The Film Daily (1921)

#4^ DA1L.V Wednesday, January 19, 19; "Don't Fear Europe"Ziehm; New U.F.A. Deal Germany Far Behind Says He and Other Continental Countries Present No Cause for Worriment Returned from a five months' tour during which he visited Germany, France, Italy, Scandinavia, Spain and Holland, Arthur Ziehm, foreign sales manager for Goldwyn, is convinced that there is no reason for American (manufacturers to be alarmed over the possibility of serious competition from foreign producers. Ziehm's statement that Germany is far behind this country in the average quality of the pictures being made, is particularly interesting. While abroad Ziehm established exchanges in Holland, in Stockholm to cover Scandinavia and Finland, in Milan, Italy, and in Barcelona, Spain. Another office is planned for Rome. "The International Exposition in Holland was dominated by German picture men." said Ziehm. "With the exception of Goldwyn and Fox, American companies were not represented, and as a matter of fact the exposition was international in name rather than character. One of the most interesting displays was that of an aeroplane camera invented by Germany during the war and now available for general use. "From Holland I went to Scandinavia, where the business seemed to be in pretty fair condition, about 75% of the current supply of films coming from this country. "My visit to Germany, where I spent a number of weeks, was particularly illuminating. There had been so much talk about the activity of German producers and the moderate costs at which they were making film that I would not have been surprised at finding conditions calculated to cause uneasiness among American picture men. Visits to a number of the principal studios in Germany and meetings with many of the leading representatives of the business in that country, gave mc a quite different view of the situation. "With all due respect for the excellence of the work being accomplished by Lubitsch and May and one or two other of the foremost directors, I was soon convinced that the average German picture is far inferior to the standard being maintained in this country. Technically, our product is much better, not only in the direction of the players, but also in the matters of photography and settings. Here, of course, it must be understood that I am referring to the average run of pictures and not to specials such as 'Sumurun,' 'Anna Boleyn' and other productions of its class. "One of the surprises of my visit was to find that some really good Wild West pictures are being turned out at the German studios. They recall the rapid-action type of melodrama popular when Broncho Bill was at the height of his fame. "Most interesting, however, are the experiments being made by Decla in the cubist, futuristic and impressionistic method of picture expression. A new school of picture art is being tested, and whether or not it is destined to have a revolutionizing influence on the making of pictures in the future remains to be seen. Meanwhile, Ufa is specializing in mass productions with a view to turning out specials that will be popular in all countries. "I was surprised to find that German exhibitors are far behind us in matters of presentation. One would expect to find musical settings at their best in Germany, but instead they are distinctly inferior to those we have become accustomed to in this country. This fact struck me forcibly when I attended the premiere of 'Sumurun' and visited theaters in Berlin and elsewhere that are ranked in the first class. "From Germany I went to Italy where I was received with the greatest cordiality by the motion picture men of Rome, Milan and other cities. Now, as heretofore, with the exception of the Goldwyn product, few American made pictures are being shown in Italy. Without any prejudice, I may say that Italian producers have not kept pace with the progress made in American studios during the past few years, although they are turning out some impressive spectacles." A Ten Year Contract That Is Term of Blumenthal-U. F. A. Agreement — Former Won't Admit Negri-F. P. Deal Ben Blumenthal, president of the Export and Import Film Co., Inc., who is back in New York after an extended stay in Central Europe, stated yesterday that he owned the output of the U. F. A. of Germany, producers of "Passion," "Sumurun" and "Anne Boleyn," the latter the most recent to be produced, for English-speaking countries for a period of 10 years. Samuel Rachman is associated with him in the deal. Mr. Blumenthal was seen at the offices of the United Plays, Inc., the Famous Players subsidiary which will produce on the stage and then in pictures the works of famous Central European authors. The representative of WID'S DAILY who saw Blumenthal was armed with a number of clippings relative to the U. F. A. and Blumenthal's activities which appeared in these columns from time to time. Blumenthal would not admit that Pola Negri, star of "Passion," had been signed by Famous Players and would make no comment further than to say that both Pola Negri and her director, Ernst Lubitsch, were under contract to Rachman and himself. He was likewise inclined to be reticent regarding his theater buying activities in Central Europe. He did say, however, that he had secured control of a number of picture and legitimate theaters in Central Europe but insisted that they were on his own behalf and not on behalf of Famous Players, in whose interest it had been variously reported he was acting. Conditions on the other side, said Blumenthal, were "not so good." He said there was considerable upset in Germany regarding the importation of films. The 15% clause was to have gone into effect on Jan. 1st but, as noted at various times and nowverified by Blumenthal, the difficulty is in the division of the 15%. It means that 150 features can be imported from outside markets to be used in Germany, and this per cent is to include American, Italian, French and every other brand of pictures. If divided up to include producers, distributors and exhibitors, as the law provides, it would mean that each individual would get about onefourth of a feature. Joseph Somlo, one of the heads of the U. F. A., came over with Blumenthal and Rachman. Somlo is here to study American picture conditions and the method of putting on shows. His organization owns about 100 theaters in Germany. From other sources it was learned that Somlo had brought with him a print of "Anna Boleyn," which has been the subject of much discussion in English papers. It was reported that he is here to sell the American rights, but Blumenthal, when asked concerning it, scouted the report. Somlo will remain for about a month and then return to Berlin. Has U.F.A. Rights Max Glucksmann Owns Films for Six South American CountriesWhy Exports Have Dropped Max Glucksmann, one of the largest film operators in South America, is in New York for the first time in four years. He came from Paris, where he had been spending several months. Prior to his sailing for this country he visited Berlin, where he looked over the market. He has entered an agreement with the U. F. A. of Germany whereby he owns exclusive exhibition rights for that company's product for six South American countries: Argentine, Uruguay, Paraguay, Chile, Peru and Bolivia. That product will give him about 10 per cent of what he uses. or about 70 pictures, inasmuch as the South American programs call for two features a day, with a daily change. Glucksmann yesterday told why it was that American film exports in recent months had fallen off from 40 to 50% and why in the case of Brazil, the importation of American films had practically ceased. He stated that it was due to the lack of understanding of the real conditions in South American countries on the part of producers here that sums were asked for films that were out of all proportion to the value of the territory. It was for this reason, said Glucksmann, that Italian and German producers were making inroads into the South American market. To emphasize this point, he cited a typical example of how American pictures would find the trade door shut to them. Italian producers are asking two lire a metre for their pictures, or 7 cents for about three feet of film. This averages about $105 for a five reel feature, whereas with domestic pictures the printing cost of the laboratory figured on a basis of 4 cents a foot would be $200 alone. This does not include the cost of the foreign rights. Glucksmann thinks that the answer rests with producers here who must see the foreign market as the resident buyer sees it and arrange his price scale accordingly. There are about 130 theaters in Buenos Aires, and of this number Glucksmann states he owns and controls through bookings 65%. The same percentage is true of Rozario, the second largest city in Argentine, where there are 35 theaters. Glucksmann owns outright 42 theaters in Argentine, Uruguay and Chile, while he plans to extend his theater activities into Peru and Bolivia. "Passion" was shown in Buenos Aires about five months ago under the title, "A Drama in the Court of Louis XV." Glucksmann states by his U. F. A. contract he will show ether Pola Negri productions such as "Carmen," "Sumurun" and "Anna Boleyn." He and his brother Jacobo, who makes his headquarters in New York, will leave for Paris in about a month. From there Max will go to Buenos Aires and Jacobo will return here. Talk of New Unit Luporini Brothers May Form Lar Export Organization to Further Cooperative Buying Plan It is reported in local film circl that Luporini Brothers, import< and exporters, will shortly form large export organization to be ba< ed by liberal capital for the purpc of furnishing an outlet to Americj producers in foreign territories a I serve as a connecting link with cc| tinental producers in the distributif of their productions in this count . The new cooperative policy i\ nounced by Ferdinando LuporJ about a fortnight ago, relative to 1 amalgamation of foreign buyers ■ the interests of protection and eccl omy, will be one of the first steJB to be taken by the new corporate, it is said. Luporini, it is understood, vjl shortly leave on an extended tp through Latin America. DIRECTOR] OF THE TRADE A RELIABLE GUIDE FOP READY REFERENCE ACCOUNTANTS EDMONDS & BOUTON, INC 56 Pine St., 1645 La Brea A New York City. 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