The Moving picture world (November 1925-December 1925)

30 MOVING PICTURE WORLD November 7, 1925 legislation Against American Films Noti^ in Force in Italy and Hungary Italian Exhibitors Must Devote One Week in Every Two Months to Exclusive Showing of Italian Productions By \V. STEPHEN BUSH {Special to Moving Picture World from Home) PERSISTENT agitation on the part of native producers has led to further legislation against American films. The two countries which have followed in the footsteps of Germany with its restrictive measures against foreign competition are Italy and Hungary. The Italian producers have been knocking at the door of the government for years asking for help and protection against "ruinious foreign competition. Foreign competition means, of course, American competition, because outside of some German and a very few French firms there have been no foreign productions in Italy other than those from across the water. The question of protecting the native industry was at last taken up by the Fascisti party on patriotic grounds. When the matter was brought to the attention of Mussolini he expressed himself as very much in favor of reviving the film industry of the kingdom, but he had his doubts as to the efficacy of governmental interference. His idea was that the industry should have a new birth without the help of royal decrees or legislative enactments. The so-called "contingent" or reciprocity plan of the German statesmen failed to impress him favorably as the best means to the end. However, the pressure of the native interests has at last succeeded in making the government take action. No scheme of forced reciprocity will be tried, though the native producers keep demanding that Italy follow the German regulations in this respect. For the present the government has contented itself with issuing a decree which makes it mandatory upon every theatre owner in Italy to devote at least one week in every two months to the e.xclusive showing of films made in Italy, directed by Italians and acted by an Italian cast. In this way it is hoped that capital will be encouraged in its ambition to invest in new films. A Curious Decree If only the ultimate consumer, popularly known as the "movie fan," can be induced to fall in with the scheme its success ought to be assured. Experiments made with Italian films in the biggest theatre in Rome do not encourage any such hopes. The most depressing box office record ever made in that theatre was achieved with a film made in Italy, directed by an Italian director and acted by an Italian cast. The whole world, including the United States, will be glad to see Italy revive her ancient glories in the motion picture field but the success must come from its own inherent strength. The government of Hunpary has issued the following curious decree : "To encourage the manufacture of Hungarian films the government will hereafter exact a duty o£ 3,000 crowns for every meter of positive film imported into Hungary. Every film exchange which uses twenty foreign films a year, averaging in length 1,500 meters (about five reels) is obliged to produce in Hungary at least one film of equal length for every twenty foreign productions." This provision closely follows the regula tions prevailing in Austria. These attempts to handicap the importation and distribution of American films may prove a source of annoyance to American producers and exporters but in the last analysis they will do more damage to the countries that resort to such measures. They strike at the entertainment value of the motion picture show and that is the only sound foundation of all moving picture prosperity. Congress Again Postponed The International Film Congress which was to have taken place in the middle of the month at Paris has again been postponed, this time to June 26, 1926. This new adjournment has brought to light some very interesting inside history of the original plans for the Congress. It seems that the sub-committee of the League of Nations which had charge of the project had been under the impression that it could guide the preparations for the conference and arrange the program for its proceedings without any help from the motion picture industry. They had mapped out their campaign on the high-class stationery of the League of Nations and the film people were expected to accept the program as it was handed to them. Now when the sub-committee found how great had been its mistake it was too late to rectify it in the short time left. Enriched by its experience the sub-committee will now leave the details very much to the film people themselves and its own representatives will be primarily ornamental. In other words, the League of Nations will give its blessing and a prestige to the labors of the Congress but the practical work will be done by film experts from every section of the world. Only in one respect will there be no alter ation of the original program ; the U. S. A. will be shown to a front seat early in the proceedmgs. The preparations will be started by the French Chamber of Commerce for Films. Invitations will be sent out immediately. Each country will be allowed a representation in accordance with the size of its film interests and in election of delegates will of course be left to the industry in the respective states. In view of the fact that the Congress will be due to French initiative, the joint commission from the French Chamber of Commerce of Films and the sub-committee of the League of Nations has decided that the expenses ought to be borne by the French film interests. The French Ministry of Public Instruction has appropriated the sum of 50,000 franks, the City of Paris has given 20,000 franks and the Chamber of Commerce has subscribed the same amount. Every section of the French film industry will be solicited for contributions toward the expenses of the Congress. Roxy Talk* TurkeySam Rothafel has been interviewed by at least a score of reporters during his stay in Berlin and has been talking like a missionary to fellow exhibitors. The art of showing motion pictures is very much in its puling infancy htroughout Germany, though Berlin has one or two houses whose managers will understand Roxy's views. Hungarian papers report that Famous Players will make three features in Hungary during the year 1926. It is said that Adolph Zukor on his last visit to the country of his birth personally selected a number of suitable locations. A survey of the programs in the motion picture theatres of Paris, Berlin, Rome, Vienna and Prague for the past two weeks shows an overwhelming predominance of American films. One detail : Out of the eight biggest houses in Paris, seven have been using American films almost exclusively. AGREEMENT EXPECTED SOON An agreement is expected to be reached between the Rochester Musicians' Protective Association and the Rochester Theatre Managers' Association following a meeting to be called in a few days by William A. Caliban, president of the latter organization. Under an offer of the theatre managers, which is in the nature of a compromise, the musicians would get a boost of $2 a week this year and another iron man raise next year. The music makers asked for an increase of $10 for a seven-day week and a $6 raise for a six-day week, to effect all theatre musicians in the city, outside the Eastman. FIRE SWEEPS VILLAGE Fire Starting in Grange Hall, Brookfield, N. Y., while motion pictures were being shown, swept through the main street of the village one night last week, destroying four buildings at a loss of $20,000. The crowd filed out without disorder.