The film daily year book of motion pictures (1930)

CUE rCREIGN ICADE By C. J. North Chief Motion Picture Division, Department of Commerce AMERICAN foreign trade in motion pictures during the year 1929 was dominated by two factors, the rapid displacement of silent films by sound and dialogue pictures in our major markets abroad and by the continuation of repressive legislation in the leading countries of Europe and the spread of such legislation to Australia and New Zealand the two markets in the Far East which supply the bulk of motion picture revenues from that region. Happily the first factor has gone a long way to counterbalance the second. At the beginning of 1929, American "talkies" were just beginning to make their appearance on the screen of the few foreign theatres which had so far been wired. But the reaction on the part of the public particularly in the English speaking countries was so wholehearted and immediate that motion picture houses abroad were wired with unprecedented speed and as a result American revenues from such countries as the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand showed by the end of the year an increase far exceeding that of any preceding year. This increase outweighed any incidental losses from certain continental European countries where legislative difficulties and other factors curtailed somewhat the distribution of films from the United States. That the sound picture was directly responsible for a large footage increase in exports of American motion pictures is apparent. Figures recently compiled in the Motion Picture Division show that for the first nine months of 1929 nearly 42,000,000 feet more of films were exported than for the same period last year. Europe alone took something over 74,000,000 feet for this period as against only 70,000,000 feet for the whole of 1928. The United Kingdom, our most important market not only in Europe but in the world, boosted her imports of American films from 8,000.000 feet for the first nine months of last year (and 12,500,000 feet far the whole year 1928) to over 23,000,000 feet for the first nine months of 1929. And similar increases may be noted from those other countries where the development of sound films has been most rapid. The growth in the number of wired theatres is even more unprecedented so unprecedented in fact that any figures on the subject become out of date almost as soon as published. Researches made by the Motion Picture Division, however, indicate that as of December 1, 1929, outside of the United States and Canada there are approximately 1800 theatres wired with some recognized sound device. Of these, around 1200 are in Europe, 350 in the Far East, and 200 in Latin America. The United Kingdom leads by a wide margin with about 800 to date; Australia stands second with 250 and New Zealand third with 125, again attesting to the tremendous development of the "talkies" in English speaking markets. The second factor, repressive legislation, remained fairly static during 1929. Its course was characterized, however, by the determined stand of American distributors and the French exhibitor against a tightening up of the French quota. During the progress of this no new contracts for the distribution of American films in France were made for a period of over six months and the final temporary settlement on the basis of the status quo, placed a decided check on the spread of such legislation in other countries which had it in mind to take their cue from the outcome of the negotiations in France. Outside of France, Hungary enacted more stringent quota rules, while Czechoslovakia and Spain made gestures in that direction, while regulations based on those in effect in the United Kingdom were put into force in Australia and New Zealand. Germany, finally the originator of the quota system will continue to operate till July, 1930, on a system of import restrictions on films, under a law which went into effect on January 1, 1929. To do more than indicate certain main tendencies surrounding our foreign trade in motion pictures for the year 1930 would be both difficult and dangerous. It needs no prophet to forecast the fact that the sound picture, even granting the fact that the sound picture burst upon foreign audiences not Vut ijllring any change from silent film fare, S ,i,n ?Ve an even more rapid development than in 19,29 but yet become more stabilized in accordance with foreign tastes. During the past year our sound pictures have reaped a harvest even though presented m English before non-English speaking audiences with such super-imposed titles in the appropriate language as would enable the action to Vo*n " Thls condition may obtain through iy3U and for such pictures as embody mainly singing and spectacular scenes it is likely to remain Pejmanei"t' as soon as the novelty has worn off and as large numbers of theatres are wired which will reduce the drawing power of each one, dialogue films will have to be presented in the language the people understand. I am confident that Hollywood will solve this problem and it must eventually because the inflated revenues from English speaking markets cannot continue indefinitely and we cannot afford to lose our continental markets. Force may be lent to this argument when it is considered that there will be greater competition from foreign producers in 1930. England, in spite or the tailure of many mushroom companies is u uS actlve v lnt° sound production. Already she has brought out three or four such films, one of which at least has attracted universally favorable an!)""*' £rmaiLy ^as co""«enced to produce also ™ll ^° French plctures are scheduled for early release. These pictures will have the advantage of language ,n their own markets and granting that they have any quality at all they may well establish a competitive situation which must be met by similar measures on our part Touching on legislation, there is no reason to in 'mO nan f^tl% d'fficuIties will be presented JLu? 929 Germa"y must either abolish Ia'10ns °5 C"aet new ones before July 1. Both Austria and Hungary may change the form of their contingent. In France a permanent settle ment may be effected. Spain and Sechoslovlkfa may make proposals leading to legislation and Italy may at any time change her present rules And while not coming directly under the heading of legislation, it is honed that the patent lit feat ion on ?X? M5^ f!\Germa"y which has great y cur thll distribution of American pictures in ^7Lm,arket may be effectually settled While no prediction can safely be made it is fa"v Lh.°Pfed/-hat th°uSe .^eign countrfes which fit tn y e"terta«nment business so heavilv may see fit to lighten these burdens and thus help to pave aleesWayFor0rwhhe b", % more *A<*™* atres. For when all is said and done revenues from American pictures abroad are based square" on the quality of , those houses in which they are rafTnd ¥°8t >reifr" countries due *«> lack ofci' <<Lf. ■ ta^tlon are woefully behind the United States in the SIze an(J appointments f theHn™£ 1005