The Film Daily (1929)

France May Drop Quota for a High Import Duty 7Ae NEWSPAPER ■■ffifil TITy >1¥1 ki ; T"E NEWS o/FILMDOM^^MUl^^^^ALLTHE TIME VOL. XLIX No. 18 Monday, July 22, 1929 Price 5 Cents "Paris Bound" A SUCCESSFUL instance of a combination often sought after in Hollywood, but too infrequently achieved: a picture that combines class and good taste with no sacrifice of the necessary elements for popular appeal. A highbrow-lowbrow production with a very wide and deserved appeal. This is "Paris Bound," Number 1 on Pathe's program for the new season. A significant film for Pathe because it launches 19291CM) under favorable auspices and for showmen because it is both a money and a prestige picture. A Gem in Treatment A domestic light drama in which nothing w«'Hli sensational occurs. lip Barry from >.:.-■ play the produced took two carefully reared people, married them and episodically delights on the high spots in the first four years of their wedded life. It is an orderly existence, hut the incidents that follow adroitly and cleverly reveal the gradual adjustments, the process of give and take which mark the early course of all newly weds. A theme as wide as America. In treatment, a fine order of intelligence was exercised. Subtlety in handling the situations was used and imagination in the direction by E. H. Griffith. The dialogue, too, is excellent and, since most of it was culled directly from the lines of the play, the reason why becomes apparent. There are few Barrys in the American theater. Miss Harding And the star! Ann Harding in this, her first picture, propels herself easily into first ranks. A most attractive blonde, possessed of a beautiful voice and a pronounced ability as an actress, her stage career serves in good stead in the talker medium. She gives a finished performance. "A Perfect Day" Laurel and Hardy in a laugh fest. It's the automobile picnic idea with new slants. Very funny and worthy of a play anywhere. Don't pass it up. K A N N EXHIBITORS MEETING TODAY TO DRAFT SOUND RELIEF PLAN SAYS ALLIED TO REMAIN OUT OT ARBITRATION Withdrawal of Allied States Ass'n from arbitration is permanent at least until the system is adjusted to provide equity for independent exhibitors, W. A. Steffes, president of the Northwest exhibitor unit, stated prior to leaving New York for Minneapolis. No plans for resumption of arbitration have been made in Minneapolis, be declared. Allie,: v.iilnL, 'inurd on Page 8) ARBITRATION IS BEING CONTINUED IN TEXAS Dallas — Twice the number of exhibitors necessary volunteered their services to the arbitration board here which today will hold its second session, since the Texas exhibitor unit withdrew from arbitration, according to Don C. Douglas, secretary of the Film Board. "Exhibitors, both members and non-members of _the M.P.T.O., having claims against distributor meni(Continued on Page 8) Fox Gains By CHARLES F. HYNES Mineola, L. I. — William Fox's condition is improving steadily. His progress is so marked, hospital attaches declare, he will be discharged very shortly now. PROTECTION TEST IS SLATED IN COAST CASE Legality of extended proteetfdn, test of which is planned b; the New Jersey exhibitor association, will be under fire by the government in the action brought against Fox West Coast Theaters, scheduled to come to trial Sept. 13 at Los Angeles. The government, through the Dept. of Justice, has indicted officials of Fox West Coast and a number of distribu (Continued on Page 8) Seider Closes for Two Houses of Glynne Chain Joseph M. Seider has closed a deal with Mike Glynne for the Patchogue and Rialto, Patchogue, L. I. Seider operates the Regent, Bayshore; the (Continued on Page 8) High Duty Instead of Quota New Plan Advanced in France Paris (By Cable) — Proposed French quota may be dropped with a high tariff on negatives adopted instead. If the plan is carried out, effort will be made to admit a percentage of last year's production free of duty. A part of the plan is to grant distributors of each Frenchmade film licenses to import four productions free of duty. No Official Word Received from France on Quota Plan Washington Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Washington — Proposal that distribution of films be resumed while quota question is given further con sideration may have been .made ti American picture interests by the French Government but has not been made formallv to the State Department, Federal officials declared Sat urday. No new correspondence regarding the subject has been exchanged between the two governments in recent weeks, but reports to Washington from Paris indicate that efforts are still being made to settle the controversy and that tentative suggestions that distribution be resumed have been made to the film industry. Proposals to Be Offered at Confab with Sales Managers Tomorrow Proposals for relief of the small exhibitor from high overhead caused by the sound picture development are to be discussed by exhibitor committee of the anti-Myers group, which meets today in New York. The exhibitor committee is expected to draft a plan of relief to be offered tomorrow at the meeting with sales managers. The latter have outlined a tentative plan, calling for adjustments to exhibitor > oversold o lictu'es. 1 his ma rj u through; Film (Continued on Page 8) ANOTHER RESTRAINT SUIT INSTITUTED IN TEXAS Dallas — Embracing practically the same conspiracy charg s and the same damages as in the case filed recently by J. A. Cuff, owner of the Liberty at Denison, B. Legg, former Denison exhibitor, has brought suit for $120,000 against Publix, Paramount, L. M. Ridout, L. M. Ridout. Ir., ot Denison and L. L. Dent of D 'is. Damages sought ar ■ divided, §80.000 being specified as ictual and >4U, (Continucd on *e K) Co-op Buying c Sound Equipment Is Planned Co-operative huyins. of 20 sound equipments is planned by a group of members of the New Jersey exhibitor association, headed by Joseph M. Seider. Members of the group will buy the equipments as a unit, Seider states, declaring that all systems will be considered. The New Jersey unit through co-operative buying of in(Continued on Page 8) Pathe Realignment Is Completed by Reisman Realignment of 'he Pathe sales force has been completed, states Phil Reisman. general sales manager. E. L. McEvoy is in charge of the East. W. E. Callaway the South, (Continued en Page 8)