Variety (May 1933)

«VABI£TZ'S' I<ONDON OFFICE 8 St. Martin's Place, Trafalgar Sgnara FOREIGN FILM NEWS Cable Afldress: VARIIiTT, LONDON TeleplKHie: Temple lJ»r 5041-C04g 19 Shortage of French Pictures Leads to New High in Quhbii^ : FEJOS' SHARING IDEA Takes U. S. Rights to Viennii Pic as' Pay for Directing PiEirls, May 19. Never since, the advent ot the Bouhd film, -which Incidentally helped the French Im' to gain com-, merclal ground and establish Its place on the world market, has such an apparently complete stoppage of all production occurred. ^ ' The most important companies have ceased to produce, and are, Jns.tead; resorting chiefly to the dubbins of foreign films (American or German). Other, former leaders in this field are" now satisfied to distribute films of independent pro- ducersJ From statistical researches made in trade circles, it appears, that 23 films have been completed sihce January, 1933, that 15 films are iT{ course of production In French studios, that 80 filnis are ischeduled tor release, of which about. 30 seem sure to be produced, 20 will prob ably be released, while the remain^ Ing 30 are rather problematic. This. . is borne out when it is remembered that of the 2.6 films announced In December, 1932, only 5 were actu ally turned out. Contrary to the past when pro ducers exaggerated their plans, it is interesting to note now that none of the 60 prodqcers. or distributors listed In the pre&ent survey tried to 'bTuflT; in fact, they- insisted that- present dlftlcultles, :the uncertainty of markets, and other unfavorable, production conditions had them guessing. only those .'''rench producers that actually intend to turn out films have announced their projects; these projects are modest and- the filihs are few. I'he 30 films of which release seems certain only repre- eent from 10 to 16% of the market requirements. Once more the .question of dub- bing arises In this respect, and It would seem that ..100 fil ms are to be currently dubbed; 45 are already completed (Including some dubbed at the eiid of 1932, which have not yet been rieleased in France) Amer-. lean companies announce 61. This dubbing 'epidemic' Is due to aevef^l reasons. Primarily, French production has been unable to Jus- tify cost and effort on any large ecale and with leading companies In such poor financial shape. It .is obvious that to keep going they pre- fer- a less dangerous method. One thing Is gerierally accepted by the'trade j~Ffench~ cinemas xjan* not exist on the 60 films turned out in France this year, plus 20 French versions of foreign product, so dubbed films are a necessity. Vienna, May 18. After ..directing for 'Brauhberger land Osgo In, Paris, Paul FeJos is now making 'Sun-riiy,* a Fejos- Otzoup production, starring Anna- bella and G.ustav Froehlfch, at Increased to 15 to 1 »»ere. ' . Berlin's Cinema to handle rights Washington, .Mfty outside America. U. jS. rights to Austrian ^port Ratio Austria has: tightened up on Its fllm import regulations fixing tnaxl- mum of 16 foreign talkies to every domestic pic, according to reports tO: Department of Commerce here. Move does hot affect silent films or news reels.. Import certificates are issued, by Austrian (Sovernmeht to Vienna Chamber of Commerce. Certifi- cates are in turn sold to Importers . .. , , _ at rate Of 1,000 Austrian shlMlngs lEDPfT A >Q FIRST FILM each. Permits for Importing of | « riUiJl WUMl films are 'issued only on presenta- tion of certificates. be sole .property of Paul Fejos In- stead of. his drawing payments for production aiid direction. Wants to- do next In. Bar.celona. Has story in^ .mind centering arouiid holy. Penitent Week., comr niemorated in . Spain every ISa^ter. Then hopes to inake African pic in Johannesburg. Germany Orders Radical Film Trade Reformslo Advance Native Product; Cuts Sales Costs, Ends Overseating Germany has pretty well fprmu^ iyein, one of the first governmental: regulations call for an absolute ..end SET, VIENNft AUSPICES All-Spanish Distributor Openis First Excbange jack Lustberg stalled Siaturday. (27) for BuenOs Aires to- open, an exchange there for Spanish Pro- ductions, Inc. It's a new company that Intends to have exchanges In all of the Spanish markets. J. H. HofCberg is president, Lustberg and George_ Kallnian are vlce-rpr^sl- d ents. ^^ . , Kallmaii will go' Mexico City toward the ehd of June to open an exchange therie. Hoflberg remains in charge at the New York home office. Eventually there will also be a branch In Madrid. Concern represents for the entire ^orld market almost all the Indie Spanish film producers existing. Included in the companies whose product they distribute are Rafaelo Frlas, Jose Alcaldy, Alberto Mon- roy, Alphonsp Sknchez Tallo, In- duatriale Cinematografico, F. P. Las Curain and Compagnie iPro ductora-de-Pelllculas,-all ot Mexlci City, and Sonora Films, of Madrid It'd the first Indie combine that has been made In Spanish film pro- duction, the group's idea being that Berper to Quit Berlin Vienna, May 18 Local press has it that Elisabeth Bergher, foremost German and Eu ropeah dramatic actress, and her husband, Paul Czinner, are bid.ding for a palatial residence close to the local football grounds with a view of settling here for good. Czinner is % film director. There Is also word that' they will shortly sell their house at Berlin-Dahlem. Piskator's Russian Picture Men Ready Moscow, Ma-y 12. First olnema effort of Erwin Pis kator, leading: GermiaLn niOdernlst theatrical director* Is due for re- lease under the title 'Fishermen's Revolt.' Picture, under Soviet aegis, was begun.about two years ago and the German director's experiences In Russia haye. been rough. Story is based on a hovel by A 'fiegers. Words for chorus songs Whloh apparently will figure in the action were written by a prominent Russian poet, I. Selvinsky. Most of the, filming was done at points, on thel Black. Sfea. co.ast.„ Mex. Encourages Shorts Mexico City, May 26 State Department has granted Relmuth Sherelber, noted German clnematographlst, and his crew of cameramen permits to shoot a -^e- rles of scenic and costumes sound travelogues in various parts of Mexico, Department figures pictures will create a tourist interest in Mexico In Germany. Vienna, May 18. Oskar Glueck, chief of Projekto graph Films^ announces Marie Jerltza is under . contract to him for a tri.-lingual tailker, her first; The film, called ^Archduchess Alexandra,' will have an elaborate setting - of 1918—Russia with plenty of -Scopie for both voice and acting of Archduchess Jerltza. Story as yet In the air, with Hanns Sass mann penning a scenario on appro! Apart from Jerltza,' Glueck at ready, engaged JWriihem Thiele to .directj- and ■ Sieza5c-4f^^ Franz Lehar Is to be responsible for the. score, it is promised.- . According to Glueck, test'films of Jerltza are excellent. German ver- sion to be xaade at Sasc^a. studios in June. English and French ver- sions to be made in. England. lele :,now oyer In London to. ne- gotiate,' with-Glueck to follow hini next week. lated its new approach to film matters. After number of meetings between Dr, Goebels of the Hitler ministry with various film nien, a fairly concise and defi- nite progranti has been outlined and attempts will be made, starting im- mediately, to resurrect the flim in-^ dustry In Berlin. That is; learned by 'Variety' from seml-offlclal sources in New York and Washington.' According to Gerntiah govern- mental announcements, the film In- dustry there is being reorganized for the 'purpose of • securing e.<itial representation among producers, distributors and exhibitors tvlth the - purpose of rebuilding the in- dustry on a healthy ba^ls and cre- ating ah atmosphere of security for producers and investors by rheans of preliminary advisory cen- Sorsl^lp In ' the administration ot the- producing compahiesv . Twi ill Statements from official German sources arie cloudy and a.mbiguous, but throughout there is evident a real effort at improvement. In this Canty Off to Prague To Urge Qaota Reform Germans Now Censoring --An4{mm -Eihns, Too ! Berlin, May 29. '.George Canty, American film trade commissioner .here, duddenly hopped, a train for Prague Satiir' day (27) to see. what could be done oh quota easing, there. , .■ Canty believes that CzechO Slovakia is ready to . give in on the quota matter and make things easTer for "entry oT~fof elgirfilms; ~ir so, the American companies would come back into the market. With conditions In Germany what they Washington, May 19. LAut^Liui. utio ^^...^ V V , .Censorship is tightening in G^r- , by concentrltlne distribution, the many all down the. line, according are Czechoslovakia is trying hard mLket can be lidened and better to a report by George R.' Canty, ' - —'-^ results obtained. U; S. Film .Trade Comralssioner sta- tioned here. New decree Just jflsiied by the minister oiF public instruction Hanna Heads for U. S,; I provides that Aims ot sub-standard to make a play for world trade leading to the belief that an easier quota law is likely. size are subject to the same censor- LondOn Date for Wife I ship mles aa govern standard^ size fllni, even when only intended for n , Paris, May .20. HaA'hig "cbihpleted his fhree~fMO«th Paris asslgnniet^t to the United Artists booklns. offices as Dougl^is Fairbanks' personal rep., Mark Han- na sailed for New Tork this week to confer with. Doug. In all likeli- hood, Hanna, because of his famili- arity with the Orient, where he was stationed formerly, will accompany or precede Doug on. his forthcom- ing trip to China In connection with the Paifbajnks'' Chinese, production. Beth Berrl <^Mi$. Hanna) accom- panied Mark as far as London and is remaining abroad tO fill engage- ments in England and France. She has been booked by Harry Foster to headline for two weeks at the London Leiscester Square, new re- viie tioW in rehearsal: and has offers for night ciuba and subsequent vaudeville appearances. . Berrl .was wanted by the AmbaSsadeurs, Paris, to replace Grace Pqggi as chief at- traction of. the cabaret show, as Poggl has been_ called back to Holly- wood by Sam'Goldwyn. Spot has a mixed ! colored and White ftoof show. Offer was declined;' Appeal Germaii Ban Berlin, Miy 19 •Man That I Killed' (Par) been banned here. Par appealed thfi decision. has German Film Resunie Boston, May 29. Fine Arts reopens today after two weeks dark, due to anti-Hitler stir, affecting German films house had booked in. . . . '^Fe^tureT^tliir ^«k='Thr-^Gry^^ the World,' compendium of world's events, and 'Dreyfus Case.' ^ Next week 'Maedchcn . in Unifomi.' Buenos Aires CJb. Folds Buenos Aires, May 19. Sociedad General Cinematogranca, one of the biggest indie film disr tributors in the 1-cat market, haa gone Into receivership and ia liqui- dating. Gompany, 'besides distributing fllm.s, also sold equipment. amateur_ performances,' which incl dehta;Uy~are7tbn5ie'c^^^ forth in the same category as reg- ular film shows in motion picture theatres. The decree, which reconamends to the police authorities a severe con- trol of the narrow-film perform- ances, divides narrow films exist- ing in Germany into originals in narrow film and'remakes in narrow film, i'he first type involves films produced chiefly amateurs on sub-standard stock, while the, term remakes in harrow filni' is under- stood to apply to narrow film copies made from regular film productions that have been officially passed by the censors. Both kinds of sub-standard: size filins,'-whether Intended for public shows or for exhibitions . in clubs, association; or ahy other private performances, excepting only shows for home entertalnmeht, a.re subject to censorship.. ^he. .same rates cehsorshlp fees are applied to narrow isize: films as to those-, of standard, size, except in the casO Of. |reniakes' of stand- ard size' films alreaidy adfliitted' by the censors; the narrow film copy IS .then censored free of charge. These drastic. . measures have caused some uneasiness In 'narrow film' circles Inasmiich. ais it is thought that ihcreaseil expenses and the difficulties inherent to cen- sorship will have a stultifying effect on 'narrow film' producers. Repre- sentatives of the latter have decided to petition the ministry for an alievr* iation of the tax. ^Vaw^Newsreels^ Vienna- Vienna, May 17, Cornelius Vanderbllt, Jr., discov ered with two ,French cameramen in mass meetings and political dompnstrations. |t is said Vanderbllt is collecting news reel material all over lilu.- rope to go with forthcoming lec- tures. " 0 , Viinderbllt registered In .'local "hotel as Journalist,, and went -from here via Passau to MunlchI Mexico Anxious About Old Eisenstein Film _Mexlco. Gity,;jMtey i2iL Ministry of Foreign Relations has ordered the Mexican consul In Los Angeles to attend with his notebook and both eyes open pre- miere there ot. •Thunder Over Mexico' <'Hurrah for MexlQO') made In this country a couple of years ago by gerge Eisenstein, poted Russian direqtor. Ministry announces that It has heard that Upton Sinclair, who edited the Eisenstein production, 'mutilated and adultierated' the film to an extent tha,t only phases detri- mental to Mexico were retained. Consul has been instructed to sup- ply ministry with a complete r^r port about the -picture. Tobis Co. Shows Loss Amsterdam, May 20. Tobls Maatschapplj Internationale, which includes the Tobls holdings in France, Germany, ^ England and Switzerland, according to its staite- ment Just mide public, .shows a loss of ^16,160 for the past year. Company lost money in all of Its holdings exdept' France, where a profit, was shown. Tobls* Berlin branch'is now trying to arrange a, 4eai with Sadha of Vienna, whereby the two will Inter- prodi ce and distribute. Sacha is in receivership. French Labor Peeve Paris, May 20. For some time, now, Uniyevaal h3.p .b eert- u sing-a- firm called R yth- matrraphie' for dubbing. Tjatter concern has its offices In the same buiiding as Universal, working hand in hand with the Universal foreign staff, As the personnel oC Ttythma- >,'raphic is almost entirely German, the French Government is said, to be protesting on the grounds of. quota; labor law.s. Univonsal is Icoeping mum but tho.se In the knhw say changes are to bes ef- rectfyl immedi.'xt'i'ly. of double features,, making 'th« showing Of more thian one feature in. a .theatre a legal offense. For more than two years German ex« bibs and.' distribs have been fight-*, ing with the growing. heada,ches of bi-featurthg and couldn't do thing about it. - Also, the government, has taken, under adyisement the matter of taxes $ind will attempt to grade theatrical and film taxes down where necessary • to make progress , possible at the b. 0. There' are a number of Jokers in. the new lineup; but. the proplosi- tion for the first time is, along open lines: A special film committee waa formed with. ChriStoff Mulleneisen in charge of domestic and foreign distribution; Felix Pfitzner han- dling studios; Adolf Engl on the theatre matters; t Helnrtch:. Bolten-:. -: Backers in charge of ihdustry mat- ters and Herr Schmldy on pro- duction. These are all old-line Berlin film men. They are to work in with the Splo (as reorganized to the National Socialist Kommission , the Nazi Party, the Minis try, the reorganized NSK Tobls ^Com- mission and under iadvisement ot the kampfbuhd (Nazi Film lAbor Union). Another special'conimittee Is for press purposes and is headed by Dr. ii. Nusser, editor of the 'Film Kurrler/ which is now the of- ficial Nazi film trade paper. A third committee is fpr .preliminary con^ . trol of scenarios and casta. J)^9r headed l>y Herr Cremer. Another committee still is the Tobis things, which' means a group- for control of license. and electrical fees. Spl<», ■ former organization of produceni .and-filmites,.-has been reorganized— to conform. A Film Magna Charta .New line of procedure as Uld out In an officially reTeiased 'Film Magna Charta' calls for the follow^ ing Items: . 1. Scenarios' ^nd music, for fllma must be based on works Gerhian in spirit. All films, even If Ihtended. for foreign distrli>utIon, must be 'pene- trated with German spirit: and cul-^ t'ure.' Order goes, on to point but that 'motloh picturei theatres Should he places, of entertainment a'nd^ pleasure, but at .the. sahio flihe'their should not neglect their task of cul- tural Infiuence.' 2. An amicable understanding will be sought on matters Of music and music rights. No court iactibns Mrill be started without previous warnine; against any German film Enterpriser 3. The special NSK Tobls coni- mislon will work with the govern* ment toward alleviation of license terms. '" 4. Studio . space in Germany genw erally will be a free matter Of choice for^aU recognized producers, 6; Nothing is to hlhder studio production activities, although more rigid economy Is called for all down the line. • Shifting ■ of. producers tO/-for-.-, eigh istiidios, 'or any- studios, outside of Germany, Is not permitted. In cases where this proylso is violated the producers may find it difficult to nriarket the product involved within Germany. ," (Directors and casts . are jnot mentioned here,, but It is be-r lieved the principle carries througU to- them also).: Must Cut.Seiatage 7. DIstrlbtitbrs must concentrate' their efforts at marketing good fllina' at cheaper prices than heretofore, Dlstributioyi exp.enpies rnUst be., re- duced- as much, as possible and dis- tribution must be concentrated in" the hands of a small number .of units. 8- Exhibitors must, get to work Immediately to renipve excess seat- a,ge wherever it exists. If that in--- volvbs the closing of theatres, it must nevertheless be accompHshed —and quickly. ::..=9::=^I>j;()(juct'ionWof--^film»=^w411-=^be-^ made easier. There .will no longer- be any doubt Whether or not a. Sce- nario is fit for production or exhibi- tion, because the Propaganda sec- tion of thoris'azi Party will decide definitely one way or the other, Also there Will be no more doubt as to wliat persons may or hiay not - bo .employed as. wi:,lters, actors, or con»-- ptfsers In.film^. 10. Endeavors to reduce exagger- ated, salaries will be supported by the government 'at all times.