La Cinématographie Française (1936)

137 ♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦ cinrÆn&Ri RAPHIE SE ♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦ The New Situation Some foreign papers which make a profession of hating France (there aren’t many of them, and their «anti» propaganda makes one smile) hâve published ridiculo^s stories about the social movemenî which agitâtes our country. Those readers who hâve not been able to believe these stories would do well to remember that, in France, reason and corninon sense alway:> corne into their own and claim their rights and pride. Let them also remember that Frenchmen are workers with a taste for work and a spirit of continuity. And lastly there are family feeling, attachment to native soil, and comradeship amongst French people. * * * The strike movement of June 7th stopped the activity of the French film studios during fifteen days. As soon as the question of salaries was fixed, the production of the fifteen films in hand was taken up again, and îhe préparation of the 29 films to succeed them in July has been accelerated. The new conditions of work are rather more onerous, but they hâve the advanlage of imposing a discipline which, up to now, has been more or less unknown to producers. The scheduïes of production must now be more carefully prepared, day by day, and the stages in the studios must be occupied at the given hour. The technicians hâve ail agreed that this reform is a good thing. We think that Art will lose nothing by this précision imposed on those directors who still think that disorder is a form of artistic expression, and waste millions of francs while waiting for an inspiration! * * * One can name fifty-three films which will be finished before the end of August, twenty others are in the cutting stages, whilst thirty-five hâve been released during the four firs": months of the year. Already, this year , the French Cinéma offers to foreign buyers, as many films as during the whole of 1935. If any of our readers should hear anyone say that France no longer makes films, he need not be concemed; for these are simply the words of film dealers who tremble in the face of our compétition. The forward march of French films, in quality as in quantity, has been observable for four years. The 1936-37 Season of French films will be as brilliant as previous ones. * * * The opinion has always been found in our articles that French cinéma workers should organise themselves into a well united Corporation. The br'utal process of strikes as a means of increasing salaries has given a serious hint to the chiefs of our industry. It has given definite shape to the idea amongst the artisans of the cinéma, directors, engineers, operators, that the interests of the work of trade workers are strictly binding upon ail parties. The commercial hostility between exhibitors, the natural antagonism between buyers and sellers, hâve been eased by Corning face to face with more pressing needs. One must re-establish the balance of exchanges, and assure work for ail. That’s the happy spirit, the one which will prevail. We might also hope that, instead of leaving the relations between the French cinéma industry and the State in care of a few rare syndical représentatives, devoted to their task but alternatively up against apathy or criticism, the real workers in the industry will unité and develop a practical plan for the extention of our corporation. The new union of ail our éléments of work, from the high chiefs to the humblest workman, is an avent which will not fail to draw the attention of those who are interested in the French cinéma industry and who could give considérable impetus to ail its branches of activity. The présent examination of the National Economie Council, backed by a Government which is attentive to commercial problems as well as to social ones, will hâve excellent conséquence, of which, naturally, we shall give account. P.-A. HARLÉ. Viviane Romance dans le nouveau film de Julien Duvivler La Belle Equipe THE FRENCH FILM STUDIOS Three Month s Work There is a leap in French film production this Summer. Whereas twenty-five films were made hetween the end of last December and the last April, twenty-two films were made between the latter date and the end of May. Then came the slrike, which entirely paralysed ail activity in production. Fourteen films in production were held-up, and three week’s work were lost. But in spite of this one can register seventeen films now in production, sixteen films in the cutting stages, and the enormous figure of twenty-six films in active préparation, of which ten will be well in production before the middle of July. In ail, Fifty-six films are announced, of which one can count on the trade shows before the end of the year. Thus, despite a period of fïnaneial crisis and lack of confidence in enterprise where the lavish spending of money is necessary, we liave the production of 100 films this year. THE ART OF THE STUDIOS During the months of April, May and June — until the strike — ■ numerous firms, despite difficulties, hâve produced some films of considérable technical and artistic merit. We may mention, ont of this number, Le Grand Refrain, production Mfdropa, La Belle Equipe, directed by Julien Duvivier for Ciné-Arys, the Méga Film production, Moutonnet à Paris, the Guissart-Bacos Film, Sept Hommes, Les Jumeaux de Brighton of the C. C C., Les Amants terribles, with Ga-by Morlay and André Luguet, Les Loups entre eux, by Léon Mathot (C. F. C.), Le Mioche, La Tentation with Marie Bell and Henri Bollan, are just a few of the more remarkably artistic productions of the last three months. But there are also Une Poule sur un Mur, Trois Jours de Perm’, L’Ecole