great power blocks, and Mr. Abbas is one of the producers making a joint IndianSoviet picture. Mr. Abbas was critical of the cosmopolitanism of some co-productions, which he described as " co-exploitation." " Co-production should only be undertaken," he said, " when both countries have a natural common interest in the story," and he told me something of the script he was writing for the Soviet Ministry of Culture about the life of an early Russian traveller who had gone to India as a merchant in 1469. This was a perfect subject for coproduction, and he hoped to be directing it in Hindustani, working with a Soviet director; it would be filmed in Russian Sovcolour. Mr. Abbas told me he was being left completely fre in writing the script — though both Governments would, of course, pass it. " I am not much worried about that," he added, " because the story is not concerned with politics." Turning to the attitude of the Indian Government to the film industry, he said : "Our Government, on the whole, doesn't give special encouragement, so much as moral support for our cinema." He mentioned, however, that they had a hand in selecting films for international festivals and that Premier Nehru had given Indian producers much encouragement by sending a letter of praise, the first he had ever sent for a film, after seeing Munna. CINE TECHNICIAN From you to the Editor 105 The Right to Strike The Editor, " Cine Technician." Sir, In view of the recent discussions in the popular Press over the right to strike and certain misgivings among our own members, I feel we should not forget the history of the Trade Union movement and how the right to strike was obtained after years of battle — resulting in the recognition by the Government of this right. It was restricted by the Government after the 1926 General Strike, but the first action of the Labour Government when elected in 1945 was to repeal the Trades Disputes Act, and it has always been recognised, except during the war, that the worker has the right to withdraw his labour in a trade dispute. It is in the interests of all Trade Unionists to guard this basic right jealously, for without it all bargaining power is lost. Although we have had little industrial action in A.C.T., the present rates and conditions have not been won without struggle involving overtime bans, strikes and, on the employers' side, lockouts. I do not support unofficial strikes, as they are harmful to the Trade Union movement as a whole, and I believe that interunion disputes are more help to the employers than to the workers concerned. Although we are a mixed union, consisting of artistic, artisan and other workers, we must remember that our present rates and conditions would not have been obtained without our combined action within the A.C.T. Yours sincerely, Eric J. Pask. 12 Elton Avenue, Barnet, Herts. INFORMATION PLEASE The Editor, Cine Technician, Sir, I am conducting research into the history of the pioneer showmen of the films. I understand that from 18961912 the showmen took the Biascope round to halls, and on the fairgrounds it became such a popular novelty that at someleading fairs as many as six different " Bioscopes " were present. I believe quite a few people in the cinema trade today have been connected with these old-time shows and I would be grateful to receive any information from any readers of the " Cine Technician ". Yours faithfully, Armand George. Armand George's, 52 York Street, London, W.l. ASQUITH HONOURED A.C.T.'s President, Anthony Asquith gained a special award for his film The Young Lovers at the Berlin International Film Festival. The Young Lovers, a Pinewood film, was eighth in the list of ten best films judged by the general public. The seventh place was won by Ealing Studio's The Divided Heart. MONOPOLY REPORT CITES RENTERS The practice of renters in agreeing among themselves to have no dealings with " booking combines " or independent cinemas acting together to negotiate bookings, was mentioned in the report of the Monopolies and Restrictive Practices Commission. The renters' practice was held as a typical example of the rigidity imposed where suppliers or distributors refuse to deal with traders, normally collective-buying organisations and other co-operative bodies, who buy certain wares. The report gives a reminder that such agreement among renters had already been condemned in the Report on Tendencies to Monopoly in the Cinematograph Film Industry (1944). The Commission finds that such agreements " are likely, particularly where they are operated at all rigidly, to protect existing distributors unduly by hindering new entrants."