The Film Daily (1931)

Intimate in Character International in Scope Independent in Thought The Or Now Daily N Moti on Fourteen ewspaper Pi ctures Years Old DAILY VOL. LV NC. e<5 NEW YOCr, THURSDAY, A4AJ5CU 19, 1931 <S CENT* Newspaper -Screen Clash Unlikely, Says Ad Official 40/oNONJHEATRICALBIZ FOR PH0T0PH0NE _ / 200-Theater Circuit in U. S. (or German Films The Professor — asks a question —By JACK AUCOATE— Why Not Worthwhile Pictures? Educators, like bankers and incomet a x collectors; are usually inquisitive. We recently went temporarily intellectual and spent a delightful evening with a college professor. "Why," asked he, "does not the motion picture industry make pictures worthwhile ?" We have heard the question so often that it has become trite and we usually put the inquirer in the category of he who talks but says nothing. That was not the case, however, in this instance. The question was seriously and honestly propounded. We answered it just as honestly, for to us the question is automatic and answers itself. What type of picture could be more worthwhile than "Lincoln," "With Bvrd at the South Pole," "Disraeli," "Old English," "Outward Bound," "Old Ironsides" and "King of Kings?" Each an artistic success and each, apparently, something the great 90 per cent did not care particularly to see. Pleasing the Great 90% The motion picture industry and its army of dependents cannot exist or carry on to the tune of raving critics or the approval of a decidedly intellectual minority. Its definite duty is to provide the great 90 per cent with the type of screen entertainment it prefers. Catering to a hundred million is naturally a levelling influence. The limitations of the producer of the average picture, through painful and expensive experience, is obviously rather clearly defined. Until the public, generally, respond to the subtle and more intellectual aspect of screen writing, (Continued on Pope 2") Milton Diamond, Connected With Project, Now in Europe on Product A circuit of about 200 U. S. theaters for exclusive showing of German talkers is understood to be proposed by Milton Diamond, who has been active in various important deals (Continued on Pane 11) NEW COLOR CAMERA DEVICE WILL FIT m_ PROJECTOR Rotocolor is jfhe latest entrant in the color market. Invented by Harold Muller, 160 West 45th St., the process involves a shutter device attachable to any standard projector and which is quickly removable, allowing switching between black and white and color. The process does not concern laboratory processing of film. Claim is made that compared with other color systems now in use this one is inexpensive. Vermont Tax Bill Killed; Two Other Measures Filed An admission tax bill has been spanked by the Vermont legislature through action of the House voting it down 125 to 36. The Utah Legislature has ad (Coutini'ed on Paoc 11) In the N.V.A. Spirit As its 'contribution' to the N.V.A. Fund drive, which will be in progress Easter Week, the Kansas state censor board, headed by Hazel Meyers, has waived censorship of "Stolen Jools," the short feature produced by the combined studios with a cast of some 55 stars for special showing in theaters throughout the country during N.V.A. Week. This action by the Kansas censor will permit shipment of prints direct to theaters without need of censorship seals. rge percentage of 1931 staljations To Be Outside of Theaters lU'A 1'hotophone expects to corral 40 percent of its 1931 business from non-theatrical installations, Sidney Abel, general sales manager, tojld The Film Daily yesterday. The best-seller on the RCA Photophone list at present is the new A. Cooperated reproducer for small-sized, houses, said Abel, and stated that 16U of these devices have been sold since marketing started on Feb. 15. Photophone installations now total 3.00D, (Continued on Pooe 11) Newsreel Producers Will Fight Cameramen's Contract Demands Newsreel producers are determined to scrap it out with the four cameramen's unions over the latter's standard contract demand. Registering absolute thumbs down on the agreement, the producers declare that cur ( Continued on Page 11) Six Features, 12 Shorts On T.P.E.'s New Program Six features and 12 shorts will compose the 1931-32 program of Talking Picture Epics. The last feature on (Continued on Pane 11) Sees No Chance of Screen Ads Cutting in on Newspaper Biz Recording on Wire Ft. Worth, Tex.— Voice recording on a small wire under a system whereby about 75 minutes of talk can be absorbed and retained indefinitely by one pound of No. 30 steel wire, has been given its first public demonstration by Dr. Harold Warwick of this city, the inventor. The wires can be cleared of their impressions by passing a magnet over them. Conflict between picture interest?, and the newspapers over the use of screen advertising is not likely to develop into anything serious, in the opinion of Richard L. Strobridge, secretary of the Newell-Emmett Co., advertising company, who spoke at a demonstration of "talking advertising" presented yesterday by the Motion Picture Group of the Advertising Club of New York. "We cannot see the slightest likelihood that our screen advertising will (Continued on Paoe 11) SIX NEW B.I.P. TALKERS DUE HERE NEXT MONTH Simultaneous^ with the arrival next month of\ Arthur Dent, vice president of British International Pictures, six new [Elstree productions will be placed in] the American market. They are "C ape Forlorn." fea< Continued on Page 11) r" "Tabu" Fascinating entertainment! Not only is this last effort of F. W. Murnau a decidedly different and highly artistic achievement, but it possesses a compelling charm, photographic beauty and pleasing thrills seldom equalled in a picture of this kind. The story is so straight, simple and sincerely acted by the South Sea cast, that absence of dialogue is not missed, and the action is so direct as to require practically no titles. Robert J. Flaherty was associated with Murnau in the production and Floyd Crosby did the camera work. One of the picture's assets is its appropriate musical accompaniment by Hugo Riesenfcld, recorded by RCA Photophone. The picture had a spellbinding effect on the premiere audience last night at Leo Brecher's Central Park. Paramount will release it. GILLETTE.