The Moving picture world (March 1923-April 1923)

March 24, 1923 MOVING PICTURE WORLD 407 RapFs Tribute Los Angeles, Calif., March 13, 8:06 A. M. Roger Ferri, Care Moving Picture World, 516 Fifth Avenue, Nevkr York City: Have just seen copy of Moving Picture World, March 10. Congratulations upon your wonderful get-up on Who's Who in Independent Field. The independent producers owe you a great deal of encouragement for your boost for the independent market. HARRY RAPF. American Films Best Brazilians Prefer Them to All Others The overwhelming superiority of American films in the Brazil market is strikingly demonstrated in the report of the Brazilian board of censorship for the year 1922, received by John L. Day, South American representative of the Famous Players-Lasky Corporation. Of a total of 1,341 pictures imported by Brazil during the last year 1,058 were from the United States and the remaining 283 were divided among twelve countries. Statistics collected by Dr. Roberto Etchebarne, head of the Brazilian police censorship, show that 79 per cent, of the films imported were from the United States. This was an increase of 8 per cent, over the previous year. "From the viewpoint of morality," says Dr. Etchebarne in discussing the commission's work, "the American pictures hold first place in Brazil. This fact, together with their wonderful sets, directing, artists and photography, justifies their universal preference throughout the country. Planning for Export Germauis Making Films With Internationad Appeal German producers have developed the educational branch of the industry to a considerable point, according to a report received at the Department of Commerce, Washington, D. C, from William E. Daugherty, assistant trade commissioner at Berlin, and they are hoping to find increasing popularity in export markets. Natural sciences, technical subjects, as well as travel, play and sport, have been found especially fitting for filming. Mathematical subjects have also been filmed, and one of the interesting accomplishments in this direction, the report states, is a motion picture attempting to explain the very complicated and difficult Einstein theory of relativity. Another notable film of this type, now being shown in Berlin, pictures Steinach's process of rejuvenation. Trowbridge Returns Carroll S. Trowbridge, general manager of Allied Artists, Inc., Ltd., with headquarters in London, has just returned to New York City after nine months abroad. Mr. Trowbridge came to this country for business conferences with Hiram Abrams, president of United Artists Corporation. During Mr. Trowbridge's stay abroad he travelled extensively throughout the whole United Kingdom, in the chief cities of which Allied Artists has branch offices. Pathe to Handle Ben Turpin and Mack Sennett Comedies IN the signing of a contract between Pathe Exchange, Inc., and Mack Sennett, for the release of thirteen two-reel Mack Sennett comedies during the year, and the release of six or eight Ben Turpin two-reel comedies, exhibitors will see the uniting of powerful forces placing at their disposal on one program practically all of the market's best comedy. As noted during the last few weeks in special announcements by Pathe, Hal Roach, the producer of the Harold Lloyd comedies, had also signed with Pathe to release thirteen two-reel "Our Gang" Comedies, thirteen two-reel Will Rogers' Comedies, and thirteen two-reel "Snub" Pollard comedies, per year. In totalling up both the Sennett and Roach product, Pathe will release no less than 60 two-reel comedies for the year, or more than one a week. This line-up is in addition to the Harold Lloyd special comedies and the fifty-two Hal Roach one-reel comedies alnately featuring Paul Parrott and Stan Laurel, which Pathe also releases. In conjunction with the signing of these contracts, Elmer Pearson, Pathe's general manager, stated, Pathe will not only have the greatest number and greatest variety of comedies calling for an investment of money and production facilities rivaling that of any feature distribution unit, but that with this array of laugh-provoking releases, a special day in every locality in the land, known as Patheconiedy Day, will become a reality and a fact. -After weeks of conferences and negotiations, the Mack Sennet contract was finally closed through the offices of Ephriam Asher, Mack Sennett's personal New York representative. The Sennett contract, like the Roach agreement, specifically calls for the investment of considerably greater production costs than Sennett ever before had at his disposal. It is the intertion of both the distributor and the producer to invest these comedies with more lavish settings and to concentrate on more distinctive production values and novelty innovations. The Hal Roach contracts were all deliv ered this week to the Pathe home office by C. H. Roach, father of Hal E. Roach, and were the culmination of negotiations and arrangements made during Hal Roach's recent visit to New York. Commenting further on this line-up, Mr. Pearson said: "It has been our opinion and that of many exhibitors who have been consulted, that the comedy portion of the motion picture entertainment, as compared to development in dramatic fields, has been seriously neglected during the last two or three years by the entire industry. In practically every locality, the public is being surfeited by feature entertainment to the point of saturation, and that if real good comedies in sufficient quantity were available from a dependable source, exhibitors would establish a comedy and short subject program change at least once every week. This weekly change will not only attract record-breaking attendances, but will increase the box ofiice receipts on the dramatic change nights because the public of any locality will go to the theatres only so many times per week for a strictly bill of fare. "We believe with the tremendous strength of the Pathe comedies now on our program, headed by the Harold Lloyd specials, together with Pathe's avowed purpose of securing any other big comedy stars or producers that may develop in the future, that the box office receipts of the nation will be increased to a marked degree. "All the comedies enumerated above, are being produced with the object in mind that each and everyone of them is to be the outstanding feature of each program upon which they appear. Upon this foundation it is Pathe's idea, and that of reputable showmen, of establishing a Pathecomedy day which is especially logical and feasible since the other eight or ten Pathe weekly releases fit in so admirably with this plan. "All students of the industry will see that there was an actual market opening for just this sort of a plan and that it will increase national box office gross by many millions, benefiting all and injuring none." The first Ben Turpin to be released by Pathe in two reels will be "Pitfalls of a Great City"; and the first Mack Sennet comedy will be called "Domestic Comedy." First National Renews Contract with Ince for Series of Specials JOINT announcement has been made by Thomas H. Ince and Associated First National Pictures, Inc., of the consummation of a contract for distribution of a new series of Thomas H. Ince productions by First National. The contract closes a series of negotiations covering a period of several weeks during which there have been many conflicting rumors about the future distribution of Thomas H. Ince pictures. The contract means a continuation of the relations between Mr. Ince and First National, for First National is distributing the present season's productions made by Mr. Ince. Mr. Ince's affiliation with First National began in a contract which was closed in August of 1921 and was renewed in August of 1922. Like the existing contract the newly negotiated arrangement is a series contract and covers a definite number of pictures, said to be either six or four. The first release will be in September of 1923. There are two more Ince productions on the present release schedule of First National, "A Man of Action" and "The Sunshine Trail," both to be released before June. Ince's production schedule for the forthcoming year calls for production specials only, a policy which has been in force during the last two years. Work already has been started on "Her Reputation," in which May McAvoy has the leading role and another big special will be "Wives Who Fail." Talbot Mundy, the noted British writer, has been engaged by Mr. Ince and has just finished "The Devil's Own," in collaboration with Bradley King of the Ince scenario staff. He now is at work on a second novel which will be adapted for the screen. The Ince specials now scheduled for First National release are "The Hottentot," "Bell Boy 13," "Skin Deep," "What a Wife Learned," "A Man of Action," "The Sunshine Trail," and "Scars of Jealousy."