The Bioscope (Oct-Dec 1931)

November 18, 1931 THE BIOSCOPE 19 “Bioscope” Readers’ Forum Open Platform To All in the Trade READERS of The Bioscope have frequently expressed a desire for the recommencement of our " Readers’ Forum,” for many years an interesting feature of this journal. The Editor will be pleased, therefore, to receive from any member of the film industry, or anyone actively interested in its welfare, contributions, however controversial, to this feature. All letters intended for publication MUST be accompanied by the name and address of the writer and, unless expressly requested to withhold, the Editor will consider himself at liberty to publish names and addresses. If requested, however, a pseudonym only will be used, and the name and address will be treated in strict confidence. Letters should be reasonably brief and, if possible, confined to one specific subject. EXHIBITOR REPLIES TO JOHN MAXWELL THE EDITOR, THE BIOSCOPE. Dear Sir, I feel like tackling Mr. John Maxwell in respect of his letter in The Bioscope of November 4th, where he asserted that an import duty on films was a perfect example of a tax that could not be passed on to the consumer. He should trade in the Free State ! Our Minister of Finance does not like American film methods, and seeing from his Entertainments Tax returns how much money they were taking out of this country, imposed an import duty of 3d. per foot on all positive film coming into the Free State. Was it passed on to the consumer ? It was — -with a vengeance ! The K.R.S. immediately placed an additional clause on all contracts which called for an extra 15 per cent, on their share or hire fee — a preposterous impost. We in Dublin have gone into figures and find that this 15 per cent, on the first ran Dublin alone exceeds the extra duty and leaves the renter a profit on the tax, and the impost on all other Dublin and Provincial runs is further clear profit ! I wonder what John Maxwell thinks of this ? Have not his own renting companies, Pathe (later F.N.P.) and Wardour, also carried out this imposition ? Yours very sincerely, Tom J. Gogan. The Pavilion, Marine Road, Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin. November 13, 1931. PLEA FOR RELEASE REFORM THE EDITOR, THE BIOSCOPE. Dear Sir, Hearty congratulations upon that fine statement of yours under the heading “ The Price of Independence.” Breathing, as it does, the true British spirit, it affords the reader a real thrill. I must confess to a glow of intense satisfaction and to a greater love than ever for The Bioscope, which has been my weekly companion since its initial issue. This leads me to solicit your championship of a long overdue reform — at least to the extent of publishing my plea on behalf of it. I refer to the stabilisation — -or, better still, the total abolition —of the release date system. If, for reasons beyond my comprehension, it is essential that this system should remain in operation, then it seems to me that fixed and unalterable dates for release should be given to all films intended for public exhibition, and that it should be a sine qua non that these release dates should be announced within a certain given period after production of the picture. This is eminently desirable for publicity purposes alone, as nobody will realise better than you. There should — independent, of course, of West End runs — be no such things as pre-release showings or unfixed release dates. Different release dates for London and Provinces, if you like ; but no octopus concern should be able to steal a march on its competitors by showing a film before time ; and, in the interests of all concerned — the public not least — everyone should know exactly when each film, large and small, will first be publicly screened. If, on the other hand, there is no imperative reason for the retention of the release date system, why not dignify the Screen by putting it on a par with the Stage ? A stage play has a big success in London : several touring companies may take it out — -sometimes even before the London run has fairly settled down ; and these touring companies take all the bookings they can get and as soon as they can get them. Why not thus with films ? Then, instead of so many good, bad, and indifferent films all becoming due for exhibition on the same date, living for a few weeks, and then disappearing (probably for ever), each film would thrive entirely on its own merits, live as long as possible, instead of making an ignominious exit, and poor films would be shut out almost entirely. In this way, instead of the producers of worth-while material having their capital tied up for months on end, they would be free to take immediate bookings, and as many bookings as possible, spread over as long a period as possible — -even booking their first dates long before a production was finished if they felt perfectly safe in doing so. As it is now, many, many films are missed altogether by multitudes of people who cannot get the opportunity to see them ; but, if we progressed in the rational manner proposed, the outstanding productions might (independent of the rebookings which would then be possible), like " Charley’s Aunt,” "go on for ever ” — or, at all events, sufficiently long to give everyone who wished to see them ample opportunity for doing so, and to give their sponsors the utmost reward for their enterprise. Yours faithfully, Arthur P. Brooks. Barton House, Halstead. November 8, 1931. There is undoubtedly a case for Release reform, but independent exhibitors will have to fight if they are to get it. Mr. Brooks appears to overlook the fact that under the Films Act, 1927, films may not legally be booked till after trade shozv and registration.— Editor. WALTER SUMMERS SAILORS AND SALLIES THE EDITOR, THE BIOSCOPE. Dear Sir, I have read with interest H. M.’s criticism of “ Men Like These ” in " Box Office Film Reviews ” of your issue of November 11th. All films are made to be shot at by the critics. Here is a film play which the Admiralty authorities have unreservedly accepted ; that has the unqualified approval of the majority of the submarine officers of the Admiralty, and of which RearAdmiral Nasmith. V.C., until a few weeks ago Rear-Admiral Submarines, has called " One of the most wonderful films he has ever seen . . and will make a wide appeal to the Nation and be a great help to British films ” ; and which Rear-Admiral Backhouse regards as a film " grandly done.” Yet your reviewer chooses to doubt the taste of the film ; to criticise the conception of the seamen therein portrayed. And why should " Tipperary ” not be sung ? It was sung in the episode that has inspired this film. May I suggest that it is the conception of the reviewer that is awry ? Yours truly, Walter Summers. British International F.lslree Studios. November 12, 1931. For each Rear-Admiral seeing this picture I assume B.I.P. will hope for several thousands of paying patrons, drawn principally from the working people. They have a right to resent endless characterisations of soldiers, sailors, policemen and other workers as hopeless illiterates with mouths like Zeppelin hangars. That is why / endorse my colleague's views. The film could have been made really great with less blatant insistence upon national and patriotic sentiment. — Editor. Paramount Announces Eight New Production Drive Started Indicating faith in an early return to business normally, Paramount has marshalled its wide resources and personnel for an aggressive feature production drive, it is made known in a studio statement in which eight new pictures are announced. Nine features now are in production, four are being edited, and during the present month eight others will get under way. The new films being started are : — " The False Madonna,” with Kay Francis, William Boyd and Conway Tearle ; " No One Man,” featuring Carole Lombard ; " Shanghai Express,” starring Marlene Dietrich, with Clive Brook, Anna May Wong and Warner Oland ; George Bancroft in " Through the Window ” ; " The Goose Hangs High,” with Peggy Shannon and Charles Rogers ; Maurice Chevalier’s " One Hour With You,” with music by Oscar Straus ; " School for Sweethearts ” ; and Claudette Colbert and William Boyd in " Uncertain Women.” The New York Studio is now filming “ His Woman,” with Claudette Colbert and Gary Cooper, and "The Cheat,” starring Tallulah Bankhead. ^ Several important productions’ "arej now under way in Hollywood.