The Moving picture world (November 1926-December 1926)

70 MOVING PICTURE WORLD November 13, 1926 C UMMING up the Britishfilm situation, on the eve of his return to England, J. D. Williams, managing director of British National Pictures, w ho is now on the ocean, gave the writer a few pertinent thoughts concerning it, which we pass on here. REAT BRITAIN, as everyone knows, is the best market which we have outside of our own theatres for American films, representing at least fifteen per cent of the gross figure, which a producer can reasonably expect to obtain on a given picture, and this fifteen per cent, is probably more than the profit most producers get on their attractions under present conditions. A NY condition, therefore, which tends in any way to ^ limit or jeopardize this market, ought to be a matter of the utmost concern to all for the problems of the British film industry, thus become ours, and no longer remain merely a subject for academic, if not altogether sympathetic, discussion, because they happen to exist some three thousand miles away. • C UCH a condition now seems to be imminent in the threatened 12>4 per cent quota, which, it is said, the British Government is almost certain to impose when Parliament next convenes, that will compel British exhibitors to show at least one British-made picture in every eight screened. • f N the view of those most competent to judge, this will be only the beginning of further and even more drastic restrictions against .\merican productions, some going so far as to assert that once the British Government actually commits itself to a policy of official supervision of the film industry, a "cultural censorship," as well as an increased quota law. will be inevitable. A ND a "cultural censorship," so-called, means nothing less, than that any film may be arbitrarily barred from the United Kingdom and all the British dominions, with no possibility of appeal and for no assigned reason, other than that the official censors deem it "undesirable" for British audiences. • T F this is the case, it certainly seems to be high time that the American film industry should be made aware of it and at least make an eleventh hour effort to forestall governmental interference, alike injurious to British and American interests, by making definite arrangements to absorb and distribute here a substantial proportion of the features made by British producers, the agitation in whose behalf, whatever its underlying motive, has resulted in the present serious situation. • f T is one thing to tell the British film industry: "Make good enough attraction pictures and r 7cill be glad to buy or distribute them for you in America, hut otherii.nse ztre can't do business." • T T is quite another to tell the same thing to the British Government, with its vast powers aucl resnurces, and the control at least of its own markets. by the way Britain, America 's Best Foreign Market, Says J. D. Williams, Sailing, Reciprocity Essential To Hold It Drastic Government Restrictions Sure Unless American Attitude Changes Toward British-Made Picture/; Will H. Hays' "Hands Off" Policy Ends Anti-Arbitration Agitation Among Exhibitors In Northwest PARSEEING men like Adolph Zukor and Sidney Kent of Famous Players-Lasky and Joseph P. Kennedy, president of Film Booking Oflfices of .America, have shown that they recognize the underlying dangers of the present agitation and are doing their utmost to bring about conditions which will be mutually satisfactory to all concerned, the former by distributing British-made pictures, which have been contracted for "unsight-unseen" and which may or may not be box office attractions and the latter in the comprehensive plans worked out with Ideal Films, Ltd., of London, under which a very considerable amount of British product next year will be handled here bv his company. • QTHERS of the big companies should speedily follow their example, even if at first it might be necessary to handle some British pictures at a loss, for if the British government ultimately takes action, it is reasonably certain that similar restrictive legislation will be initiated in other countries, and if foreign markets are to be kept open to American films, reciprocal advantages must be aflforded film producers of these countries in our market here. • J. D. Williams, in his conversation with the writer, tersely put it: "Great Britain is America's best market for motion pictures outside its own theatres. Without it few productions would show much or any profit as the business is at present aligned. Reciprocity in buying or distributing British-made pictures here is therefore not entirely a question of charity and a sympathetic gesture to the British film industry, as many in America appear to believe, but simply good business." ^^UR own view distributine of the matter is that with each national company including some British-made pictures in its annual list of releases, the box office quality of these pictures would speedily improve. • yX/'HATEVER is done, however, must be done without further delay, and the subject surely is one of sufficient importance to call for a round-table conference of some sort among the leaders of the industry. • "yX^ ILL H. H.AYS has spoken and arl)itratit)n is no longer an issue in the Northwest. • A RBITR.ATION is too vitally important to this industry to be trifled with and the decisions of the Film Boards everywhere have been in the main so fair and conscientious as to make the exceptions negligible. • ENER.AL HAYS has done well in thus swiftly and effectually ])utting an end to the efforts made to discredit the principle and practice of arbitration, so essential to the continued well-being of all branches of this industry. L FT everyone keep to our arbitration to a "hands boards. off" policy, in respect