Variety (Sep 1928)

6 VARIETY FOREIGN FILM NEWS Wednesday, September 26, 1928 British FOm Field By Frank Tilley — 4 : Londo'ii) Sopt. 14. Sonie consternation caiiaod by the endorspment of booklnpr co^ntracts with a\ clause to the effect that no license is eranted to reproducq any recoi'ded. sound "regardless of whether any sounds are recorded for reproduction with the photoplay and regardless of whether such sound' Is recorded oh the film itself or otherwise." This had added vastly to the con- fusion which already exists among exhiblto'rs over the talker situa- tion. They foVesee all sorts of legal difficulties being wished on to them by distributors who are not certain whether they themselves have a.ny reproduction or performing rights in sortie of the stuff synchronized. . For example, in the case of "The Terror," Edgar Wallace sold the screen rights before the talker boom, and Warners are presumably entitled" to make it talk and to show it in their own theatres. But when it comes t6 distribution here, it Is a moot point whether Wallace could not restrain any^ exhibitor on the ground he held no; license to' per- form or otherwise reproduce the dla.log. Another angle.arising has a con- crete example in the case of "Car- men" now being made for Photo- tone as a. three-reel songfllm In Berlin. Bizet's music has been out of copyright about two years, biit the libretto is still tied up. So, un- less a fresh set of words is used; any one running the film may find himself sued by the owners of the libretto, for unauthorized per- formance. . There .Is also the question of re- cording rights on current and other copyright music .for synchronized music, either on disks or film edge. At present, picture theatres here hold licenses, against annual pay- ment, from the Perfbrming Rights Society, which allows them to use copynght music both for orchestra and organ.. As most copyright sturt Is tied up for recording, there will be, and in some cases already is, a jahi. Some of the new disk and filmedge sys- tems operating here find they , are confined to music which is free ter- ritory and therefore not In dertianl Even in those cases In'which the Boundfilm folk halve recording rights. It Is not yet clear whether exhibitors have performing rights under their present contract with the Performing Rights Society. Re suit Is a general holdup until the legal position has been properly sorted out and laid down. Holland Amsterdam, Sept. IC. With the fifth year of the No.tlier- land's Fox Film Corp., a Fox film week was held in all Dutch thoatres Sept. 7-13. Theatre Tuschlnski had "Street Angel," which was heartily- acclaimed. Characteristic of Am- sterdam is that In spite of the re- ception and that this city has 800,- 000 inhabitants, and the Tu.schin- .ski only scats 1,800 the. film could not be held over. Four Houses Wired Meantirhe wiring Is going ahead The Paramount house, Plaza, puts in "Nano," Fox Arctic picture. Sept, 23, with movietoned music and ef- fects. The same week Warners open with "The Terror," all-talker, at the Piccadilly, and the Gaumont-Britlsh crowd is putting Its filmedge sys- tem, Acoustic Films, into the Capi . tol and the Astoria. This, system is also being put into the ralladium and tha llolbcrn Empire, botl houses to use talking shorts. A Bad Break For advance adverti.sing of the New Empire, to^be,opened in Goto • (Cont inued on page 12) Greece-Denmark Houses Washington, Sept. 25 There are 224 picture theatres in Greece, with 75 per cent, operating only In winter. In the last eight months the number In operation has Increased approximately 63 per cent. On July 1 last there was 270 pic lure houses In Denmark with total seating capacity of about 09, 000. Of this number 200 theatres with 60,000 scats, ,,operat« daily. "Simba" Surprise I^ondon, Sept. 25 "Simba" continues the West En cinema surprise. Last week the ^anImal..=piciU£e=:..dld=_$JI,M5.^,ai-J^^^ palace. It opened Sept. 10. Nederlandsche Tri-Ergonniaat- schappy (Dutch Tri-Ergon Co.) has been formed to make talking pic- tures and, in co-bporation with the Dutch Broadcasting Co., proposes to do films for television. The Ger- man Tonbild-syndikat sponsored the founding of this Dutch com- pany. A good deal of the German company's capital is Dutch. Provisionally most of the person- nel will consist of Germ.ins, as Hol- land bias no film industry of Its own, It Is, thought that they will start making musical films in three months. In order,to accelerate the pro- ceedings, Tri-Ergon, in Berlin, ha.s made a talker of 'Wildenbruch's Hexenlied," taken In Holland. First performance in this country of "Wings" will take place late in September. , So far no sound film has boon heard here, yet interest of public, and of press is high. . The sound newsreel is also unknown here. It is probable that Germany will soon start a sound news. There is no Anlerican activity in this respect at present. Some Jannings Films Can't Play in Russia Moscow, Sept. .11. SovkIno reports the purchase of :Chang" and "The Way of AH Flesh';' from Paramount. Emil Janning's first American- made picture, will "be released in Soviet Russia under a slightly al- tered title: "The Way to Flesh." The Russians are Interested in .Tan- ning's work, but of his latest films The Street of Sin," Is the only one that haa any chances of release in Soviet Union. Janning's ,work In "The iJist Command" Is admired by the Rus- siians visiting abroad, but the ri- diculous. errors made by the pro- ducers of this picture filming the Russian revolution bar the film from its showing In Russia. The same applies, though in a much lesser degree, to Janning's "Patri- ot." The fine performance of Jan- nings as the mad Czar Paul will be entirely wasted on the Russian movie fan. "rhe Russians know too well that Paul \vas a diminutive, thin man, quick of movement, .and the stocky, clumsy Jannings, playing the little Czar will appeal to tlic Russians as absurd. Pre-War Ranking Russians In Minor Capacities ♦ BrMln, Sopt. 1.1 Yormolleff, the biggest Russian film producer of the prc-Rovohitlon limes, is working now in a Berlin studio for Turjanski, the Russian picture director, in a minor tech- nical capacity. On his last trip to Hollywood Tur- Janskl mot another Russian movie- producer,. Drankoflf, working as an extra,. Yerniolioff and Drankoff were de- prived . of their movie moguhVohi and forced to fl«.^e Ru.ssia by the Soviet coup-d"etat. Later they wore invited to return to Moscow, to take responsible position in the nation- alized Russian movio Industry but so far they have not accepted tlic offer. , The Soviet government lias in-: vited. Piskator, the German, siiigo director and producer, for a two month's visit in Moscow, Gennany and England Intend Cutting Down on AD U. S. Pictures; Preference for Other Nations Wm. Cray Crothers Dies Of Overdose of Veronal London, St>pt. 25. Winhun Cray CrothPr.s, . son. of llie big Ottawa business man, died here yesterday: from an oyordose of veronal. Crothers was rin aviator in the British army during tho war and later an assistant ' director under Cecil DoMille. He returned here a year ago and recently wtis studio manager for the Blattner Corpora- tion. Crothers left this po.st a few weeks: ago, suffering from ah ulcer- ated stomach and tool? the veroiial to roliove the pain. .Hf loaves ai, widow, Natalie Barr. 'Variety Called ^Vitriolic' on British Films by Beaverbrook's Daily By Frank Tilley Pola Producing Own Paris, Sept. 25. Pola Negri is recovering rapidly from her fall from the saddle and presently wiJl_go tcV-?n_ela;5t'' there to produce three picturesrunder"hef own management. The corporation to handle this operation was formed recently. Fox*s Bernstein Story . i?aris, Sept. 26. Henry Bernstein, French play- wright, has sxipplied the Fox Film Corp, with a scenario to be pro- duced this year under the title of "Le Buste Brise" ("The Broken r.ust). French Scale Tilt Paris, Sept. 25. '^jTrench exhibitors have announced an increase of 10 and 20' per cent • in tho prices of all .^etits in tlieir houses, CHEVAUEE SOON HERE Los Angeles, Sept. 26. Mauiice Chevaiier, French actor, signed by I'aramount to star, in several talkers, is due to sail for America from I'aris Oct. 10. He win remain in New York 10 days bef ore:-Cur]u'ijp_ to tho . Cua_st.^^^^^_^^ _ Harry D'Arrast, who is to direct the picture, will .meet him in New York to get his approval on the llrst story. I'arls, Sept. Maurice Chevalitu- opened a two- week engagement at tlie Apollo here ye.'^^terday (Monday) fi'id <mi- JiO^'d an ovation. London, Sept. 15. At the beginning of this week the Evening Standard, Lord , Beaverbrp'ok's afternoon, newspaper, said: "Variety, the American journa:! which every week throws a jifiHon. of vitrol in the f.aco of Bi4tish films, is pleased to criticize Anthony A.squilh's first effort at dii ectlon. .It goes on to quote salient parts of that review from. Variety for the purpo'se, ao far as can ho galhered. of showing Variety was right. .. .. NoAV, this "Gallon of vitriol" stuff is frequently canvassed here about "Variety" reviews oh British pictures, desiute .those with any sign of promi.se haye been given a very ea.sy ride. It is not this reviewer's function to" sell film, and, anyway, he wouldn't do it through a newspaper if it were. It is not his func- tion to slobber over everything pi'oduced here just because it is homemade. And the producers who take the long" view realize that it would do more harm eventually if it were done. It Is not even his function to review them from their purely national aspect, but as pieces of world-market film entertainment commerce. The Acid Test Without discussing whether many British films do-not merit vitriolic treatment, the reply to the Evening Standard's Jibe is that if (British films will not .stand the acid, test it Is the fault of the films and hot of the reviews. If any serious picturie produc- tion industry Is to be built up in this country, it will be done by world-market films being made, not by trying to cash In on legis- lation and flagwaving, and then squawking when another country's press does not take the result at its producers' own valuation. Years ago I told British producers that If they wanted to get a foot into the American and other foreign markets they have got to stop growing cabbages and raise hgthouse ; peaches Instead, because other countries already grew all the film cabbage they could eat. It's the same still. No'one would give a bigger welcome to a really groat picture than Variety. It is a show business paper,' and anything that^is fine for the show bu.siness gets more than an even break from Variety. Variety, primarily, reviews for the exhibitors of America, and after that, international. As for the'reviews of British films, they err, if anything, on the mild side. Witness the review of "A^'ortex" when seen here, and compare It with what.lt got when on ^Broadway. Or compare some of the British films picked up in Canada and reviewed at a later date than their reviews from this side. Puffing a poor British-made picture in an International show paper such as Variety will never help the English home-making film business. Bather the British producers, distributors, exchanges, exhibitors and pressti.tvade and lay, should reason that if Kngllsh- made pictures, one after another, fail to find a market in the U. ,S. or Canada or Australia, that the.British picture making is minus somewhere. Neither is Variety interested in English promotion of English l)romoled picture companies .selling their stock to the public, nor does Variety cater to the public, anywliere. Nor is there any cause for Variety to vitally injure itself as a ^critical .organ., of the trade ..by Its „ reviewers _at home. pr abroad, making wilful misstatements to pr.o'Leot home product. Such wrong- ful statements can never help.the ho'me product, for that speaks for Itself, wherever shown, while; Variety could quickly destroy itself as a trade medium, domestic or internationally, by printing unreliable reviews. Paris, Sept, 25. Two broadsides have been hurled at the exportation of American filma into.Europe the past week. The first came from Berlin where, according to present plans, American business will halved next year. Second .salvo ca:me from here with the report only 60. per cent, of this year's IJ. S. film supply may pome into France free! of encumbrance. It is said that at a meetinir just helci In Berlin by the Chamber pC commerce and the Spltzen organiza- tion, composed of all pictui-e inter- ests in Germany otlier than Emelka, the contemplated plan of insisting on 30 Per 4ient. of home product being shown in all German theatres will cut American films from 37 to 20 per cent, of German business. ■ The German plan calls for the elimination of fo^-eign licenses. This means that anybody with a picturo to sell could offer it to Germany. At present licenses are so expensive that only the big companies can afford the privilege. It is. further pointed out that tho< new interlinked relation^ip between the English, French and (^erman companies will mean that prefer- ence will be' given all other nations over; Artierican film .product. Germeias Surprised Those Americans expecting to offer d moderiated plan at the meet- ing announced they had no counter proposal to make and on the con- trary believed tiie market should be loft open to free competition. This gesture took the Germaiis by surprise, resulting in a split meet- ing with Instructions to all groups to return to their headquarters and hold themselves in readiness for another meeting in two or three weeks, returning with definite in- structions from their directors. Further authoritative information Is that Ufa is standing in the breach for the States because it does not want to break with the Americans, on account of selling their pictures in the U. S. and because of grati- tude. Experts who have studied .the sit- uation say the Americans will bo powerless unless some tleup with distributors can. be arranged. London, Sept. 26. A strong move is on for a work- ing plan between British, German and French. exhibitors which may lead to international exhibitor pro- ductions. Victor Davis, president of the British Exhibitors' Association; Sans Guttrnann, president of the German Exhibitors Syndicate, and Henri Brezillon, head of the French Exhibitors' Association,, are meeting quietly in Bru.ssels Oct. 3 to dis- cuss the situation and formulate preliminary plans. London's Sound Race The Nevy York Idea (Written in New York—Mr. Tilley' Is wholly correct in his state- ments,and conclusions.) In America neither picture producers nor distributors, want puf- fing notices. They may know their product better thah the English appear to know theirs, but the Americans aslc.no favors of the trade or lay press or their reviewersi In America the distributors particularly prefer that the review be an honest expression. The dlstributo'r must sell the picture and that's not always a Uaht task. If the producing end errs to'o fre- quently In 'the picture making and the criticisms *arc honestly accurate, the distributor has something el.se be.sldes its own opinion and even the box office to bring to the attention of tlie producer; also to suggest that the producer use better Judgment in future or perhaps confer with the sales department. On a recent Innovation of sound talking shorts (talkers) and Variety's innovation in rtjviewinK. these shorts, separately and as it would vriudeville acts, the talking short dcp.'irtuients of Warner --lJrothers--ahd--W-illlani=Fox-4ook- occasi<m-to=-c'all=irp-this=^p^^ New York to emphasize their approval of such reviews, and proffer such information at any time as niiiy be desired, Warners and Fox, the sole producers so far of coniinercially distributed shoi-ts, fur- nl.shed Variety with all of tlieir literature to date on them. Those producers and other producers in this country want no di.shonest assistance to deceive oxlilbilors; llicy ;ire (.•onlont to stand or f.nll upon their product, and England would do well to emiil.'Ue that example. London, Sept. 25. British Acou.stic Films, subsidiary of Gaumont-Bi-itish, ru.shed a sound film program intoJjTe_CaRltol_ today (Tuesday) , to beat out Warners^ Vitaphone at the Piccadilly Thurs- day (Sept, 27). Acoustics' sound is on a separate film from the picture frames and calls for two projectors in the booth. , Paris Film Bi^Is Paris, Sept. 25, New offerings in the Paris pic- ture theatres are as follows; Madeleine Cinema (Loew-Metro) "Tell It To The Marines," well re- ceived by fashionable audience, Gaumont Palace "The Fair Co- Ed''; Paramount theatre, "Across To Singapore"; Recamier Cinema, "King of Kings": Cameo, "TThafs My Daddy"; Max LInder Cinema. Chaplins "The Circus." ^^Par-s 3 Foreign Films Loa Angeles, Sev)t. 25. Julian Johnson, Panimount's tith editor, will edjt and title three for- eign pictures which Paramount will relca.so in America. Pictures ?ii'o Erich Ponwrter'K "Home Coming" and "Lootiing tht Loop," German, and "Soul ol France," French war litm.