The motion picture almanac (1931)

1931 The MOTION PICTURE ALMANAC 305 American General Film Inc. Importers and Distributors of German and Other Foreign Language Talking Pictures in The United States & Canada 729 7th Ave. New York City N. Y. Telephone: Medallion 3-5639 Cables: Generfilms EXPORT and IMPORT To and from SWEDEN N O RWAY DENMARK FINLAND t=] FILMS and Allied Products ERNEST MATTSSON, Inc. 220 West 42nd Street New York City Candler Building Telephone: Wleeon.in T-21S2 Cable Address : Matuson I-'* 'hem financially weaker than at the close of 1929. • *-r ***f— About 125 short films, mostly of an educational and adverising nature, were produced. They were all silent. There is no sound or feature film production. Dutribution: A total of 784 films of all sorts were censored. Of these. IM were German, 296 American and 125 Latvian. Of sound films censored, 82 were American and 63 German. Exhibition: One new theatre was built and several were reconstructed. Twenty-six theatres had been wired as of December 31 as against one at the close of the previous year. Of these, 16 have German equipment, a local apparatus and one a French set. * LITHUANIA [Consul Hugh S. Fullerton. Kovno] The chief highlights of the year were the growth of the sound picture and the increased German competition due to the better understanding of its language in Lithuania. Production No film production as such. Two or three educational shots were made Distribution Between 3 50 and 400 films distributed, about 27 per cent from the United States. exhibition: Two new theatres were built and one was closed. Sixteen theatres out of 75 in the country have been wired as of December 31. FINLAND [Trade Commujioner Frederick C. Sommcr . Hching/oTi] Attendance at theatres decreased from the previous year and exhibitors' profits have been small. Sound films are popular but better understanding of German than English has created increased competition from German sound films. Production One feature first made as a silent, but then chromxed, was produced. A few short subjects also were made . Distribution 610 films were released, of which 392 were from the United States, 111 from Germany. 31 from Fin* land. 19 from Russia, 18 from Sweden and 39 from other countries, fxhtbitton There were no new theatres built. 55 theatres were wired, and as 4 were sound equipped in 1929. a total of 59 theatres were wired as of December 31. Only 2 have American apparatus. * POLAND [Acting Commercial Attache Gilbert Red/ern. Warsau)] 1930 was a trying year for exhibitors. Depressed economic conditions cut down theatre attendance, and with the high prices charged for sound films, plus the difficulty of getting suitable material, exhibitors have been lucky to make both ends meet. In spite of this, installation of sound equipment has continued to make headway. Production. Seven films — all sound — were produced. There are several small studios, which in addition produced considerable short subject material. Distribution: 1,647 films of all sorts were released during the first 9'/2 months of 1930. Of these 1.283 were of American origin and 137 from Germany. 719 sound films (including shorts) were released, 605 from the United States and 42 from Germany. Exhibition Only one new theatre was built, while several were closed. By December 31, 61 houses were wired as against 15 at the close of the previous year. About 35 per cent of these are using American equipment. SWITZERLAND [Asst. Trade Commissioner Henry E. Stebbins, Berne] The sound film has attained considerable popularity as exemplified by a notable increase in theatres wired. As Switzerland is a trilingual country, however, the necessity for versions of American pictures in German. French and Italian is apparent to meet the needs of the market. At present, due to the language factor, German films are actively competing with American product and have attained great popularity. Production: One silent feature was made and a number of short subjects. Dutributton: Estimates indicate the distribution of 250 silents and 120 sound films. Of the former, about 65 per cent and of the latter 5 5 per cent were American. Exhibition: Nine new theatres were built with a total seating capacity of about 2,500. Six theatres were closed. About 104 theatres were wired as of December 31, is against 10 at the close of 1929. 41 installations were American. AUSTRIA [Assistant Commercial Attache D. E. Spencer, Viennj] The economic depression in Austria arrested to a certain degree the development of the film trade. Sound films continud to displace silents, but in this American companies are meeting keen competition from Germany. The Austrian contingent law, which was changed as of December 1 , had a hampering effect on the American trade. Production. Two sound films and 3 silents were produced in two sound equipped studios. Distribution: 147 sound features and 362 silents were distributed. Of these 85 sound features and 151 silents were supplied by Germany, and 53 sound features and 168 silents by the United States. Exhibition. Thirty theatres were remodeled and none built. Total wired theatres as of December 31 is 153. of which 29 have American equipment. HUNGARY [Assistant Trade Commissioner Walter M. Slair((. Budapest] The general film situation was critical owing to lack of theatre attendance, and increased charges for sound films. American films are beginning to feel German competition, as many more Hungarians understand German than English. Production: Three sound features were produced, one with a Rumanian version. Distribution: A total of 323 features were censored for release, these consisting of 199 sound and 124 silent films. 132 of the former and 72 of the latter came from the United States. Exhibition: Theatres built and reconstructed reached a total of 5 with 1.806 seats, but a number of theatres were closed. Ten theatres had been wired in Hungary during 1929. and 108 additional were wired in 1930. making a total of 118 wired as of December 31. A SPAIN From figures at hand it is believed that 10 feature films were produced. So far as distribution it concerned films from the United States held their own very well averaging around 75 per cent of all those distributed. New theatres constructed amounted to 48 seating an additional 51.500 persons and 15S theatres had sound equipment installed, which with the 15 wired at the end of 1929 gives a total of