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Europa Theatre in New York followed its' enormously successful run of Two Hearts with at least four other proportionate successes: Die Lindcnwirtin vom Rhein, Sein Liebeslied, Das Lied 1st Aus, and Der Raub Der Mona Lisa. These films were outstanding successes throughout the entire country. The first three, released in America by the Associated Cinemas of America, Inc., and the latter, by RKO Corporation, were all operettas. It is also significant to note that the remaining German language film successes in America, were also^ musical films of the operetta type, with but three or four exceptions. The Merry Wives of Vienna, Die Foersterchristl, Die I'rivatsekretarin, and Ein Burschenlied Aus Heidelberg were very popular with both the press and public also. It would seem, then, that Germany's first important contribution to die sound film was the film-operetta, which the rich musical background of the German people was so well able to foster.
At least three German dramatic films were pronounced successes here. Zivei Menschen, Karamacov, and Comrades of 1918 — certainly not many more. However, by the time this appears, at least three more German dramatic films will have made their debut in New York — Kamaradschaf t, Luise Koenigin von Preussen, and Maedchen In Uniform.* All of these promise to be more than usual successes, especially the first two, which I have already seen, and for which I can predict a large and enthusiastic audience in America.
Yet no one can assure the future in America of the German dramatic film, as witness two recent important box-office failures — The Case of Colonel Redl and 1914 •. The Last Days Before the War — and the earlier, Die Andere, and Brand in der Oper — all four decidedly above the average — and all four failures at the box-office.
The German film in America has ceased to draw because it is a German film and for the novelty of its imported flavour, as was the case in the first years of the little cinema movement in America. The German language film must to-day compete with the native home-grown product — must appeal to a wider audience, which is an unfair disadvantage it must contend with, because of the barrier of language. Until the German producers realize that it is the treatment and theme which must be universal, and that the language in which the film is recorded, must be of little consequence, thev cannot hope to expect a real market for their product in the United States.-]
One of the most recent developments in solving this almost insurmountable barrier of language, has been the superimposition of English titles over important bits of the dialogue on the film, thereby giving the non-German spectators a fair idea of the story. This procedure has now become widespread, and practically any imported German language film of any consequence, is provided with these " dialogue titles." This method is most * See Addenda (a).
t The German-made attempts at " dubbing " (post-synchronizing) in English have not solved the problem, since this process invariably has " slowed-up " the movement in the film and has given it a stilted and artificial flavor. The White Devii, The Immortal Vagabond, The Love Waltz, The Last Company, etc., are examples. Even Ufa's original English version of The Congress Dances lost all of its sprightliness in an alien tongue.