The Bioscope (Jul-Sep 1931)

20 THE BIOSCOPE September 30, 1931 TALK OF THE TRADE 10°; Starts Thursday— E.T. To-day— Economists Optimistic— Ostrer’s Ultimatum to Renters-Northern Exhibitor’s Call for “Manly” Films-** Hindle’s ” Message Faraday House, September 30, 1931 Exhibitors' Quota 10 Per Cent. From Thursday The Exhibitors’ Quota goes up to 10 per cent, to-morrow (Thursday), at which figure it will remain for 12 months unless in the meantime the legislative machine has decided otherwise. For the past two years exhibitors have been required to exhibit only 7i per cent., and the additional 2£ per cent, represents a considerable jump. I feel, however, that in view of the very much increased British output, augmented, as it will be in the near future, by the product of the major American companies now engaged seriously in making British pictures, exhibitors will find themselves in a much better position relatively than they were when the quota first began at o per cent. Not only will there be a larger surplus of British footage over the length required to meet quota, but there is most certainly a much higher percentage of worth-while product. E.T. In Commons To day The Finance Bill will be discussed in the House of Commons to-day (Wednesday), when I anticipate that amendments dealing with the new Entertainments Tax proposals are likely to be moved by James Welsh, M.P. Both the C.E.A. and K.R.S. will doubtless be represented in the galleries, and I hope also to have an opportunity of listening in. I do not think that optimism runs very high, but if ever there was a case worthy of consideration, that case can be made out by the C.E.A. Parliamentary Representatives. For however dispassionately one views the Crisis Budget, it is quite apparent that burdens have been most inequitably distributed. Among the people, for instance, who will feel the effects of any increase of price on seats up to 6d. are large numbers of people who either personally, or through family associations, are to be affected also by the reduced Unemployment pay. In Industrial areas one has to consider not only the vast army of totally unemployed people, but those who are able to work only two or three days per week and are in receipt of Unemployment pay for the rest of the week. Then again, one has to remember the small army of low-wage earners who will find themselves for the first time subject to the payment of Income Tax. Ostrer and Keynes Optimistic I spent the greater part of last Sunday trying to reconcile the very profound statements of such eminent economists as J. M. Keynes and Isidore Ostrer. Both have endeavoured, through the Sunday Express and the Sunday Referee respectively, to give Mr. and Mrs. Everyman an idea of what the gold standard really means and what its abandonment presages for British trade and the British consumer. After studying both for several hours I felt I knew considerably less concerning the meaning of the present financial crisis than I had before I started. But even so, I caught a certain light optimism running through both which heartened me. Neither Ostrer nor Keynes is prepared to paint too rosy a picture, but they evidently do not anticipate any terrible reactions to the shifting off the gold standard. The present strength of the £ seems to indicate that they had something on which to base that optimism. The Iron Mitt ! Some people in the trade will probably question, if Isidore Ostrer cannot be optimis The Editor, " The Bioscope.” Dear Sir, Having supported " The Bioscope ” practically from its infancy, I feel after all these years that it is somewhat neglectful on my part in not writing appreciation to you, but the managerial profession of the Cinema world has so many calls upon its time, which prevents us from doing all we have intended to do. From the States to all four quarters of London, I have always looked forward to " The Bioscope,” so many things of interest, and most useful to the Manager. I wish " The Bioscope ” the continued success which it has always deserved. Yours faithfully, For and on behalf of The Capital & Counties Electric Theatres, Ltd., H. W. HARWARD, General Manager. Bournemouth Electric Theatre, Commercial Road, Bournemouth. Telephone 2165 September 24, 1931. tic, who in the film industry of this country can be ? The spirit of the GaumontBritish annual meeting on Monday certainly prompts such a thought, for Mark Ostrer was in the chair, and with his two brothers and C. M. Woolf was cheered to the echo by enthusiastic shareholders. One has only to realise the tremendous responsibilities which rest upon the shoulders of men at the head of such colossal an undertaking to appreciate what a relief it must be to pass so splendidly through the testing time for still another year. I was intrigued by Mark Ostrer's very plain statement that no matter about the depreciation of the £, Gaumont-British will certainly not pay any more for their American pictures. Thus he hands out to the American distributors the kind of “ ultimatum ” which only a concern of such terrific power as Gaumont-British could afford to do. Clean To " Clean Up ” E. J . Hinge, .Stanley Rogers’ able lieutenantgeneral, surprised me with a call on Monday on his way North after visiting his aged parents. His case must be unique amongst cinema exhibitors, for his mother, now bordering on 80, has never visited the cinema, and his father, he tells me, only went once ! Exhibitors with a large family following and a correspondingly lengthy free list will probably envy him. Mr. Hinge, touching on the subject of profanity in pictures, which has been well aired in The Bioscope during recent weeks, expresses his whole-hearted approval of this journal’s plea for clean dialogue and also for fewer British films with exaggerated ’varsity accents. “ What we want,” he says, "is more strong essentially English screen drama with a good bit of action and a little spice if you like, but no vulgarity. The picture can be as clean as anything and still ' clean-up ’ in North Country districts if it has plenty of action and no effeminate young men in the cast ; but you should hear what some of the audiences call some of the juveniles now being played.” British Prices Too ! Another pomt that Hr. Hinge raised concerned the asking prices of British producers for their better films. While admitting that the British product is definitely on the upgrade, Mr. Hinge deplored the attitude of certain distributors of British films who think that merely because a film is British it starts at higher value than if it were American. There would be more encouragement among country exhibitors to the British product if asking prices were based merely upon the entertainment value of the pictures. Who will dare to contradict Mr. Hinge, who, after all, is booking for a bunch of six or eight halls, and like most men in that particularly responsible position knows out-of-pocket what he is speaking about. Independent But An official report just issued by the Department of Overseas Trade, and drawn up by H. F. Gurney, Trade Commissioner in Newfoundland and the Maritime Provinces of Canada, says : — Moving pictures constitute the principal entertainment of the people (of Newfoundland). There are five theatres in St. John’s, and others in Harbour Grace, Bell Island, Grand Falls and Corner Brook. The theatres are independently owned and have no affiliations with United States companies. The great majority of the pictures shown, however, are of United States origin. The italics are ours. What Hindle Means To British Pictures So W. J. Gell has reached "The Happy Ending.” After showing the film last (Tuesday) evening — you will find it reviewed on another page — he again invited the trade and the Press to join him in making Whoopee at the Kit-Cat. Now I am all for these Kit-Cat parties of which, during the past week, there have been three, but if hospitality must flow so freely I suggest that the parties should not be allowed to fall so thickly. It means one head after another (for some people at any rate), and who knows but that it may sooner or later affect the quality of the film press criticisms ? Certainly in passing I must pay tribute to the amazingly showmanlike way in which W. & F. and Gaumont put over their trade shows of " The Ghost Train ” and " Hindle Wakes.” I have never seen a larger orchestra on any stage than that which charmed the audience just before the “ Hindle Wakes ” trade show. It was a symphony orchestra de luxe and, under