Motion Picture Herald (Nov-Dec 1948)

markets in greater numbers than ever before. This might be because of the recent political agreement between Finland and the Soviet. Domestic product is some 15 to 20 films annually. These films, however, have difficulty in finding their way abroad. While many Swedish films are shown here, only one or two Finnish films play the Swedish markets. This might be explained by the fact that Finnish product is often of a special quality, being sentimental and often more melodramatic than product from other countries. FRANCE • ® • by EUGEN WEBER in Paris Despite a production forecast of only 40 features, 74 were completed in France during the first nine months of 1948. This is not necessarily due to a revival within the industry, but simply to a lack of confidence in the stability of the franc. High production costs and growing taxes make it difficult for the French producer to keep out of the red. Better a film in hand, the producer reasons, than a few million francs (subject to sudden devaluation) in the bank. A producer has to find fresh capital for almost every new production. This prevents planning ahead. Few companies possess their own studios, so sets have to be scrapped at the end of each production. Costs, already high, look like they will increase because of a number of causes : union pressures for higher salary scales ; frequent work stoppages due to strikes, cuts in electricity and limited studio space. None of this is likely to be remedied by the new Loan Fund of 1,000,000,000 francs recently established by law. Loans from this fund can be used by the industry only on the basis of a successful film already produced — success being judged in terms of box office returns. On the exhibition side, figures show a 30 per cent fall in attendance during the past two years. Exhibitor associations have lost their fight against the new admissions tax of almost 10 per cent and have increased their admissions to the ceiling permitted by law. It is predicted that the next few months will show an adverse public reaction to this rise in admissions. Certainly the French, in spite of 4,400 theatres, are not a cinema-going nation. It is significant that — first run houses on the Champs-Elysees apart — there are seats to be had in all cinemas, at all hours, on all days of the week. GERMANY • • • by HUBERTUS ZU LOEWENSTEIN in Berlin American product has been well received in post-war Germany. While unofficial polls indicate that home production, at present accounting for less than half of the programs, is still the first choice of a large majority of Germans (which is natural enough), American pictures top the list of foreign favorites, at least in the U. S. zone where most American films have so far been shown. Dubbing has done much to improve the reception of American pictures. German production, starting almost from scratch after the surrender and laboring against tremendous difficulties, has been going steadily uphill. Turning out five pictures in 1946, 16 in 1947, and perhaps 25 by the end of this year (as against 99 in 1938), the producers have an even more ambitious production schedule for next year. However, there are still serious handicaps to be encountered by the 30 production companies licensed by the occupying powers — 13 by the Americans, 10 by the British, five by the French and two by the Russians. Only 14 companies (Continued on page 8) mi x T IT COSTS The following tabulation records the admission prices in theatres of various countries of the world, in terms of American money, and in terms of the number of man hours of unskilled labor necessary to purchase one admission. Country Run Admission Admission IU.S. Dollars) .Admission f Hours of Labor) BRAZIL First 6-7 Cruzeiro 30 35 cents Second 4.5 5.5 Cruzeiro 23 28 cents One to two hours for Subsequenfs Third 3.5 4.5 Cruzeiro 18-23 cents CANADA First 60 cents 60 cents One hour CHINA First 0.50 2.40 Gold Yuan 12-63 cents Half day for Second 0.35 1.70 Gold Yuan 9-43 cents Subsequenfs GERMANY Average: One Mark 303 cents 1 Y2 hours GREAT BRITAIN Leading West End 3s. 0d. 1 Is. 6d. 60 cents -$2.30 Lesser West End Is. 9d.-4s. 6d. 35 90 cents '/2 hour for Subsequenfs Suburban and Provincial Is. Od. -3s. 6d. 20 70 cents Decree High of 4,000 drachma for first run, winter, to 1,500 drachma for third run, summer I o *rU cents Average 1 1/2 hours HOLLAND First Average of 1.10 florins 4 1 cents 1 hour, 10 mins. Second 0.60 florin 1.25 florins 23 47 cents ISRAEL Average from 2 1 0 to 260 mils 65 85 cents JAPAN First 40 yen 15 cents 2 hours Second 35 yen 13 cents 1 % hours MEXICO First 4 5 pesos 57 72 cents Full Day Moveovers 3 pesos 43 cents Second 1 .50 1 .25 pesos ll i o cenTs -Half Day M EVA/ 7CAI A Kin Average from ls.6d. to 2s. 24 32 cents Average 1/2 hour SPAIN First 8-15 pesetas 74 cents -$1.36 5 to 9 hours SWEDEN First 1.95 3.75 kroner 52 cents -$1.05 1 1/2 to 3 hours TURKEY 20-90 piastres 6-30 cents 20 mins. to 1 Y2 hours UNITED STATES National average of 42 cents Average 20 mins. VENEZUELA • First 2-4 bolivars 60 cents -$1.20 2 to 4 hours Second 1 .50 3 bolivars 45 90 cents 1 1/2 to 3 hours Neighborhoods 1 2 bolivars 30 60 cents 1 to 2 hours 6 WORLD MARKET MOTION PICTURE HERALD, NOVEMBER 13, 1948