The Moving picture world (May 1922)

40 MOVING PICTimE WORLD May 6, 1922 German Audiences Demand the Latest American Features, Says K. J. Fritzsche By MARY KELLY PROTESTING against the opinion of many American producers that Germany is a good market for old pictures, K. J. Fritzsche, special agent for the Tranocean Film Company of Berlin, explained that his particular mission in coming to New York at this time is to bring back features typical of the very latest achievements in this country. "It is only these that prove really popular with the Germans," he explained. 'Your society dramas, with the elaborate sets and gorgeous clothes, are considered something a little less than miraculous over there. The financial success of a picture lies largely in the material display that it makes. Women over there are as critical of fashions as they are here, and even though the styles are not familiar in Germany, they keep sufficiently informed on the subject to know when they are seeing something up-to-date. (Jld styles are more objectionable to them than old plots. "This reaction in favor of American sul)jects has necessarily followed the slump in German production. Since one of your biggest producers has established a European studio, the competition has been overwhelming, and durmg the past year the number of producing organizations has fallen from 350 to about 50. This has had a healthy effect upon production over there. Before that the surprising success of a few German pictures had encouraged all sorts of inferior attempts and these, companies now, have been exterminated. "To put the business on a sound basis in Germany — and it is far from that now — we want to standardize our theatre programs as you have here. The feature has heretofore been considered the only thing of importance in German theatres. It will take some time to educate the public into appreciating a complete, rounded out show such as you have here, but such an improvement when it is realized will have a great effect on the box-office. "Germans do not understand your comedies. Many times I have watched an American comedy that was a great success here, and have seen hardly a change in expression on the faces of our people as it was shown over there. This is not so much a lack of a sense of humor as it is due to the serious training which our people have always had. We have come to regard the theatre as a place for ^bought rather than amusement, and in the face of this habit, slapstick comedy came as a shock at first. I noticed however that certain comedies, such as one of Chaplin's grew in favor as it was repeatedly shown, and after six months' exhibition, it was a real success. "The chief difficulty at present." Mr. Fritzsche explained, "is the restriction in regard to our importing foreign films. We are trying now to put through a bill which will permit the importing of $4,000,000 worth of films which would double the amount now allowed to us. I here is so much dissension among those in our own ranks, however, that it may be long before this question is definitely settled." Good Business Despite Kentucky Coal Strike The national coal strike is laaving practically no effect in any section of Kentucky on the moving picture industry, as most of Kentucky's great coal fields are non-union. Production is not heavy, but the exhibitors in the mining districts are finding business at about normal, although it is reported that exhibitors in some of the strong union districts of Ohio, Illinois, Pennsylvania and Indiana are suffering. DETAILS of a big film merger in Canada were revealed at Montreal, Quebec, on April 8, when announcement was made that Regal Films, Ltd., of Toronto, was to absorb Specialty Film Import, Ltd., Montreal, the transfer to be completed within a week, according to public announcement. The contract involves the sum of about $200,00, it was stated. Through this change. Regal Films would secure the Canadian distributing rights for Pathe releases which have been held by Specialty Film Import for a number of years. Other film companies in the Dominion are involved in the amalgamation, it was stated. L. E. Ouimet, of Montreal, president and general manager of Specialty Film Import, Ltd., declared, in referring to the amalgamation that a name, other than Regal Films, Ltd., would be used for the new and combined companies. Mr. Ouimet recently organized Laval Photoplays, Ltd., with headquarters in Montreal and with a capitalization of $300,000, to produce and release special photoplay subjects, a studio in California to be used for the purpose. Mr. Ouimet is the oldest film exchange man in Canada and ranks as the oldest exhibitor in Montreal. He established an e.xchange after he had accumulated a stock of films which he first used in his own local theatres, renting the pictures to other local and out-of-town theatres. Both the Specialty Film Import, Ltd., and Regal Films have operated branch offices in six key cities of Canada for years, these being located at Montreal, Toronto, Winnipeg, Calgary, Vancouver and St. John, N. B. Women to Choose Matron for Buffalo Theatres The Buffalo Women's City Club is considering the appointment of a matron for each local picture tlieatre. It will be her duty to see that no unsuitable films are shown children and to keep a watchful eye on all pictures to detect questionable scenes which may have escaped the censors. The plan was suggested during a talk before the club by Samuel Carver, manager of the Empire and Academy Theatres and secretary of the Western New York unit of the M. P. T. O. A., who addressed the members on the theatre men's side of the present wave of alleged unclean pictures. The motion would give especial attention to the Saturday and Sunday matinees. It is also planned to have a section of the theatre set aside, wherein unaccompanied children may sit in charge of the matron. A salary for each matron is talked of. Details of the plan, which has been informally approved by he club, are yet to be worked out. Regal Films, Ltd., has been handling the release of Metro, Realart, RobertsonCole, Wid Gunning and Selznick pictures throughout Canada. There is a distinct Selznick company in the Dominion, but Selznick features are released through Regal. N. L. Nathanson, of Toronto, is managing director of Regal Films, Ltd., and Famous Players Canadian Corporation, the latter controlling a chain of many large theatres across Canada. The Famous Players Canadian Corporation recently presented an offer of purchase to Allen Theatres, Ltd., for the many Allen Theatres in the Dominion but there has bene no official announcement yet regarding the closing of this gigantic transaction. Canadians Protesting Censor Fee Increase The N. A. M. P. I. has been advised that the authorities of Alberta, Canada, have increased the examination fee for films from $1 to $3 a reel. Col. John A. Cooper, advisory board chairman of the Canadian Motion Picture Distributors Association, has filed a protest with the Prime Minister of Alberta, emphasizing the fact that the fee in other Canadian provinces range from $1 to $2 a reel. The protest includes an argument to the effect that with a single exception, the six states in the United States where censorship laws are now being enforced, inspection and license fees do not exceed $2 a reel — the exception is New York State. Regal Films, Ltd,, to Absorb Security Film Import; $200,000 Involved in Deal