The Moving picture world (April 1921)

April 2, 1921 MOVING PICTURE WORLD 471 Brunet Concludes Deal Whereby Pathe Will Distribute Stoll Film Product TWO great international factors in the field of motion pictures have become affiliated through a contract just •executed, whereby Pathe Exchange, Inc., will actually sell, as well as distribute, the product of the Stoll Film Company, Ltd., throughout the United States. Under the terms of an agreement signed by Paul Brunet, of Pathe, and Jeffrey Bernerd, managing director of the Stoll Film Co., Ltd., and co-managing director of the Stoll Picture Productions, Ltd., of England, Pathe assumes immediately the selling of the Stoll output. Mr. Bernerd came here from London for the express purpose of forming the affiliation with Pathe, and the day after the contract was consummated he returned to England aboard the Imperator. The twelve pictures already released by the Stoll organization here, will continue to be sold under the series plan. However, beginning with the second or third week in May, Pathe will inaugurate a new selling system. Instead of releasing one picture a week Pathe will issue one every other week. Each production will be sold on an open booking basis — on its individual merits, in effect. No new Stoll pictures will be offered between March 20 and the inauguration of the Pathe plan of selling. Knew S toll's Aspirations An impelling desire to create an American market for English made pictures, which he has every assurance will become better and better during the coming year, found Paul Brunet ready to take over the selling of the Stoll product. While in Europe last year Mr. Brunet became thoroughly conversant with the elaborate plans of the Stoll Company to produce for the world market — particularly for the United States. He was informed of the Stoll plans for the biggest studio in Europe and the third largest in the world — where now five companies are working. And he had the vision to foresee that English-made pictures produced from stories by world-famed authors would be readily absorbed by the American market. Mr. Brunet expects to see British producers come to the front in the not distant future when Pathe releases among other Stoll offerings such famous stories as "Kipps," b*y H. G. Wells; "The Wheels of Chance," another Wells story; "The Lamp in the Desert," "The Hundredth Chance," "Top of the World," all by Ethel M. Dell; "An Amateur Gentleman," by Jeffrey Farnol; some of the most famous works of E. Phillips Oppenheim, Robert Hichens, Olive Wadsley, A. E. W. Mason, Sixe Rogmel and other noted authors. Market Now "Ripe" "The American market is now ripe for the English-made picture," said Mr. Brunet in discussing the arangement with Stoll, "and it affords Pathe a feeling of the deepest pleasure to be placed in a position to sell the product of the Stoll Film Company. Sir Oswald Stoll represents the highest type of motion picture producer in England, and his product represent the best. In the past, perhaps, the British producer failed to grasp the American 'idea' in his picture making. In fact, he did not make for the world market, but for the 4,000 theatres of the British Isles. But the greater field — the United States with its 17,000 exhibitors — offered such a vastly wider scope for the operations of the English producer that he began to select stories and produce pictures with an eye across the Atlantic. "The Stoll organization with its remarkable plant at Cricklewood, London, and its country or exterior studio at Surbiton, was in a splendid position to take the fullest advantage of this opportunity. Consequently I think I am justified in predicting that American audiences will thoroughly enjoy and welcome the big productions Stoll will offer in the future. To Issue Twenty-Six "We can afford to release only the best pictures we receive from England, for out of the forty or fifty we anticipate receiving in the coming year, we will issue only twenty-six. Pathe welcomes the opportunity of placing before American audiences the best English made pictures and feels particularly gratified by the confidence in its organization manifested by the Stoll Company in selected Pathe as its distributing agency." Mr. Bernerd regards the Pathe affiliation as a happy augury for Stoll and exhibitors. "Stoll has almost from the beginning considered that its operation would be more efficient," he asserts, "were it to be represented direct. In being represented direct, as we will be through the selling arrangement entered into with Pathe, we feel we have made a move particularly beneficial to exhibitors. We hope through it to bring about a point of contact that will be very acceptable to exhibitors, for we know that Pathe enjoys in the fullest measure the confidence of every exhibitor in the United States." Third Largest Studio Before sailing on the Imperator, Mr. Bernerd gave an insight into the present and future plans of Stoll that indicates a determined effort to corral a goodly share of the American picture business. "No doubt you will be surprised to learn that the Stoll studio at Cricklewood in London is the third largest in the world," said the young British cinema magnate, "but it is so; only two American studios are bigger than our plant and I seriously believe our floor depth of 400 feet is rivalled by no other moving picture studio in Europe or America. "Our plant is thoroughly equipped with the most modern American mechanism and devices for the production of pictures. It will house twelve companies. At present five of our companies are at work. J. Stuart Blackton occupies part of the floor with his first English made production. The cost of the building alone, without equipment, was $400,000. We have bought 300 works of celebrated authors of England. " 'The Villa Rose' has just been produced on the stage here and has created a veritable sensation. I think I am justified in enthusiastically proclaiming this picture, together with Rene Plaisetty's remarkable cinema work, 'The Yellow Claw,' which has been a triumph in England. "Another production I can herald is A. E. W. Mason's 'The Four Feathers," which Plaisetty made in the Algerian desert. He was three months making the exterior shots alone. No stage Arabs were employed in the filming of this picture — but the real nomads of the sands furnish the colorful background for the swift action of 'The Four Feathers.' "I believe England has another Charles Ray in George K. Arthur, a youth who is featured in 'Kipps.' Arthur is a born comedian. His work is smooth and natural, much on the style of Ray. He was offered a most flattering contract by a prominent American concern, but arrangements were made whereby he will continue with Stoll at one of the biggest salaries ever paid a British film star. "Following 'Kipps' Arthur will be seen in 'A Dear Fool' and 'The Wheels of Chance,' and I am sure American audiences will find him the same humorous, breezy and altogether entertaining personality that English theatre-goers have." JUST IN TIME TO AVERT WHAT APPEARS TO BE A QUARREL THAT HAS GONE BEYOND WORDS Edith Roberts, in this scene from Universale "The Unknown Wife," comes into the room just as her husband and the visitor were about to fly at each other's throats