The Film Renter and Moving Picture News (Sep-Oct 1922)

October 21, 1922. The Apex in Berlin. HAVE received a very interesting letter from Mr. Louis Zimmerman, the head of the Apex Film Com. pany, who informs me that he has now opened offices in Berlin. The Apex are the first British film company to open a direct organisation in that country, and Mr. Zimmerman points out that his company has been organised, and will be conducted on the British system, and hopes to cover the Continental field with British productions. Mr, Zimmerman extends a very cordial invitation to all members of the film industry to visit him in Berlin, and will always be happy to give British producing companies, renting organisations, and exhibitors any information required. His addresg in Berlin is the Apex Film Co., 111, Potsdamerstr. Fights and the Film. a DR latter end of last week possessed quite a boxing atmosphere in the film world. On Thursday ‘* The White Hope ’’’ was shown by Butcher’s, a picture with quite a strong boxing interest. On Friday morning Phillips’s Films screened their ‘‘ Art of SelfDefence.’’ picture showing Kid Lewis in various attitudes and actions of ringcraft, and on Friday Pathé’s had their theatre crowded throughout the afternoon with film folk interested in the big Beckett-Moran picture. By the way, the scintillating advertisement at the Elephant and Castle on Thursday night, which gave the progress of the Albert Hall contests, attracted huge crowds to the streets in the vicinity, and Pathé’s were astute enough to engage the services of the sign to announce the fact that they had secured the exclusive film rights of the fight. I understand that Pathé’s are more than satisfied with their venture. Tipping the Beam. HE prosecution and subsequent fining of a Walsall exhibitor for allowing ‘‘ sunspots ’’ in his theatre, appears to me to be straining the Lottery Act far beyond its intention. To suggest that the awarding of @ prize to someone on whom a beam of light falls at the moment that the orchestra ceases contravenes the provisions of the Act is absurd. We shall have ‘‘ musical chairs ’’ declared a lottery next. It is to be hoped that an appeal will be entered, so that the matter can be cleared up. A Parodist’s Paradise. EW film titles have offered themselves so readily for parody as ‘‘ The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.’’ One of the earliest of these parodies was the substitution of ‘‘ eucalyptus ’’ for ‘‘ apocalypse,’’ and later came ‘‘ The Four Epileptic Apothecaries.’’ The latest occurred in the course of a conversation last week concerning the Cesarewitch, when Wragg, the jockey of Hunt Law, was referred to as ‘‘ The Fourth Horseman in the Un’appy Collapse.’’ The possibilities of such a title would seem to be inexhaustible. The Original of ‘‘ Mrs. May.’’ EORGE DEWHURST, the producer of the film version of ‘‘ A Sister to Assist ’Er,’? whom I met the other day, ig well known in the provinces as an actor on the legitimate stage. He plaved for several years at the Liverpool Repertory Theatre, both before and after the war. Emney played a small part in the film, by far her most valuable services were the hints she gave him during the production. It is not generally known, by the way, that the original of the celebrated ‘‘ Mrs. May ’’ was 8 char Google He told me that, although Mrs. Fred. -week’s issue. Meanwhile THE FILM RENTER & MOVING PICTURE NEWS. 5 woman who used to clean out John Le Breton’s office. Many people wil) probably also be surprised to hear that the sketch, ‘‘ A Sister to Assist ’Er,’’ in addition to its eleven years of popularity in the British Isles, has been payed on tour in such unlikely countries as India and shina. Suggested Cure for ‘‘ Afl Our Ailments.’’ HE scheme (to which reference is made elsewhere) for building five new super-kinemas in the United Kingdom is certainly an ambitious one, and the details concerning the projected theatre in Piccadilly— the first ou the list—hold out promise of a building which should rank ag the finest in London. But the magnitude of this venture is not confined to the size and style of the proposed new kinemas. ‘‘ One of our objects,’’ said Mr. Hicks, of Apollo Films, ‘‘ is to cure all the ailments from which the picture theatre industry in this country is suffering to-day.’’ This is a big order, and one which, so far, has been too much for everybody who has attempted to cope with it. But anybody is at liberty to try, and there is certdinly something to be said for Mr. Hicks’s suggestion that the “‘ remedy ”’ for ‘‘ all our ailments ’’ is to build larger theatres in order to provide a sufficient revenue for British films without their ‘‘. being dependent on the rest of the world.’’. But, even when all our kinemas are of the ‘‘ super ’’ type, it is extremely doubtful if ‘‘ all our ailments ”’ will have been charmed away. New Type of Screen Comedy. NOTICE that a new style of film comedy has been introduced by Mr. A. Brortnley-Davenport; who has recently completed for Master Films the first of a short series of comedy features. Throughout — Mr. Davenport has endeavoured to avoid the ‘‘ slapstick ”’ variety of film farce, and I am told that in several respects his manner resembles that of the late Sidney Drew. We could certainly ‘‘ do with ’’ some good, genuine screen comedy, and I shall look forward to this new series with interest. : ; No Offence! HEAR that more has been read into my remarks con| cerning Mr. George Smith’s connection with the movement to form a new trade association than I intended to convey. _I certainly did not desire to belittle Mr. Smith’s standing in the industry or his integrity and goodwill as a trade reformer. I was simply administering a gentle rebuke to a company of gentlemen—of whom Mr. Smith was only one—who seemed to me to be taking too much on themselves in wishing to set up an entirely new trade body. Of Mr. Smith’s complete disinterestedness in the matter I have no doubt at all. I can quite understand his anxiety not to be saddled with a charge of ‘‘ interfering ’’ with trade affairs. Such a motive I did not wish to impute, and there, I think, we might let the matter rest. Suspension of a Producing Company. UST as we go to press I learn that International Film J Artists have suspended operations. This will come as a complete surprise to the trade in view of their announcements made some few weeks back of the ambitious program they were about to embark upon, but T hope to tell a fuller story of this suspension in next it is a sad blow fer the British film trade, which _ can ill afford to lose any active mernber. é