The Film Renter and Moving Picture News (Nov-Dec 1922)

12 THE FILM RENTER & MOVING PICTURE NEWS. THE TRADE November 25, 1922. IN FRANCE... (By our Paris Correspondent). HE best production of the last two weeks is without any doubt ‘* La Maison Du Mystere,’” which was trade shown by the Films Eclipse. It is a beautiful French picture, one that will make its way and be appreciated by all, Technically speaking it is faultless, and the smoothness of the action, the Leauty of the sceneries and lighting, the brilllaney of the acting, added to the clear photceraphy., make it one of the rare things that may be admired ones or twice in a year. And when one comes to think that all that perfection igathered in’ a serial, one may well wonder at the pay-box capacity of such oa preduction, It certainky is mot in the American style of serial: it has a good story, a well-coustrueted scenario, and hundreds of Jittie artistic touches, with a rapid dramatic sequence and a splendid thrilling climax. ‘* La Maison Du Mystere was most faveurably welcomed, and another trade. show will have to take place on Monday next to comply with the numerous demands of exhibitors who could) nat be present at the first one. ‘‘ Twenty Years After.” ‘ Vingt Ans Apres" is another good production. Tt deals—as everybody knows—with the Dumas sequel te The Three Musketeers.” and promises to be also a fine pay-box proposition, Nearly all the artistes who played in ‘o'Phe Three Musketeers " will be seen again in their respective parts except d'Artagnan, Aimeé Simon Girard, owing to some previous engazements, bas not been able to come back, hut his place is filled up by Yonnel, who vives a very interesting interpretation of an older and quieter d’Artagnan. Pierrette Madd, the sweet little Madame Bonacieux,”? has became this time Athos'’s son, the vivacious Vicom:te de Bragelonne, and it is wonderful to see fhe way she handles her big sword. Bull Fights. There have becn lately quite a lot of bull fights shown on the Parisian screens, and every time many people in’ tho audience have objected to such horrible sights as the bursting of horses by the terrible horns and the slow death of the bull in the end. M. Paul Ginisty, head of the Board of Censors, has announced that from now hence editors will be asked to suppress such scenes from their productions before showing them to the public. French Films for Poland. It has been a complaint in Poland ter a long time that there were no French films to be had, and that the Germans were con. stantly sending some of their productions under French titles. Foam glad to say that this state of things will come to a stop. Me André Laune and Tunetti, who ure the founders of the ‘* Office Cinématographique Franeais,” have now opened offices in Varsovie, Cracovie, Byeosez, Wilno, Rourno,. and have made Leopol their head office. camouflees About the Entertainments Tax. A big ineeting: took place on Tuesday last, at which were present many Members of Parliament. The! Taurines ” Bill has been discussed and approved of : it modifies the pereentaye of the existing tariffs. and to make up for the difference it offers aetax of 20 per cent. ad ealorem on forcign productions. This tax has vielded thi, year to the Treasury 3,000,000) francs as compared with 800,000 frances last wear. ‘‘La Mutuelle du Cinema.’’ On November 80 will be held a creat festivity at the Opera. The profits will go to the ot Mutuelle duo Cinéma.’ Le Journal has taken the initiative for the whole thing, and the attractions will be of a very high standard. The show will end by a huve taney dress ball in the ‘ Second Empire ’? dresses. La Mutuelle du Cinéma’? os a benevolent institution which assures to its members a comfortable place to live in when too on old to work any more or when crippled by the too frequent accidents common to their profession, THE C.E.A., THE NEW HOUSE AND THE TAX. To the Editor of the Fium Reser. IR,Since the C.MLA, killed the ridiculous attempt of o The S Cinema to start its Utopian‘ British Cinematograph Association,” the idiotic Jedousy of that paper has huown no limits. Its latest attempt to stub the exhibitor in the bach by calling his campaign at the General Election a‘ fiasca.” before it learned the results, shows the depths to whieh small ininds can sink: Critic or friend of the C.BEVA. testify fo the splendid way the ctmpaign was conducted. Carmdidates do not trouble themselves with questions asked by cutside bodies, and the work of interviewing was delegated to exhibitors throughout the six hundred of constituencies, It has taken time to collect and analyse replies, and the CELA. has uot vet reccived all. Mr. J. MeBride, for instance, worked so hard conducting the campaign in Scotland, that he mide hitsclf il, and his returns are accordingly delayed, but they exist, and: it Google is only ainatter of time. Already the CRIA, knows a inajority of the new House of Commons will support revision of the tax. As the Tax Committee has carried through the first stage of the cainpaign so well, it is safe to leave them to outline their policy for continuing it in Parliament. The motor ear ‘stunt 7 oof f "Phe CinenuQ? has already created) aobad impression for the trade among MPLS. That Journal as good as promised London candidates to send ao car front the trade if they would send for publication a promise to vote for abolition of the tax. A number replied, but no word has appenred as to the number of ears supplied, and The Cinema’ is not the journal to ‘do good by stealth and blush to find it fame.” We opine they were not forthcoming in numbers, and that experience shows that the CLR.A. knew that members of the trade are quite capable of making their own arranzeruents for the use of their cars. ‘ Stunts are good for putting a picture over, but MLP.s do not respond, as the last campaign showed. If the position is not crabbed by ‘* stunt "'making busvbodies there is the finest ehance the exhibitor has set had of obtaining relief from the tax in the next Budget. — Yours faithfully, , * Barr Pray.’ a el