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326 SOUND MOTION PICTURES
each week in 1928. Although the United States possesses about 6 per cent, of the world's land and its people make but 7 per cent, of the world's population, in 1928 we produced about 85 per cent, of these motion pictures. It is doubtful that American producers can continue to hold the market by the continued production of silent pictures, because all the principal foreign producers will eventually manufacture dialogue pictures in the mother tongue. It is only to be expected that the people of a foreign country will favour sound motion pictures in a language that they can understand. American short talking subjects have not been received with favour in other than English-speaking countries. Furthermore, it would appear that no American motion picture in which speech dominates will succeed abroad.
It is thus apparent that the problem of furnishing pictures to the world market, with its multiple tongues, is a serious one for the industry. Sound is likely to give foreign producers their long awaited opportunity to compete with American pictures in their own countries. Although practically every producer here is making a silent version of the dialogue picture for the foreign market it is questionable whether such pictures will continue to enjoy the popularity of the American silent motion picture of the past. It would appear, likewise, to be a makeshift merely to translate English spoken dialogue to written titles for foreign versions. It is possible that enterprising American producers may make different language versions for the more important foreign countries, with special casts recruited for that purpose. It is conceivable that producers may make German, Italian, or Spanish versions with special casts while the sets are in active use at the studios. However, the cost of such a procedure as a general policy is likely to prove prohibitive.
The problem that faces the producer of sound motion