The Film Daily (1924)

THE ^5^ I DAILY Thursday, October 9, 192' Developments In The Markets Abroad Sees Need For America To Secure First-Runs In European Capitals Move a Safeguard to Guarantee Outlet — Possibility of "Invasion" Called "Mere Talk," by Ben Blumenthal — Thinks Producers Here Will Assimilate Worthwhile Foreign Talent Discussing conditions in Europe yesterday, Ben Blumenthal of Export and Import Film declared the American industry, will find it necessary to obtain theaters in pivotal European cities to insure exhibition of product. In an extremely interesting discussion of matters abroad, he said: "The settling of European conditions and the end of unemployment in Europe is bringing the people back to the picture theater. Just as in Ameiica, the cinema theater is slowly and gradually forcing the legitimate stage to the wall. In cities and countries where the theatrical business is practically at a standstill, the picture theaters are showing enormous profits. The people are gradually becoming more and more interested in their home stars and foreign stars, and are following with keen interest everything pertaining to the making of the pictures, the same as in America. "The prices of admission to theaters abroad compare favorably with the prevailing prices here and all owners are striving to pattern their performances along the lines set in America. Also, the building of large theaters in Europe has already commenced. "The American picture has slowly, but surely, become of vital importance to the European industry. Without any exertion on the part of the American concerns, they are gradually obtaining a much stronger hold and will, in time, be the absolute dominating factor in the picture world. Whether the American concerns push their product or don't push it, the superiority of the merchandise and the opportunity for the people to see the different customs and environments, together with the simplicity of the films, are placing the American manufacturers in the position where very shortly they will have almost as big a revenue out of Europe as they realize from the American market. Theater Protection Necessary "However, to protect and to more readily seize the benefits which are increasingly accruing to the American industry, it will be necessary for our producers to do something of their own accord, i. e., obtain theaters in which to show their product. Unless they do this, the American producers will in certain countries be in the same position, although not quite as bad, as the foreign producers are with their merchandise here. "The independent buyer or intermediary, whether state-right distributor, renter and as a matter of fact all except producers of exceptional raflk and quality, to my way of thinking have been slowly dying out and are to a great extent already dead, but a great many of them have not as yet realized it. The independent producer, to sell his wares ,must give a better, bigger picture at a cheaper price than the large corporations. This is an impossibility. This holds good in Europe as well as it does in America — as a ma*ter of fact, more so. "The fear of an American invasion by European producers is an unfotmded nightmare and is something which will never happen. In each individual country there will always be a certain amount of production for home consumption. This is as it should be and such pictures will always have drawing power and appeal in their respective countries. That is, a picture produced in France will have a certain appeal in France, but not elsewhere. This holds good for Germany and England also. Occasionally there will be produced a picture in one or another of these countries which will have American distribution and success, but as in everything else, it is the exception which proves the rule. Foreign "Invasion" Only Talk "Regarding the fear that European produi.ers will come to America to make pictures in order to obtain a hold on the American market, I do not think this will ever happen. There may be at some time a courageous foreigner who will come here and produce a picture or two. If the picture is successful, he will be immediately assimilated by the American organizations and will no longer be foreign, but will then produce for the American market, irrespective of what happens in Europe. "If there are European directors of great ability who desire to work in America, they will naturally try to work for one of the leading American concerns instead of working in America for a foreign corporation, if there should ever happen to be one who would have the courage to compete with American producers in their own country. It has been proven very difficult for American corporations with their tremendous organizations to produce abroad, several thousand miles away from home. How much more difficult would it be for a German or a French or a British corporation to produce in America. Then, taking it for granted that they did produce the films, what are they going to do with them ? Where are they going to show them? "For foreigners to seriously compete with American producers and distributors, their first step will have to be to build, purchase or otherwise obtain large theaters in the various centers and then slowly bring in their film and try to educate the public here to appreciate their pictures. This may in time take place and I think there is more reason to believe that something of this kind will in time happen and that they will produce their pictures abroad and distribute them in such a way, than that they will come to America to produce." Redman With Photo Sales (Special to THE FILM DAILY) London — George E. Redman, for nierly of Artistic Films, Ltd., has joined Photo Film Sales, Ltd., as managing director. Berlin Unsettled (Continued from Page 1) duty on German films. * * * Certain a 26 per cent reparations duty on French circles, too, are said to be coquetting with the idea of putting German films imported into France. "The Reichsfilmblatt, the official organ of the German exhibitors, warns its clients not to be too sanguine of the future merely because the London Pact has been ratified. They are warned to keep before their eyes the stern necessity of putting the whole .trade on a sounder footing. The paper hardly anticipates that the theaters will not benefit very much as far as bookings go for some time to come in consequence of the irrigation of the German economic area with foreign capital." Sees World Crisis H. Diamant Berger Blames America for Machine-Made Product — May Work Here H. Diamant Berger, the well-known French producer, now in America, is of the opinion that all over the world there exists today a crisis in production. The responsibility for this crisis can be traced to America," he said yesterday. "Abroad, not only in France, but elsewhere, conditions are not yet back to their former leading place following the war, but here your rich companies could work in a real way. They produce films just as Mr. Ford produces automobiles. Except for certain great special productions, all American films can be mixed together. The beginning of one, the middle of another and the end of a third can be put together to form a new film. If you have a dancing scene, a villain with a short moustache, some snappy titling, and a moral ending, it seems to be alright. But art, intelligence, ideas, inventiveness seem to be forgotten for the itiOment. "In Paris, when I spoke to American picture people, they declared that the American exhibitors are responsible for this. They say the exhibitors supply their patrons with what they desire. I cannot believe this to be true. Motion picture patrons do not ask anything except to enjoy the pictures and if you keep the respect of their intelligence, I cannot see how they will punish you. "The system of stars was and is anti-artistic. The author is the real responsible individual. He must be the soul of the work from the begin ning to the end. Technicians can a tend to the details. The director mu control everything from the begii ning to the end of the picture." Berger has as his American ass ciate, Oscar A. Price. He broug with him two productions, sequels "The Three Musketeers"; one, a sto of the English revolution, the oth called "Fronde," which has as background the cathedral of Not Dame in 1648. In these productio he had the use of thousands of Fren troops. It is possible that Berg may produce in America. When leturns to France he intends to ta back with him several well-knoi American artists. "Sight Unseen" THE CRITERION Los Angeles Has Booked HAROLD BELL WRIGHrSj "THE MINE WITH THE IRON DOOR" For an indefinite run. This theatre has just finish-l ed big runs of "The Seaf Hawk," "Secrets," "Abraham Lincoln" and "The! Hunchback," It^s a Sol Lesser Presentation ME $i ff CELEBRITYPES Famotts People As You Seldom See Them RAY FOSTER'S NEW SINGLE REEL SERIES OF 18 — ONE EVERY 3 WEEKS SERIES BOOKED BY DR. HUGO REISENFELD FIRST ISSUE NOW SHOWING AT THE RiALTO Theatre NEW YORK CITY FIRST ISSUE includes: rex beach, NEYSA MCMEIN. RUBEI GOLDBERG, ANITA STEWART, VINCENT LOPEZ. JOHNNY HINES,[ EDDIE CANTOR, RACHMANINOFF AND OTHERS. ENTIRE UNITED STATES and FOREIGN RIGHTS NOW OPENi CALL-WRITE-WIRE— RAY FOSTER 245 W. 47th ST. CHICKERING 3181 II r Oil iltitl; 51.,