Variety (Sep 1933)

fABICTT'S' KONnON OVFICB, » St. Martin's Place, Tmfalgar Sqoara FOREICN FILM NEWS rnM© Address: VARlKTT, I.ONDON> T«'leplioiie Temple Knr 0041-(>01'.i 19 Anstrauan Bankers Open Way for New Plunge Into Native hoducing IC GORRICK Sydney, Aiier.- 20. Australian film men are serioxiB in their attempt to capture a portion b£ .the local field with home-mia.de icturep. . Never before have so many Anzac 6tudiQ9 been- Ih coniataht operation. The real companies are experiencing iio dlfllculty in obtaining financial backing from bankers arid big busi- ness ihen. Clnesound. will spend in produc- tion £160.000 a year, made' up as follows: Twelve features at average cost of £10,000. each, £120,000, Twelve shorts at average cost of £1,000 each, £12,000. Fifty-two hewsreels at a total cost of £18,000. CinesQund will operate two stu- dios . in .. Sydney and one in Mel- bourne. ■ Other independent producing units operiating in .Australia include Eff- tee. Pat Hannix Productions, Cente- nary Films,. McDonagh Productions and Charles Chauvel' Productions. All of thede iiriits plan to build up the industry in this cpuritry and seek a market not only in Australia but abroad. Producers know, that in the past many locally made pictures have failed because of lack of entertain- ment valuer but from now on they, say they will concentrate on pro- ducing pictures on a liiie with, the average American feature currently being offered here. Star Problem It was ppirited out to a well- .known producer that, perhaps one of the biggest obstacles, to overcome was the star factor. Producer agreed that in Australia there were really no big picture names, but .with care it would be quite possible to foster artists of prbimsei and build, theiir b^ o. value. 'At present producers would mainly concentraite on making pictures for the masses rather than seek to build up any brie .particular performer. In the three studios controlled by Clnesound, capital invested amounts to 82,000 pounds. With all three studios In operation over 400 actors would; be. given work. The Federal Government is. said to be interested In -the native pro ducing idea and may possibly re^ introduce prizes for the best films produced each year, ambuntirig to 10,000 pounds. Ih 1927 the goverri merit in power at the time prom ised to give 6,000 pounds for the best film produced^ but owing to the few companies then engaged in Itri work the. Idea was abandoned* New Tokyo 3,800-SeatQr First Runs U Rdeases Tokyo, Sept. . New Toyo theatre, largest In Orient; opened , in Osaka, Aug. ,31. House seats 3,800. arid can ac- commodate 5,000. Fully equipped for legit performances, /with .192- fbot revolving stage, automatic lijjht panel • and scene loft--(stage is 336 feet deep), but will continue straight picture^ pblicy indefinitely. House is bping-booked by Univer- sal, Pictures, which wlU use its bwn product 100% and acquire the bal- ance outside. Since double features are ciistbriiary.'""thi3 meisins rehouse will hiave more outsiders than" Uni- versals in year.- Universal fbr some i:iriie has had similar arrangemerits with Kobe Klnema Club and Kybto Kinema Club.' These i,wb houses now wiir .play identical programs with Toyo theatre, taking them in the following ^eek. New house opened yesterday with U's reissued "King of Jazz* and The Big Cage.' Holdout Prince Edward, ace Sydney house controlled by Carrolls, will remain strictly independent. It had been previously announced that P. E. would go over to General Theatres Corporation, thus giving this brganizatiori complete control bf Sydney's ace motion picture houses. The deci^on of the Car- rolls to ^ remain alone in Sydney will give G. T- the only real oppo sition in this; the principal, city of Australia. ' Although Prince Edward operated mostly with Par attractions, wider scope in program selection is now made possible owing to agree- rinent with. Fox, Britlsh-Gaumont and Warners. Real ^kicTc " In ' th^: ;Garro was the isecuring bf 'Good Compan- ions.' This feature had beeri heav ily' advertised as set for a run In a G. T. Sydney house, but. appar ently Carrolls outbid for the- at traction. The Fox. swing, top, is quite a surprise, because it . is some bpnslderable time since a Fox pic ture i)layed the P. E. Lady Tallis Di Xiady Tallis, wife of Sir George Tallis, former director of W. T died sudderily in Melbourne re- cently. Lady Tiallls had appeared on the professional stage under the name of Millie Young, and was ister to the late Florence Young, musical coriiedy actress. W-T Opposttibn Willlamson-Tait• due for some op position in the legit field when the =newly'forriied=ThrlnB^Talli3=^0Egaji=. ization comes into operation. The Princess theatre, Melbourne, has been 'taken over from the Fullers by . T-T and will be used exclu- sively for stage shoWs. No move yet announced concerning a, Syd ney tlieatre. but if the Melbourne venture sis a success T-T will un doubtodly .seek an opening this way. Home Pride Capetown, Sept. 18. 'Capetown Outspan,' daily, printed in South Africa, got so excited about Paramount's 'Search for Beauty' contest, that it sent a reporter with the wiririers all the way from hera to- Hollywood. One man and woman" winners were picked, •L A. Hardirig is the reporter acconcpanying the couple, with orders to send dally .stories back of the trip, and then o.o. Hollywood generally. STAR RATINGS Berlin,. Sept. 8. Stars can rio longer insist on their right to that designation here. New Nazi law is to the effect that no actor, may insist on star billing in contracts or otherwise. I<aw goes on to state that in the case of several- well-^known rianie, players being iri a film no one must be glyeii prorriirient billing, over another, all to be treated equally Stars, of course, may be billed in adyance of a filrii's title if the prb- ducer. so wishes but caririot have anything to say about it, that beiiig eritirely upr^o the producer. Reason for the decree Is 'cultural and social.' Seidelman Home, Goes On with Next Phase of Col. Sales Eiqiansion " J. H. Seidelrriari, Columbia foreign head, is back from a trip to Europe- during whicii he started orgariiza- tibrt of a wide sales system for Co- lumbia; He appointed resident managers, in several countries, opened several ojffices and Is" now back In New York to arrange for further e;xpanslbn from the' home in England Seidelman appointed a number of sales heads for varibus sections of the country and ordered the bpening. of half a dozen ex- changes. Max Thorpe Is sales man- ager for the- country, working out of London. Hannah Kass, formerly New ' York head of Coluriibia's foreigh biz. Is. also in London, on special assignments' for the foreign pfllcei In Copenhagen Seidelman bpened a new Columbia office, with John Neilsen- In charge. A new Co- lumbia tlistrlbutlng company la be- ing orgariized for Paris, but nb one named to the post yet.- In Spain, Seidel'mari arranged a .deal with a new local dlstrlbutirig company, Cifesa, for the handling of his prod- uct. Italy , lis still being worked on. Columbia isn't bothering at all with Germany under Current conditions/ Seidelman reports that conditions on the Continent are not. at all dis tressing and that there seems to be; ample space for expansion, in a number of important spots. BARGAIN COSTS LURE FIIMRS TO MALLORCA Madrid, Sept. Jacques Constarit, cprinected with Realites, French' organization, has gone to Mallorca, to ntake a picture in colors of the Island and its peo- ple. Mallorca is fambus as the mecCa. for writers and artists who like inexpensive living. Consant said rippn Its completion, sound will be dubbed for the United States, Germany, and France. Mallorca has attracted. , attention as a ppssible site for location mate- rial. Last winter a large part of the Spanish film, .'Star of Valencia,' was taken on the Island. Several concerns, lured by the low costs, are said to be considering the Ba- learics as a suitable site for the construiitiori of permanent studios. Among, these Is a Spanish outfit, now located iri Barcelona, which has already -turned' out ^everial two- reel comedies . arid lis ■ now ready to produce full-lerigrth pieces.. Kane Off oh Mission For Fox Go. in Paris Bob Kane leaves for Paris toward the end. ot the. week to make soriiie further investigations for Fox^ iKane will taiic- to Eric Pomtaer and, work with him on the flrist cou- ple pictures whicii Pbmmer has under way there for Pox. Shapirb Gets Rights trying Shapiro"iias. taken Ameri- can rights to 'Marie,' made by Paul Fejos in Budapest. European reports called -'Marie' the exponent of a new talker tech- nique. TalliS - is. .abrpad„s eoklnfir .produc^ tipns. It is the intention of the new or- ganization to run stage productions and. produce talkers at the same time In Melbourne. Artists booked for the legit shows will also be given the opportunity to. work in pictures under the Efftee bariner. Frank Harvey, English, will be first At the pre.scnt time Sir George I imported actor. Nazi Exile Dobg OJC. London,. Sept. 8. Helnrich Fraenkel, fontier YARiBTf cbrrespondent In Berlin And a Nazi scrarifimer, Is set with Gaumbnt British to do an adaptation of 'Jew Suss' for the screen. He'll work on the story with I>orothy Famum. Lothar Mendes will ' handle the megaphone for the film, in which Conrad Veldt will have the. title role TOWEB BLOCK SOLD . Arthur Zlehm, head of General Foreign Sales, has :acquired foreign sales rights to twelve :Tower Pic ttires. I Eight of the dozen fllnis are com- pleted, the other four tb be made. British-Gaumont, Radio Break Relations Over Sale of 'King Kong' German Exiles Band Paris, Sept. Ij'Entr'aide Israelite <Jewish First Aid) in Paris has fornied an artistic group of German film arid theatre refugees, and .will attempt to band them together for stage arid film work locally. Figured that getting the refugees together they can turn out some good work, Whei*eas scattered and apart the Gernfians in Paris are hav- ing a tough time finding work de- spite their background because.' naturally, are rated secondary to native, talent. Paris; Sept. 8. Several French w.riters have formed a film cornpariy under tho name bf 'Les Auteurs. Associes' (Associated Authors), Idea being ,to film their own works withbut Iriter- niedlaries. Marcel Pagriol, who au- thored 'Topaze'- and iteveml other big stage hits, lis head of the group. .Jean. Sarment, Jean Cineo arid several bther name Writers In Paris have Joined the group, with Charles. Brun, Rene Pagnpl, Marcel Gras and Charles Corbesa handling the busiriess erid. Production on the first film is to start immediately at the Braun- bei-ger-Richebe studio. Londbn, Sept. Arthur jarrett, head booker for the;.Gaumbnt- ritish theatre Quitis is en route', to . New Yortc, leaving Londbn Sept;. 23- witli the Intention of-picking up riiore prod- uct for his chain's/on this side, Jftrrett has with RlECO- Radip, inslatirig' that he Will . take no more of that contpany'S product. That leaves' a, gap in the prbdrict lineup; Tb Oppbsi rouble with Radio canie over •King Korig.', G-B was using Radio pictures on. the chal but the 'Korig*. picture .was from thenil, and sold, to A. (BIP), opposition circuit; Film has turned, into about the biggest mpriey ma- ker in. England this year with G-R. burning. Gdumont generally pays about 20% to 25% for American fllnis on a- circuit booking. In . tbe .case of 'Konig' the Americanr conipariy: asked for a boost,: expiebtlng' 40% straight.. ..^ Gaumorit-British couldri't see those terms, but offered 38%, riiore than average, for the one .picture as an exceptional draw possibilltyl This Radio turned . down when ABC .agreed to'pay thfe .40% figrure; Germany Bans Many S. Films on Trick Grounds Berlin, Sept. 8. Barring of pictures gbes on here, with a steady, strearn of new bans issued. Latest are Metro's 'Paid,^ consid- ered immpral; Radib's. 'King Kong,' called cruel to a.nlmals,. and "War- ners' 'Beggar's Opera,' too modern as well as immoral. 'Opera' has already shown at ieibput all the possible theatres in Grermany, " so no{hlng much lost. Fox Gives ^State Fair* French, German Dubs 'State Fair' is being dubbed by Fpx 'intb French and German for both those territories. . - ^cture Is the biggest Fox grosser in Europe this year, having so far cashed in 65% at the receipts taken last year by 'Cavalcade.' Spanish, Portuguese Quota Gestures Added IVoUems to American Trade Lisbon, Sept. 6. Serious talk of a contingent law being passed, here by Oct. 1, which would haniper American film activi- ties in Portugal. Same sort of chat- ter about Spain, but here it's al- most certain to be forthcoming. American fllrixers suddenly, disi- covered the Spanish market about 18 riionths ago, Paranaount leE^ing the' parade. Par sent In a batch , of pictures and made money, with all the other American companies fol- lowing, most of them to profit. Spairi and Portugal (generally com- bined for film purposes as one ter- ritory) are now considered by most American export companies.as third tb England and France among world niarkets in actual cash valUc^ Local Producihg? With a contingent going through, in the French arid Germari manner, to hamper film, activities for Amerl- TTa nsTftT^SHguri^iff a^^^ companies may have to move in on production here. Warners and Metro have practically decided to do thid on their own, anyway, but whether Portugal will accept dub- bfntr in Madrid, and vice versa, is ti e question. If split up, it will be practically impossiblo for U. 6. companies to fuactlon. SWISS aw ExauDES MINORS FROM CINEMA Zurich, Sept. 8. Children under 16 can no lohger see picture shows in this country, New law has. been parsed barring children from .filriis, even if accom .panled by parents pr even If 'pic tures are okayed on all sides' as clean and satisfactory. Governmerit explanation to the law is that frequently when tiling are especially.adaptable for children the theatre throws in shPrts that are not desirable for minors, or trailers of the following week's films that are in the same class. Attempts are now being made to organize special film showingfj for children on a pn-i-day-a-week 'basis at:=which=='special^proeframs^'iU=^be mad- up Which the government ofTl clals consider satisfactory. Prob ably Saturday matinees. Canton of Vaud. was the first to pass the no-children law,-30 of the re- maining 31 Swiss danJ;pnH followinjr suit Immediately. It's thVf first gov- ernment in tho \vprM f.o rornpW-.U'ly bax Glms to cliilrire WILL U. S. HLMERS DO RIGHT BY RED IDEAIS? Moscow, Sept. 1. Reports, that Hollywood is tak- irig up the Soviet Union and the Rudlslan Revolution as themes a.nd backdrops for films is not arousing any enthusiasm at this end.. Moscow doesn't see the conipU- merit. It has-a. suspicion that rev- olution a la Hollywppd will not be fiatterlng tp the' Bolsheviks^ The American scribblers, emigre Ru8>- sland and Slavic authorities, whose names figure In connection with such oversea efforts are, of course, not notorious for their friendship with Stalin. Heretofore, at least, Hollywood has sougiit information and guid- ance bri things Soviet from exiled grand dukes, expelled jourrialista and' other expei;ts unlikely lb give the Bolshevik devil his due, Hbpe for a genuirie picture about the new Russia, 'without bias bi* hokum, was arbused a cbiipje of years agb by the visit of Cecil De- Mille. Maybe spmethlng will still come pf it. He left the impression in Mpscpw pf an earnest and sym- pathetic desire to convey through the films the real Inner drama and heroism as well as the outer melo- drama of the re-volutiori. Sir Ben Hastens West To Stricken Gen. Mgr* Sir Benjamin Fuller, head of the Fuller Theatre Circuit of Australia, left New York suddenly by p\a.ne for Hollywood Thursday (14) even-- Ing on receipt of news that W. j. Douglas, his general manager, had been rushed to the hospital there for an operation." Douglas, who followed Sir Reh froria Australia, arrived In Holly- wood Tuesday (12) and was to hisive corii© right on to New Tork. He got a sudden attack of appendicitis, however,.and jvas rushed to Cedars b£ Lebanon Hospital. He's .re- ported, doing favorably. Producing in Spain . Madrid, Sept. 6. . Iberian. Art . Filna Cpmpany and Sparilsh Cinematpgraphic Coopera- tive are .the two latest Spanish film producing companies. .< q The Iberian outfit already has started \york on 'Alala,' based on a.. hPvei. by Rafael' Lppez de .Haro Adolph Trotz.. a German, Is direct- ing., Cccilio Rodriguez de'la Vega is -presiflont.-of--Sr=G..-;il ish Giraridee Falls Madrid, Sept. 6. Spanlsili filriiS have a new pro- ducer and actor of royal lineage, Tha tiLlC'd caballero this .time is rho Mfirriuls of Portago, who is nr;in*-in(? fitul piayihg the lead in 'tjicrra de llunda.'