Came the dawn : memories of a film pioneer (1951)

CHAPTER 19 What I cannot understand now is that while all these dire happenings were proceeding, on the one hand, on the other I was cheerfully getting on with the production of my best and most important film, the second Comirf Thro' the Rye. I think I must have had something of a split mind: my memory refuses to be conscious of these completely opposite phases occurring even within years of each other. But it does sometimes happen, indeed, perhaps rather frequently I think, that the onset of disaster is preluded and concealed by a spurt of better times than usual. I will go over some of the events of 1923 and see whether they will account for the confusion. 'Rye' was described as one of the outstanding films among several fine English pictures released — in order of date it was the sixth, and last, of the Hepworth Company films put out that year. Of the others a very remarkable one was Henry Edwards' Lily in the Alley — remarkable because it was a long feature film without any titles except that opening one. All the story was explained by the action. The British National Film League was started two years before this to raise the standard, improve the quality and promote the general interests of British films. By the beginning of this year it included every British producing company of consequence, and now it decided to run a British Film Week in London, to be followed by similar shows in various areas all over the country. Under the presidency of Col. A. C. Bromhead, a luncheon was held early in November with the Prince of Wales as the chief guest. There were many great films this year, mostly foreign of course, and they necessarily were not eligible. Unfortunately the number of good English films was not sufficient to fill the bill and there were adverse comments and many complaints that the pictures submitted for exhibition were of too varied a quality for 188