Variety (Aug 1927)

VARIETY PICTURES Wednesday, August 8, 1927 NAMES' NO LONGER HI-HAniNG INDEPENDENT FILM MAKERS Actors Prefer Cash to Prestige Nowadays—Stronger Demand for Inde Pictures Another Cause—Many ' in Inde Pictures—Small Towns Like Them Independent film producers ha\f finally sold the stars who blgh- hatted them last year the Idea of working for cash Instead at pres- tice. In many eases, It Is report^. It was not only a question o( money. The Independent odered to pay as much as the national producer was paying, with an opportunity of fea- ture bUUng and eztm advertising In addition. Free lance featured players asked for twice their salaries to work for Independents. With the stabilization and In- creased demand for independent productions, the Job of getting players Is getting much Blmplnr. These pictures serve to keep be- fore the public groups of nctur.s who would otherwise have passed out completely. Scouts watch care- fully for talent contract expira- tions in national organizations aiul submit offers as soon as well- known players are released. Prolongation The playing life of picture actors Is prolonged anywhere fronf two to five years through Independent channels. In smaller towns and cities the customers will welcome old favorites, even though they may have lost' the knack of wearing clothes appropriately or evince less Ardor in the love scenes. The law of averages applies here, top^ with as many stars graduating from independents In return. The Independents have coralled an im- pressive list for the coming season, with such names as Claire Wind- sor, Hencle Chadwlck, Marjorie Uaw, Pat O'Malley, Carmel Meyers. Klrardo Cortez, Horottiy rhilUps, Percy Marmount, Mae Busch, Wal- ter Hiers, Barbara Bedford, Alice Joyce, Viola Dana, Shirley Mason, Mildred Harris, Conway Tearle, Pauline Frederick (at present pro- ducing in Kngiand), Belle Bennett, Creighton Hale and Sheldon Lewis among numerous others. GERMANS WANT BOX OFFICE PICTURES Ufa Reps Hope to Im- press American Dis- tributors Rekindling public interest—whip- ping it Into enthusiasm — made WILi,OW GROVE, largest and most beautiful amusement park in America, one of the biggest suc- re«ses In amusement park history— in only two years. Analyzinjr public demand—milk- ing ample pri-p'iraticn to serve it. The Jloyer D.ivis policy in every undertaking he controls. AMERICAN FILM INDUSTRY By MATIBITZ SmiXE 'WED" AD REFUSED Chicago, Aug. 2. The Chicago morning papers, •"Herald-Examiner" and "Tribune," refused to print the Monroe theatre advertising this week on account of playing Sam Cummins' "Unwed Mothers" picture. All the afternoon papers carried the ads including lloiust's "Ainer- tean." The tlieatre is run by Fox and the picture is playing on percentage with the house sh.'iring on the ad.<;. "Herald-Exanilner" also Hinr.^l owned. Mexico's 3-Day Limit WashinKtun. Aui;. 2. Minus comment, as well a.s ile- tnlls, the American Knibas.sy in Mexico City has advised the De- partment of Commerce that a de- cree, effective July 29. grants free entry of "printed motion pi<-ttires" on the northern and southern fron- Uors of Mexico provided they are ro-exported within three days. OIBdals of the department be- lieve tiM limitation to three days is to permit the dims to be brought in for trada showings. Unknown Hurting Value Of English-Made Film I^ondon, Aug. li Upon Dorothy Gish relinquishing rcle of Tessa in "The Constant Nymph," Mabel Poulton was se leeted. Miss Poulton is praotic.Tlly un known here and her choice natural ly depreciates th« valua of the pic tura. Americanization of German pro- duction methods with a view to turning out pictures with a more certain appeal in the United States is forecast in the "adjustment" now sought after by Messrs. Schlesinger, Becker and Kleitzch of Ufa, who arrived In New York last week for conferences with Paramoimt and Metro-Gold wyn-Mayer. It is understood that the Ufa of- ficials will attempt to sell Para- mount and M-G-M the idea of ordering an additional five or six pictures made in Germany. The American producers are now get- ting around five Ufa productions each for U. S. distribution annually. It seems that Ufa will continue to make 30 or 40 picturee of a calibre similar to those up to the present because of the demand for these kind of pictures in Ehirope. In addition It may attempt to pro- duce films especially for the local market, which they hope will suit the box Office, not the newspaper critics. The argument advanced Is that American pictures are becoming somewhat stereotyped and fllm pro- duction has narrowed down almost to a manufacturing system applied to articles of clothing. Fewer and better pictures has been the cry of many zealots Oils year as the possible salvation of the Industry. B. O. Chances If an arrangement similar to this Is arived at distribution of M-G-M and Paramount productions could be curtailed to a certain extent. Ufa now has the choice of 20 of each of the company's productions. Producing films along American lines tile Cerman producers feel they would have almost'as good a ohance at the foreign box office as the American picture has. I'nder the present Kontint^ent f-\-.siem tile (Jermjin producer must make two pictures in Germany for every Aim imported. The real money has been In the Importations and the home made product has been almost totally neglected, with a view to being made as cheaidy as possible and discarded. According to government statis- tics recently published in Variety it was shown that hundreds of iiie- turcs produced in Germany, on ac- count of the law, were never shown in Germany, being stored away. German producers effect a savins of from Jt;.OtiO to Jl 0,000 for every A^l)erican prttductiun not inipoMeil. this being the estimated average value of two German pictures made to satisfy the law and valueless. UTAH TEST CASE ON OUTSIDE SHOWINGS Trying ti> J^ijoiii Eirter- triaiMill III School Salt Lake City, Aug. 2. As a test case for the Motion Picture Owners' Association of Utah, George Beard of Coalville, owner of the opera house there, has filed suit la Om Bommlt county third district court, seeking to en- join the school board of that city from allowing the student body to compete with the opera house by eshlbltioii «r iBortaa Mid stasins of paUie'daaeaa and other entertain- ments on school premises for t>roat, Holmgren, Andcr.son & Russell, attorneys, of Salt Lak% are rapi sentlng Beard in the suit. They are basing their case on section 45117 of the session laws of 1923. This law authorizes boards of edu- cation to permit public school buildings to be used for any pur- pose, providing that the public schoolhouses shall not be used for commercial purposes. The school board kaa iUsd a demurrer. The moving finger of the films is dally writing bolder and more mature chapters in the history of entertainment. The boldest chap- ters—I will not say the most artistic, although the American entermlao la art la Tlrile—are being written in Hollywood. By boldest I mean progressive, a systemrnatir.ed metho<l of giving the world quantity production with the highest quality obtainable at a cost staggering to the makers of screen material In other countries. This massive productitm is not without a definite tendency toward experiment; neither is the vision- ary Impulse lacking. The pioneer- ing spirit Is strong in the fllm in- dustry. I have been asked to give my im- pressions of the motion picture in- dustry In America, contrasting pro- duction methods with those I was familiar with in Eurq^. The essential difference, as I see it, is not so much In method as In mood; the difference in temperament be- tween the continental peoples and the yeongar. aplrllM aatlMi «< the West. • International Focus Yet. while the mental outlook governs the type of screen play and the manner of Its creati<m, the dif- ference Is lessening rapidly as an International focus Is being at- tempted. The Interchange of writers, stars, directors and tech- nical axporta, is OMktBS sradually. for a universal appeal in screen entertainment. And the melting pot of the industry is Hollywood, representing all nations and races IB tu Drwtto* talsBt I ha"** not yet reached a position In American film affairs that will permit me to boast. The com- paratively brief time I have been in Holtnrood h«f «ot ti««B aia the vantasa or dlai»4«aatasa of ttiklns •Boiii^' VMurca t« sansa mf prob- able success. ".lotel Iniperlal," starring Pola Nagri, was very kind, ly received. "The Woman On Trial." with the same brilliant personage, has not been reU-ased as yet. My latest assignment is "'Hit. ting tor HsaTan." In which Jannlngs, the supreme character actor, stars. At least I am for. tunate In directing the two I>erson8, who in my opinion, are the greatest dramatic performers in pantomlnda drama. The situation, so far as it affects me, i)ersoTmlly, is that in l':urope I enjoyed greater prestige while in America I have greater induce* ments. Opportunities The American film in.liistry offers larger opportunities beeause of its backing and facilities. Then is more to work with, stronger financial assets, wider scope of pro- duction, utilities that are almost denied a director abroad through economic circumstances. Had I remained in Europe I think I would have continued to make pictures that the public looked upon as stimulating and represen- tative of life. In Hollywood, bow* ever, I have the chance o£ directing not only the foremost European stars, hut, likewise, the most able and popular American players. I am grateful for this epportlMiity. The recompense for my iaSoFta I* naturally an incenUve. No country baa a monoply on brains and talent, but little by little the thriving city of Holly- wood is gathering to itself the highest percentage of the world's <i«utiw aad dnawtiv gmtus. AnierIca Ik flM plaoa 1m wbieh to do great thin|^^tte lllaee bl which to evolve LTtat r i da W and make them practical Wor, U yoti cannot do it in America with bMadleM sources at hand, surely yott cannot dp it anywiiere else on the gloVet - HHlEMSTAR 2 Fox Pictures Being Built Up for Hsr laiRe—ftaniona' Doldyed 18,000 PREmTATION ACT Witllam Seahury and Ir<'ne Swor nre a new jtii tur o house i uiiibiu.ation with Ken Wbitraer'a Syncopators in support, booked at 12,000 for Stan- ley, R a K. and tioiim'B. Seabury's wife and partner Is tai "^e Desert Song." WlnlaiHui's Gf,mi Lighter Rochester, Aug. 2. raul Wlilteman on the stage of the W ast m a n theatre last night pre- vented a panic with his eigaret lighter^ as every light in Mnfl i^r'^nnd Ro~hester went out throngb nan holes blowing up. Whiteman and his orchestra with flashlights and lighters kept the audience entert.ained with musir-, Slangs and stories for over an hour, a^t'er the theatre had gone dark. The audience did not dare risk going into the street on account of the flying man hole covers. The darkness jilso extended to towns near Rochester. This morning dallies credit Whiteman with averUng a stam- pede. Flood Town Resumes Greenville, Jliss., Aug. 2. Closed since April 12 on account <if the flooil, the Saenger theatre has reopened with the entire proeiids of its first four nights turned over to *JUI to^tn tnr ^-e llef WOrk. The Grand, also owned by Saen- ger, donated one nights' receipts to the fund. Persons With Burton King 1.0H Angeles. Aug, I'. Thomas A. Persons, formerly gen- eral manager of First National's New Tork studios, has been made general manager of the Burton King productions. Spread to Suburbs Pittsburgh, Aug. 2, A new theatre, seating 1,800 and to cost in the neighborhood of t3S0,- (100, will be erected In Mt. Lebanon. :j thri\ing suburb of Pittsburgh by With two large movie houses un- der construction in the downtown <listrlct. about as many as the city can stand In this part of town, it has been felt here that a htrgc house in the South Hills district would be a sound venture. The 1ft. Iiebanon district has plenty of drawing power, with many commnni'Uea adjoining It on all sides. Los Angeles, Aug. 2. Kdwin Carewe has delayed his VattaA Artiata pradaetlon, "FtamoM," to ahbot additional scenes Mr tWO'F«Z ptOtMPM Com- pleted «MSt OoldMa Sm Me fea- tured.. - VIM Htetursa ware llnMMd eome tlmk a'g6 for the ordinary progmm and before the Fox organization reali/.ed the sales value of Miss Uel liio as the result of her appear- ances in "What Fricts Olory," "Iioves of Carmen" and "RjestnTectlon."* In the pictures, "His Wife's llofior" and "Upstreaui," the girl had ordinary lead parts. It was decided to build up both of the pictures with ailditional scenes SO that Miss Del Rio could be Ptarrcd. Careive was asked hy l-ox ex«!< u- tlves to step in and make the ad- ditional scenes necessary. $1U18 VERDICT ON F. P. FDH EXPLOSION Washington, Aug. 2. According to the Federal Trade Coni.nission 80 per cent, of the pro- ducers and 60 per cent, of the dis- tributors have shown a willingness to participate In the proposed trade conference. It is now stated that no invi- tations have been sent out but that the percentages quoted above were arrived at through correspondence. Canadian Copyright Chg. Washington. Aug. 2. (.•Ii.inges affecting the Can.adian copyright laws, which became ef- fective May IS last, have been re- ceived by the Department of Com- merce. I'rlncipal among these Is the re- pcal of Itule 26 of the 1924 regula- tlons Involving the l^SISimne copyright claims. The amended form requires an affidavit In connection with the ap- plication, which application must be executed on a new form titled "H." Fun details may be secured by addressing Barnard A. Koslckl, Commercial Law, Department of Comm»rpe, Washington, D. C Several Injured Jan. 3, 1925, in Boston—One Woman Bringt Sidt at Test Boston, Aug. 2, A jury in the Superif.r Civil Court here has returned a verdict of 115,318 in favor of Madt-line F, Guinan against the Famous Play- m«I<e8ky corporation. Miss Ouinail brought suit for $30,000 to recover for dam.agos sustained by an ex- plosion of film In a street ear at the Park street subway station Jan. t, low.. Several persons were injured when the film exploded. The suit of Mi.ss (Juiiian w;is the first to be brought before a Jury for a decision, and considered to be more or less of a test case. It Is believed it Wfll ' go to the Supreme Court for final decision. Miss Guinan brought suit against the Famous Players, Beaton Mtr vated Itallway and the firm 6t .Toljii V. Howditch. dealers In iir'i.'ltes. All three were named as defendants with the Jury giving the task uf deciding which et the thMt was liable and what the damages should he. The cose WiLs ruiliei p.-euliar be- cause of the circumstances. Jan- 3 an employee of the Bowdltch con- cern was bringing some discarded film from the Famous I'laytrs office in the South i;ii(l district of Boston to the establishment by which he was employed. He had placed the package with the film on the floor of a street car, near a heater. In some manner th. fi'm became ignited. There was an ex- plosion with several persons Inr jurcd. either by the flame from the burning film or the resulting panic in tile car. The Jury had been silting on the case since June 23 with a score of lawyers representing the different defendants. The Jury considered fflsc for almost fore :in-iving at a decision. WRITERS MARRYING Los Angeles, Aug. 2. The engagement of Florence Ry- erson and Colin Clements, scenario writers on the U-O-U Staff, is an- nounced. Marrloge in mpl«n*er