Motion Picture Herald (Mar-Apr 1939)

66 MOTION PICTURE HERALD April 15, 1939 FRENCH BILL RETAINS DUBBING TAX THREAT American Distributors Oppose Measure Now Up to Deputies; Double Bill Clause Dropped by PIERRE AUTRE in Paris The cinema bill, drafted and subsequently revised by Jean Zay, French minister, of national education, of which the highlights of the first draft were published in Motion Picture Herald of February 4, is now before Parliament and is the subject of wide discussion in cinema circles in Paris. The main clauses eliminated in the bill as finally introduced in the Chamber of Deputies on March 30, were the limitation to 10,000_feet of the length of cinema programs and direct collection in theatres by the Film Authors' societies of their percentages. Dubbing Tax Threatened American interests were chiefly concerned in the provision limiting the length of the programs as it would have eliminated double feature programs and consequently halved the present sales of American films in France. But the bill still includes some threats agamst the American motion picture industry. Indeed, the preamble includes the following paragraph "The bill reserves the possibility of establishing by decree in accord with France's present international engagements, a dubbing tax. This measure, which has already been adopted by many countries, is made legitimate by the necessity of protecting French producers against the competition of foreign films which come to France entirely amortized and are rented at very low prices." American film officials in Paris have pomted out that this preamble is in error inasmuch as it indirecdy refers to American products which constitute 90 per cent of the foreign films imported in France. "Contrary to the statement," it was said, "American films are not amortized before they become export products, and secondly there are not many countries which also charge dubbing tax. In fact, there is only one — Italy. "It is also false that American dubbed films are rented in France at very low prices. Some of them are rented at high rates, some at low rates, just like the French films. It is certain that films such as "Adventures of Robin Hood" or "Gunga Din" would not be rented to French exhibitors at the same cost as a supporting comedy. "This accusation against our business is made with an intentionally misleading purpose." Authors' Society Clause Feared Elimination of the clause concerning the creation of film authors' societies which would collect directly in the theatres the percentage of receipts going to the authors, producers, and distributors, brought relief to the ind-ustry. This provision had been vehemently opposed as it would have given complete control of the industry to the writers. The bill is it now stands has been referred to the Committee of Education and Fine Arts of the Chamber of Deputies for study and discussion. It is not considered likely that its provisions will be changed before public hearings which are set for the near future. The provisions most attacked by exhibitors were those concerning the limitation of programs, the new authors' royalties and other fees, and collection in the theatres. All these ':lauses have been eliminated. The only provision remaining which is objectionable to American interests is the threat of a dubbing ta.K, but it does not seem that, because of the Franco-American trade agreement, this clause can be applied to American films any more tlian the limitation of the length of the programs could have been maintained. As soon as he has concluded his work in Deanna Durbin's new picture, Charles Boyer will return to Paris to star in a French picture to be produced by Andre Daven, who made "Heart of Paris" and "Orage," Mr. Boyer's last picture made in France. The new film, entitled "Le Corsaire" ("The Corsair"), is an adaptation of a successful play by Marcel Achard, author of "Heart of Paris." At present Marc Allegret, who has withdrawn his engagement with Alexander Korda to direct "The Thief of Bagdad," is working on the screen play of "The Corsair" together with Marcel Achard and M. Lustig. Production will start as soon as Mr. Boyer arrives in France, about July 1. Outdoor scenes will be made on the French Riviera up to August 10, and production will continue afterwards in a Paris studio. The remainder of the cast of "The Corsair" has not been decided. The feminine leading part may be given to a new actress. Daven also plans a film on Parisian life of which the tentative title is "Simone de Belleville." New Studio in South France Emile Couzinet, one of the leading French distributors and exhibitors who controls an important circuit in the French South and Southwest, in the Marseilles, Toulouse and Bordeaux regions, has become a producer. Mr. Couzinet has built modern film studios in one of the most popular sea-resorts of the French Southwest, at Royan, 60 miles north of Bordeau and only 350 miles from Paris. The new studios were inaugurated with the making of "Le Club des Fadas, which Mr. Couzinet directed himself. The main advantage of this decentralization comes from the fact that electric current and workers' hours are 30 per cent cheaper than in Paris, and that this region provides a rural countryside valuable for location work. Besides, the sky is nearly always fine with a small yearly rainfall. Mr. Couzinet estimates that production of a film in his studios will reduce production expenses by 25 to 30 per cent. French Television Launched The formal inauguration of French television in the commercial field took place on March 31 when at the Theatre Marigny, Paris, Jules Jullien, Minister of Post, Telegraph and Telephone (P. T. T.), introduced to a large audience the first public showing of television transmission on a big screen measuring six feet by four feet. Mr. Jullien announced that the experimental period of television had concluded and that, starting April 15, the French National Broadcasting system would broadcast television shows every night. Mr. Jullien's speech was followed by two addresses by Jean Perrin and Marcel Prevost. The transmission, from the television studio of the Minister of Post and Telegraph on a wave-length of 46 megacycles for pictures and 42 megacycles for the sound from the aerial established on the top of the EifTel Tower, included some dances, songs and an extract of SHORT PRODUCT PLAYING BROADWAY Week of April 8 CAPITOL Marine Circus MGM Imperial Delhi MGM Feature: Broadway SereiuiJe MGM CRITERION Clock Wise RKO Radio Swing Vacation RKO Radio Feature: Within the Law MGM MUSIC HALL Ugly Duckling, The RKO Radio Air Waves RKO Radio ■ Screen Snapshots, No. 3 , . . Columbia Feature: The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle RKO Radio PARAMOUNT Popular Science, No. 3 Paramount Aladdin and His Wonderful Lamp Paramount Feature: Midnight Paramount RIALTO Oliver the Eighth MGM Feature: The Flying Irishman. RKO Radio RIVOLI Ugly Duckling, The RKO Radio Gems of the Orient MGM Feature: Three Smart Girls Grmv Up Universal ROXY Fashion Forecasts 20th Cent.-Fox G-Man Jitters 20th Cent.-Fox Feature: The Story of Alexander Graham Bell 20th Cent.-Fox STRAND Chained Vitaphone Chicken Jitters Vitaphone Feature: Bodge City Warner Bros. Jules Romains' play, "Dr. Knock," with Louis Jouvet. The television cameras used in the studios were the current Emitron cameras ( Thomson HoustonMarconi) adopted by the French P. T. T. and the reception apparatus, a cathode oscillograph receiver manufactured by the Campagnie Frangaise de Television (Barthelemy system). The pictures were of 455 line definition and appeared rather clear and sharp. The transmissions brought television sharply to the attention of the film industry, but the question of competition depends on the quality of programs developed. These remain a diflScult problem. At the present, in spite of the fact that a few radio manufacturers have tried to introduce television receivers, here have been very few sales. Prices start at 7,000 francs ($200). Wheeler Heads Club Harry Wheeler, Paramount booker, has been elected president of the Cinema Club of Kansas City. He succeeds Stan Goldberg of Metro Premiums. Other officers are Charles Crawford, first vice-president; Nelson Burrus, second vice-president; M. E. Anderson, secretary, and Al Adler, treasurer. Stuart Legg, production manager of the Strand Film Company, London, will be engaged by the Canadian Government to produce two documentary films to further the provincial youth training projects of the Dominion.