Canadian Moving Picture Digest (May 1925-May 1926)

CANADA'S MOTION PICTURE TRADE PAPER The Canadian Moving Picture Digest General Manager and Editor-in-Chief RAY LEWIS Subscriptions— Canada = $2.00 United States $2.50 Great Britain $2.50 ————— — ESTABLISHED 1915 FOR EXHIBITORS Pablished by Canadian Moving Picture Digest Company Limited 259 Spadina Ave., Toronte Official Organ of the M. P. T. O. of Canada TEL. TRINITY 1481 Vol. 17, 37 TORONTO, CANADA January 16th, 1926 “England Do Your Duty” HAT “England expects every man to do his duty” has been made familiar to Britishers; and Britishers over the world have responded to Nelson’s appeal. There comes a time in the affairs of an Empire when the subjects of that Empire expect that the Empire to which they have sworn allegiance will perform its dutv to them. Are the screens of the British Empire to remain British-controlled, or are they to be controlled by the Famous-Deutsche crowd? Are we to substitute for God and my King, God and my country “Ich Dien?” During the war practically the only anti-German film propaganda produced and distributed came from the U. S., which had endless pictures revealing the glorification of Democracy and the degradation. of the Kaiser and the Crown Prince. England spent several hundred thousand dollars on a war picture showing German atrocities, but England preferred to shelve the picture and lose her money, rather than distribute this anti-German film. Perhaps the war films produced in the U. S. were good propaganda for recruiting purposes for the Allies, they were at least profitable to the American Picture Industry. All wars are “the bunk,” and we are beginning to realize how much “bunk” this last war was when the peace for which we were said to be fighting has at last been declared, eight years after War is supposed to have ceased. 7 Nevertheless, having tested out the power of the screen in war and its educational and economic value im peace, it behooves every nation to control tts own screens; and affiliations between producing or theatre interests representing foreign countries, should be considered as important and serious by our government as treaties between foreign countries. 7 The Famous have linked themselves with the U.F.A.: the largest shareholder is the Deutsche Bank. This company is the strongest in Germany from a standpoint of production and theatre holdings. Among the bankers of Famous in America we find Otto Kahn, and Kuhn-Loeb and Co. Here we have an affiliation which has nothing British about it, and yet we read that the Plaza, London, opens January 8th under the direction of Albert A. Kaufman, director of theatres for the Famous in Europe. Frank Tours will be musical director, and Francis A. Mangan, imported from Chicago, Capitol Theatre, general producer. We read that Loew-Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer interests have seven theatres in Iondon. We read that Famous foreign business grossed in 1925, $10,000,000. The Wall Street Journal dealing with Paramount’s activities from the home-office? is presented. abroad, shows a 25% increase in sales, ot rentals over 1923 and over 50% since 1921. The article states further as follows: “It is felt the real development of the moving picture in Europe has only begun. Most of Europe is still in the “nickleodeon” stage and there are few theatres of the modern American type. Most moving picture houses, particularly in the less important towns, are converted stores and small halls. Construction of new and more attractive houses are expected to bring larger audiences. It will then automatically follow that film rentals can be increased in proportion to the size of the theatre audiences, even without greatly increasing admissions. Average moving picture admission in Englann 2/6 to 3/6 and in France is six francs or about 21 cents at cur:ent exchange.” Read the next paragraph in particular ye Britishers and Americans also for a real laugh ,especially ye who know how interested the Famous crowd are in building theatres in the United States and in Canada so that others may follow their excellent example of uplift. Hoighty-toighty, but this paragraph smacks of the unmitigated “gall,” “cheek,” “nerve” and barefaced audacity of the infamous world film controllers. But the paragraph, the ‘Famous paragraph, ah! ‘The purpose of Famous Players in erecting its own theatres in the capital cities is to furnish examples and incentives for other theatre owners to follow (ha! ha! good isn’t it?) which it is hoped will lead to a general improvement of theatre facilities in Europe with resultant larger revenues to both domestic and American film producers.” In other words English and French and German and Italian, etc., etc., exhibitors, Famous will build these theatres and you will pay more for the pictures they let you book. We read further as recorded in Variety “that. picture house producers doing business with the John Murray Anderson Publix Theatres units received new forms of contracts last week calling for foreign options on their people.” The idea is that Famous intend to present picture house presentations across the European continent, and what must be interesting to Britishers, in Australia. How many of the British colonies are already as badly tied up as Canada and Australia by Famous might make interesting reading. It would also be important to discover how many native-born citizens are employed and how many imported Incidentally not only the Film Industry of the world is the bait which Zukor is hankering after, but the theatres of the world, the halls, arenas, wherein any form of entertainment or recreation (Continued on Page 7.) Before Buying Pictures Read The Digest Advertising Pages. Google