South African Pictorial - Volume 17 (Jul-Dec 1923)

foe ‘follows the flag, and trade will | In South Africa. Novempir 24, 1928. All-British Film®= Weeks. i All-British film weeks are to be observed in England and Scotland from February 4 to March 28, 1924, and the Prince of Wales is to inaugurate this trade propaganda, by attending the British National Film League luncheon. ' The British film industry is getting away from that esthetic and commercial short-sightedness of sedulously aping everything American in the film world. Britain is not an outpost of the United States. At the Imperial Conference ‘a Dominion Prime Minister said that the Empire must be bound more closely together. In the screen there is a power to link up the ends of the : earth, to weld peoples together, to broadcast ideals, to replace the shoddy basis of ‘‘ beer and blood ’”’ with something finer, since, in the final analysis, the meritorious gathers bigger dividends than the meretricious. One reason for these all-British film weeks is that the preponderance of foreign films is so great that British films are overwhelmed. The superior entertainment value of British films is now an undisputed fact, and in Britain the public is demanding British films in addition to the best films from other countries. Cinemagoers have had their tastes so trained to the foreign type of film that they fail to appreciate the merits of the British film. The British film week will mean’ the sending abroad of pictures more true and more genuinely characteristic of British life and sentiment. ‘Trade follow the film after this eftort. _It is probable that all-British film weeks will be arranged to take place in the larger centres in South Africa on dates to synchronise with the all-British film weeks in England and Scotland. The African Films, Ltd., have’ recently concluded the purchase of some particularly fine British releases, and it is expected that some of these pictures will arrive in time to be shown during the allBritish film weeks in South Africa. Screenland Types. Hollywood, California, is now a town of types; the pictures have demanded them and the supply is there to fill the demand. In the daily papers, in the local motionpicture periodicals, and stuck up in studio casting departments and in the motion-picture actors’ clubs,’ you will see the business cards, with names, addresses and telephone numbers, of the ‘‘ types.’’ Here are eighteen acrobats who advertise that they can do anything from the giant swing to triple somersaults. extent of forty, some advertising themselves as “‘ eggshaped and comedy,’’ and others as ‘‘ dignified.’’ One genius who is hairless adds the line to his announcement, ‘“‘ perfect high point bald head type for eccentric gnome or village idiot parts.’’ To offset this aggregation of hairless heads there are some thirty types who advertise their fitness for cave-men réles, eccentric musicians, artists, Aztees and desert island inhabitants, because of their long in their London hotel. VISITING ENGLAND. Mr. and Mrs. Rudolph Valentino signing autographs Rudolph Valentino is now being ‘‘ featured ’? with Dorothy Dalton at the Johannesburg Bijou in the seafaring photoplay ‘‘ Moran of the ‘Lady Letty,’’’ one of for Paramount. Baldheaded men there are to the. SOUTH AFRICAN PICTORIAL. 5 hair—curled, straight, frizzed, and as fout advertise, ‘bushy hair stands up straight, suitable for Maori chiefs or Circassian princes.”’ , | w\ All Sorts. Then the bearded man! Every sort of whisker is advertised. ‘‘ Dignified side-burns for foreign diplomat réles,’’ *‘long whiskers reaching to the ground, and long hair, white, for old hermit and Druid priest parts.’’ As Orientals, for correct atmosphere, appear the advertising cards of forty Chinamen, fifty-one Japanese, and seventy-four ‘‘dark negroes—can play slave and Zulu réles.’’ Also there are over a hundred advertising full-blooded American Indians, for old-style Wild West pictures. As to dwarfs and midgets, some ‘stating that they are capable of playing important réles, there are thirty-six who advertise, twelve of them being women. Of giants there are only six who make application for engagements. Of fat men and fat women, most of whom add, ‘‘ good muggers and sure-fire comedy réles and bits,’’ there are twenty-two registered. Six ‘‘skilled fencers ’’’ also advance their claims, while some twelve ‘‘ daredevils,’’ four of them women “ of medium build,’’ give notice they will ‘‘ double’ for heroes and heroines in being thrown off the cliff or other dangerous stunts, including airplane, automobile crash and fast-train work. In Liquidation. The Kinematograph Weekly (London) states: ‘‘ We learn that the American, European and African Film Co., Ltd., of South Africa, has gone into liquidation. This firm is the proprietor: of the Theatre Royal, Johannesburg, — and hag also been engaged in filmrenting out there.’’ Jack Sneider’s Film Exchange. Since the publication of the paragraph announcing the entry of Jack Sneider’s Film Exchange into the field of film suppliers, much interest has been evinced, and it is pleasing to state that every encouragement and possible support is being given to the new company. It is well known that for many years the conditions existing in this country have been ! unique, and there is no hesitation in stating that the new Exchange will prove a material factor in alleviating the position. Readers are informed that Jack Sneider’s Film Exchange is an independent organisation and has no connection with any other film concern. his -last pictures Topical Press photo. Poets’ Corner: Rain at Ardmore. It rained at Ardmore. It had been so long. Since I had heard the rain Its sound to me was like an old-time song And made a soothing music in my brain; For I had dwelt in bleak and desert places And felt the dry and burning touch of drouth; The rain had an infinitude of graces And was like cooling kisses to my mouth. And I knew all the joy the grasses knew, The gratitude of every flower that grew. ‘* Old blazing sun,’’ I said, ‘* T-am so glad that you have hidden your head That I could shout!’’ The skies began to pour, Then I did shout that morning at Ardmore. By Clinton Scollard. ‘PHONES 1375/6, BOX 4755 (MANAGER, B. W. B. DOCKRALL). (