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MOVIE CAVALCADE
79
It had been realised for some time that the only way to do this latter was to pass some measure forcing cinemas to show so much footage of British film every year. The authors of the plan, later to be called the British Quota Act, were George Ridgewell (a director), Captain Rex Davis (actor and M.P.) and — of all people — Victor McLaglen.
In 1923, after a year spent in planning, these three started to go to work. By every possible means, in the press, at public meetings, and writing to M.P.'s, they spread their propaganda.
But the fight was long, and it was not until 4 years later that the Quota Act was finally passed ; with it the British Film Industry was saved from inevitable extinction.
During the pre-talkie years Britain produced few pictures of note, but amongst those that are best remembered are Betty Balfour in Squibs and The Glorious Adventure with Lady Diana Manners and Victor McLaglen.
VII.
Before we leave the silent film and come to the talkie and the complete revolution of movie entertainment that this innovation entailed, let us take a glance to see what was happening to the silent film in other parts of the world at its peak period.
France, like Britain, had the handicap of the war years on her industry's shoulders and she, too, fell sadly behind in the race for both the national and international markets ; the American film swamped the French cinemas.
Maurice Badeche and Robert Brasilach writing of the French film during the period 1920-25 say that during that time the history of the commercial cinema in France was the history of the one firm of Pathe-Natan. It was not a pleasing history. This powerful and well-organised firm hardly produced one good film.
Abel Gance, a director of some considerable note, experimented with a triple-screen idea and actually used it for presenting his epic film Napoleon. But the scheme proved a costly failure and was soon dropped. Cavalcanti, who has since become one of our ace documentary producers, made several films. But of all the men of the French cinema of this period the most