The Film Daily (1923)

(THE He BRADSTREET »/" FILMDOM ZfeRECOCMXE* Authority XXVI No. 38 Wednesday, November 14, 1923 Price 5 Cents GODSOL By DANNY what he says. Elsewhere 5 issue. And when you if you don't agree — or if do — let's know what you k. Body Blows idsol puts a few in. He says rital issue of the day is whether >t the producer "is to receive fair reasonable prices for his pic." And points out that if rental s come down the producer will 3 better off than now even with •eduction in costs and then he ;sts, like the he-man he is, that ime for the producers to stop lg and take action. j Particularly against exhibitor mbinations and booking arngements and then he sugjsts a joint distribution heme with pictures playing i| percentage. ] finishes up his argument by Wr how sound the Goldwyn Com■1s, adding that his "is not a cry iilrsonal distress." \What Godsol says has in my ivays been pointed out i this publication since last ring. If producers and dis mbutors will only have \ains enough to get together t\d do something besides talk \\will be worth-while. talian Deal On? i Reports Baratollo of U. C. I. Dickering With Griffith — Scoffed at Here fecial to THE FILM DAILY) idon— The Rome correspondent ■lie Weekly, reports that Joseph I.Uo, head of the U. C. I.— the I; Cinematografica Italiene — is :iting with D. W. Griffith to here to direct a production, dej on a lavish scale. The Kine J)ondent says the contract is tr.6 to be signed in a few days, a tollo has also arranged to make i\ s of pictures in Rome for an ;1p concern. An American qr will probably handle the One of the many comical scenes in Mack Sennett's presentation of Mabel Normand in "The Extra Girl," Associated Exhibitors' release. — Advt. Pertinent At he Griffith offices, Gerritt J. leclared that negotiations have (Continued on Page 2) B? F. J. QODSOL .President, Qoldwyn Pictures Corp. I have always refrained from giving interviews or issuing statements about the picture industry as I feel the public is not interested in what I might have to say. Besides, nothing that has appeared in the press about the ills of the industry has helped to cure them. I have again been asked for a statement and I now feel like expressing my views although with very little hope of any good resulting. Much has been said about the present high cost of production. High cost of production exists and should be remedied. But nothing will be gained by any plan so far suggested. Cost is simply a question of supply and demand of material and labor. There are too few leading film artists, outstanding directors, continuity writers, art directors and others for the yearly production of pictures, with the result that all producers are continually bidding for the same people. This cannot be remedied by temporarily shutting down studios because as soon as the studios reopen, the producers will again start fishing out of the same pond and salaries will again soar. (Continued on Page 4) Rewards In Sight Lasky Says Hollywood Mental State Is Leaning Toward Conservation — Announces New Films Jesse L. Lasky in a statement issued yesterday declared the campaign to eliminate waste in production had already borne fruit "in a new frame of mind in Hollywood." He said this change in attitude was vital, because the waste of the past was "largely due to the mental attitude with which the studio people approached production." He expressed complete confidence in the future and then proceded to display the proof of his convictions by announcing a new batch of pictures which includes: "North of 36," produced by James Cruze ; Cecil B. DeMille's, "Triumph;" "Zandtr The Great"; a William DeMille production. "Icebound;" "The Dawn of a Tomorrow," by Francis Hodgson Bennett; Booth Tarkington's play, "Magnolia," with Glenn (Continued on Page 2) 5,000,00 Lire for "Ben Hur" (Special to THE FILM DAILY) 'Rome — Goldwyn has set aside 5,000,000 lire to cover whatever portion of "Ben Hur" is made in Italy. Joseph Baratollo declares the production will be made in conjunction witii the U. C. I. At the present rate of exchange, 5,000,000 lire approximates $219,000 in American currency. Grey Sails Albert L. Grey of the Griffith organization, left for London on Saturday to arrange the London premiere of "The White Rose." Nat'l "Lab" Body May Be Formed — Allied Members and Others Invited to Hoy's Dinner at Astor A national organization of laboratory owners is in the offing. The project may be discussed at a dinner to be tendered tomorrow night at the Astor by Frederick H. Elliott on behalf of the Hoy Reporting Service. The impression was created a few days ago that the dinner was to be confined to members of the Allied Laboratories Ass'n, but this is not so. It will be a general "get together" of "lab" men, at which organization on a country-wide basis will be discussed and a credit system, functioning under the Hoy banner gone into. So far about 25 acceptances have been received by Elliott.