Exhibitors Herald and Moving Picture World (Apr-Jun 1930)

Hay 3, 1930 EXHIBITORS HERALD-WORLD 25 German Industry’s Fate Hangs On Jannings Picture in London Progress Made in Talking Production — Want of Good Silents Makes Exhibitors Wire — Government Action Mooted in Patent Fight —Artists Deny Hostility Toward Foreign Talent [By Berlin Correspondent of the Herald-World] BERLIN, April 13. — (By Mail) — German talking picture production is making steady progress, and some of the latest Ufatone pictures as “The Blue Angel” and “Love Waltz” are seriously lauded by foreign critics. “The Blue Angel,” with Emil Jannings in the role of a college professor first and a clown afterwards, beats the records of the “Singing Fool” in the Gloria-Palast. All the Ufatone superproductions have received the Lampe-certificate as being of educational merit and, therefore, pay reduced entertainment tax. Re elected ALFRED A. COHN rHE Screen Writers Guild has decided that Al Cohn shall continue as its president. Cohn is supervisor and writer of features for Al Christie. Business? Looking Fine, Says Leaders At National Meet (Special to the Herald-World) WASHINGTON, April 29— Optimism marked the statement of the national business survey conference issued prior to the opening of the annual meeting here of the Chamber of Commerce of the United States. Present conditions, as interpreted by Julius H. Barnes, chairman of the board of the chamber and also chairman of the survey conference, show that: The expansion plans announced by American business last December are being thoroughly carried out. Efforts are being successfully made to balance production with consumption. Cautious merchandising policies are being adopted in the field of retail distribution. Trade disturbances abroad are being reflected in the American export field. The statement points out that since last October, money has become cheaper; that manufacturers and distributors have obtained $1,584,000,000 in new capital during the first quarter of 1930; that the total building contracts for the first quarter call for an expenditure of a million dollars over one billion; and that the railroads are spending 40 per cent more for improvements than they did in 1929. Radio Pictures to Hold Convention in Los Angeles May 1 9 (Special to the Herald-World) NEW YORK, April 29. — Plans have been completed for the yearly Radio Pictures sales convention, to be held this year in Los Angeles from May 19 to May 24. Three special cars have been provided for the eastern representatives of the company. Delegates will come from all. sections of this country, Canada and Australia. Most of the business meetings will concern themselves with the distribution of the company’s product for the 1930-31 season. Will they also appeal to Anglo-Saxon audienecs? “The Blue Angel” will soon be shown in London with Jannings talking English. On the success of these English versions hangs the fate pf the German film industry. Good Silents Scarce The want of good silents forces the German exhibitors gradually to have their houses wired. The latest report of the Berlin Chamber of Commerce gives the number of German wired theatres as 460 and adds that at the present rate there may be at least 900 in the autumn. Forty-one sound pictures are now running in Germany; 22 are domestic and 19 foreign productions, and of these four are German versions. Forty more domestic talkies are scheduled or in course of production. Government Action Talked The prices of apparatus and the patents war are still matters of concern, not among exhibitors only. In Government circles the question of using extraordinary powers is mooted. In cases of great emergency, as in wartime, the Government may overrule patent laws and grant compulsory licenses to manufacturers. This idea is now supported by the Spitzenorganisation, that body in which are represented all the German producers, renters, and exhibitor associations as well as the studios and laboratories. The Spitzenorganisation voiced the opinion that the supply of devices at reasonable prices is a matter of public interest and that a “foreign trust,” holding the patent rights, ought not to be permitted to exercise a control over German film production and distribution. Anti-Foreign Feeling Disclaimed There is another head-organization in the German film industry, called Dacho (Dachorganisation), in which the artists and craftsmen’s organizations are represented. This body held its second general meeting last week with Lupu Pick, the director, in the chair. It was said at this meeting that twothirds of the German directors, film-architects and cameramen were unemployed last year. A resolution was passed against the preference given sometimes to less qualified foreigners, while all hostile feeling against foreign talent was disclaimed. A warning was issued against mushroom companies, which start production with insufficient capital and leave artists in distress. It was further demanded that pictures made by Germans in foreign countries should be classed as kontingent pictures enjoying the kontigent rights. “Four Horsemen” Controversy “The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse” suddenly made their appearance again simultaneously in two first run houses, in Mussolini’s capital, and in one of them the Ufa picture, “The Woman in the Moon,” already booked, had to make room for the old Metro-Goldwyn picture. This aroused a stir in the German trade and lay papers, as the Metro-Goldwyn company years ago had promised not to exhibit the “Four Horsemen” any more on the threat of the German exhibitors’ association of boycotting all Metro-Goldwyn product. The “Four Horsemen” now had quite a long run in Rome. The Metro-Goldwyn representatives declared themselves not guilty, as they had not supplied the copy. And the German Foreign Office was unwilling to interfere. At last the reason leaked out. A German play by Fred A. Angermayer, “Fly, Red Eagle of Tyrol,” performed in Berlin, had caused a protest from the Fascist Government, which the German Foreign Office had disregarded. Therefore “The Four Horsemen” had to run in the Eternal City. And this is tit for tat. Warner Theatres Take Over Columbia Circuit And 2 Fairmont Houses (Special to the Herald-World) NEW YORK, April 29. — Warner Brothers theatre circuit has acquired the Columbia circuit from Potter and Newton, made up of six theatres in Erie, Sharon, Warren and Wesleyville, Penn. Also, two houses in Fairmont, W. Ya., have been added, being the Fairmont and Virginia theatres. George Quigley Sails (Special to the Herald-World) NEW YORK, April 29. — George E. Quigley, vice president and general manager of the Vitaphone corporation, sailed last Friday on board the Europa for Germany. While in Europe, he plans to look into the matter of picture production. Fox West Coast Plans 16 New Houses For Northwest; Three Already Begun (Special to the Herald-World) PORTLAND, ORE., April 29. — Howard Sheehan, vice president of Fox West Coast theatres,’ at a joint session with the managers of the Pacific Northwest Houses and the key cities of Oregon and Washington, stated that the company plans an extensive building campaign and that within a year sixteen new Fox theatres will be established, including three now under construction in Spokane, Centralia, Wenatchee.