Motion Picture Herald (Jan-Feb 1944)

February 5, 1944 MOTION PICTURE HERALD 29 MR. RANK TELLS "TATLER" HIS WORLD WIDE PLAN J. Arthur Rank, British Him leader who in the past two years has risen to a position of dominance in the industry in Great Britain, with unparalleled holdings in production, distribution and exhibition, has indicated specifica/fy his present and post-war infenfions in the New Year edition of the Daily Film Renter, London motion picture /ournal. The article carries the by-line of "Tatler," pseudonym for Ernest W. Fredman, managing editor. The widespread designs of Mr. Rank impinge sharply on the American industry. 'Tatler's" article is here reprinted in part. [The italics and subheads are ours. — Editor.] By "TATLER" At the time of the interview, rumour associated Mr. Rank with the intention oi buying control of United Artists ; since then, of course, it will have been seen that U. A. are still continuing as an entity exactly as before ; but Mr. Rank made no bones about it — he agreed that he was in the market and would have been prepared to enter some arrangement. It was in reply to my first question, wherein I asked him about his views on the distribution of British films in American and other world markets, that Mr. Rank told me what I most wanted to know. He said: "Up to the present moment I have made no arrangements for American distribution. But, as you know perfectly well," he went on, "I have been considering the matter of an American distributing organization for some several months. When you suggested recently in your column that I wanted an association with an American company, you were absolutely right. It is true. What I want, in fact, is a British-American company with a policy of reciprocal distribution of American ^nd British made films — particularly in view of my firm opinion that Britain and America will work in far closer co-operation after the war than at present. "With this in mind, I suppose it is natural that U. A. should seem an obvious choice. Would Not Be Averse To UA Arrangement "It is plain, therefore, that if U. A. were to make a proposition to me, I would not be averse, under favorable conditions, to making an arrangement with them — as representing an organisation with similar ideas to mine. "If any negotiations which might take place between myself and the U. A. stockholders were unfruitful," said Mr. Rank, "I should form a British-American company with the policy which I stated previously, and endeavour to bring in topnotch producers, directors and artists to make pictures for world distibution." . . . He said that he was undoubtedly in favour of making pictures — expensive pictures — specially for the American market. "For instance," he continued, " 'Cesar and Cleopatra' — the film which Gabriel Pascal is going to make for me — will be aimed directly at this market." Speaking of Two Cities, Mr. Rank said that although he did not own any share or interest -in the company, he financed the making of their films. In this connection he mentioned "Henry V" as bing a fine example of a geat picture aimed at a world market. He was disinclined to believe that its historical background would prejudice its chances among less discerning picturegoers. He believed that a picture of such a calibre as he knew this one to be, would be acceptable to all but the very smallest percentage of English-speaking audiences. I asked him whether he considered that in this type of picture we were shooting above the BRITAIN STUDIES FILM MONOPOLY The British Films Council in London this week appointed a four-nnan connnnittee of "independent" members to investigate "such measures as may be necessary to counteract the danger" of a film monopoly. This action was taken as a result of pressure from labor and other industry groups. The council named the committee at the request of Dr. Hugh Dalton, president of the Board of Trade. The committee includes: Albert Palache, London banker, chairman; Sir Walter Citrine, general secretary of the Trades Union Congress; Philip Guedella, author and historian, and Professor Albert Arnold Plant of the London University School of Economics. Dr. Dalton urged speedy recommendations. heads of a large section of the people, particularly the American people ; or whether it might be thought that we were trying to impose upon them either our ideas or our culture ; but he did not think so. "As far as the second part of the question is concerned," he said, "it would be impossible under the prevailing conditions, to try to impose our ideas on the American people, though Hollywood has been able to do this to lis to a certain extent. . . . "If there is any level to come down to," he continued, "we shall come down to it." . . . That seemed to me to be a pretty forthright outline of his British-American production plans. So I followed up by asking him whether he was going to acquire theatres in the U. S., the Dominions, and on the Continent, as shop windows for his product. As before, he got down to brass tacks right away. "At the moment I have no plans for acquiring kinemas in America," he said. "But I am much in favour of the acquisition of kinemas in the Dominions, and I have discussed the matter very earnestly." In talking of the Dominions he excluded for this purpose, Canada, as he regarded Canada and the U. S. as one as far as the film industry was concerned. "For instance," he went on enthusiastically, "after the war I may have to go and build Joseph M. Schenck, executive production chief of Twentieth CenturyFox, is quoted in the New Year edition of Daily Film Renter, of London, as follows: "/ befieve, and this is not meant as a criticism, that If the British producer would try and give the same careful consideration to the type ot picture that would be suitable for both markets we could handle the British picture with far greater success than we have heretofore." kinemas in South Africa. It is definitely my intention ultimately to have kinemas and use them as shop windows for British films on the Continent, and in all the important capitals of the world." He obviously couldn't say fairer than that, so I switched the conversation over to the Quota question. It did not take him long to deal with this, and in the unequivocal manner which is characteristic of this shrewd Yorkshireman, he said: "As far as quota is concerned, I am not worrying about it at all. The excellence of British product and the ubiquity of its acceptance is my chief concern. Provided a sufficiently high standard of product is achieved and maintained, I think the Quota Act will become a historical piece of legislation." . . . Plans Own Orffanization for Continental Distribution This seemed a good moment to ask him how he thought we would fare in competition with Hollywood in the matter of Continental distribution after the war. Bang came the reply without a moment's hesitation. "I intend to open my own organisation for such a purpose." He was inclined to discount to a certain extent the great start which Hollywood has on Britain in the matter of actual preparation, dubbing, etc., because he thought British prestige woidd be so high among the liberated countries after the war that they would be willing to take our product, primarily out of gratitude, and secondarily, out of its greater suitability. This struck me as being one of the soundest comments I have heard on the matter — and I've heard quite a few. "We have always done fairly well in this sphere," he continued, "and I am confident that we shall do increasingly well after the war." It was inevitable that we should get around to post-war prospects in the course of time. And Rank said exactly what I expected to hear him say. "All round, post-war prospects are bright. Provided we make pictures with a wide appeal, I feel that the prospects for the British film industry are extremely favourable. "From the exhibitor viewpoint, it is my firm opinion that there will be no slump — no appreciative falling off in business, in fact — for at least twelve months. Even after that I believe the retrogression will be much less and much more gradual than most people in the industry forecast. "It is inevitable that there should be some falling off, of course, but not a great deal." "How do you suppose," I put in, "all this is going to be affected by the quarrels between renters and exhibitors that continually disrupt the industry?" This was clearly a point that worried him, and he looked very serious as he replied : "It must be quite apparent to everybody that they have got to stop. The industry needs a change of heart. "We've got to work together if we are going to get anywhere. I was always brought up to think that the good things in life are made for everyone, and unless we can co-operate in this industry in a policy of give and take, we are going to make things much harder for ourselves. "I should like it to be made perfectly clear that I am not trying to corner the trade. I am trying to put the trade on_ the_ map, and the whole of my organisation is directed to that end." . . .