Minutes of evidence taken before the Departmental Committee on Cinematograph Films (1936)

COMMITTEE ON CINEMATOGRAPH FILMS 5 May, 1936.] Mr. R. D. F&NNELLY. [' 'onttnued. Table E. Comparison of British films registered by the principal roiiijimiirs in \\)'.\\ 5 uiih their minimum quota requirements. Quota Length Liability. Registered. ('000 ft.) ('000 ft.) British Companies. Associated British Film Distri butors ... 51 43 Associated Producing & Distri bution Co. 7 23 British Lion Film Corporation ... 12 42 Butcher's Film Service ... 8 45 Gaumont-British Distributors ... 47 210 Pathe Pictures 38 39 Wardour Films ... 31 120 Foreign Controlled Companies. Columbia Pictures Corporation 68 68 First National Film Distributors 49 49 Fox Film Co 69 69 Metro-Goldwyn Mayer Pictures Ltd 89 89 Paramount Film Service 97 98 Radio Pictures 78 78 United Artists Corporation 27 52 Universal Pictures Ltd. ... 113 113 Warner Bros. Pictures ... 47 47 Detailed figures for the year ended March, 1936, will not be completely available until the renters' returns for 1935-6 have been received and examined, but preliminary estimates will show much the same result as in 1934-5, namely, that the foreign controlled companies tend to register just sufficient British films to meet their quota obligations, while the British companies in general acquire registered films far in excess of the obligation. Among the foreign controlled companies the exception is United Artists who act as distributing agents in this country for the films produced by London Film Productions Ltd. and British and Dominions Film Corporation Ltd. 51. Although the question of the quality of British films will be discussed more generally at a later stage in the memorandum, it may be interesting at this point to compare the quality of the British and foreign films acquired by the British and the foreign controlled renters. The following table F is taken from the paper by Mr. S. Rowson to which reference has already been made. Table F. Estimated ( Weighted) Average Marking of Films in 1934. Registered by British films. Foreign films. British Companies Foreign Companies 8 7 8 This table is based upon the markings assigned to films by the Cinematograph Exhibitors' Association Review. Markings are based on a maximum of 10, but the difference between seven and eight marks represents a considerable difference in estimated value.* This table shows that the foreign controlled companies get the best foreign films and the worst British films and contrariwise that the * The markings may roughly bo grouped as follows : — Under 7 ... Bad. 7 — 7 J ... Second features for small country cinemas. 7 J — 7| ... First feature for small cinemas; some may serve as second features elsewhere. 8 — 8£ ■•• First feature for most cinemas. 8J or over. Films of the " super " type. British renting companies get the best British films and the worst foreign films. So far as these markings are reliable, they also show that the British films rented by British companies were on the average of as high a quality as the foreign films rented by the foreign controlled companies. 52. The following table G shows the number of renting firms in default with their quota in each of the years ended March, 1933, to 1935. Table G. Year ended Number of Number of Number of March 31 Renters licensed. Defaults. Prosecutions. 1932-33 45 8 1 1933-34 51 3 — 1934-35 55 6 — 1935-36 65 18 * Most of the defaults occurred amongst small renters who register only one or two films and in many cases it is found that these renters go out of business before the end of a renters' year. Under the Act a renter who is in default is entitled to make a submission to the Board of Trade and to claim a certificate if he can show that the reasons for his non-compliance with the Act were outside his control. Before a decision is reached on the question of granting a certificate these cases of default are referred to the Cinematograph Films Advisory Committee as required by the Act. It will be observed that in only one case in the three years 1932-5 have proceedings been instituted. In the remaining cases no renter satisfied the Board of Trade that the circumstances of non-compliance were outside his control, but the defaults were not considered sufficiently serious to justify a prosecution. The companies concerned, however, were warned that they must not expect similar leniency in the case of any future default. VII. — -The Position of the Exhibitors. 53. The exhibitors are combined for trade association purposes in the Cinematograph Exhibitors' Association (secretary, Mr. iW. R. Fuller). 54. Under the Act every exhibitor showing films to which the Act applies is required to be in possession of an annual licence issued by the Board of Trade. This liability arises in respect of each cinema separately, and the licence is not transferable if the business changes hands during the course of a quota year. The numbers of licences issued by the Board of Trade to exhibitors in the course of the last three exhibitors' quota years have been as follows : — Year ended 3Qth September. 1933 4,&52 1934 4,766 1935 4,855 These figures include a number of new licences which were issued in the course of a year when premises Changed hands and the total number of cinemas normally open in this country may be taken at about 4,400. 55. As already pointed out, the Gaumont-British Picture Corporation control, through various associated companies, some 330 cinemas, and the Associated British Pictures Corporation some 225. None of the other British producing or renting con * The number of defaults is a preliminary estimate and may be reduced by combinations of renters under Section 14. Tho defaults will be examined on the basis of the Renters' returns due on May 1st and will then be brought before the Advisory Committee as necessary.