Variety (Feb 1930)

VARIKTY FILM Wednesday, February 5, 1930 n Mm Not So Hot for Mergers; Too Many Theatres Mean Too Many Films Paris, Jaxi. 25. T. Natan, executive liead of Pathe-Natan,. when Interviewed to rheck the current report that his Arm might ally with the Aubevt- Franco-Gaumoiit combine, opmed that unless his 20,000 stockholders are to derive much immediate profit from the proposed deal, he sees no commercial reason to consummate. Natan differs with Robert Hurel, head of Aubert-Franco-Film, who considers that the consolidation of 250 or 300 theatres would notice- ably help to underwrite the cost of —pictuceis Vodka Epidemic Natan Is of the opinion that there are few French towns worth one real theatre, let alone several In the same city, and that the chain which runs several theatres competing one against the other, in the same vicinity, will have to produce much product to supply them. Present nominal ca^pital of Pa the- N^itan Is $6,400,000, The iQp ftanc ahares are currently quoted around 350 francs. Pathe-Natan firm op- erates 72 theatres, 20 of which are wired by RCA with the exception of two .houses (in Paris) which are W.E. Three more theatres are at present under construction, two in Paris and one iii the provinces. TheatpesV $4,000,000 Yearly Grots Besides the Paris studioa. In the Rue Francoeur, where Andre Hugon, producer of the first French talker, •■Trols Masques," is at present working, Pathe-Natan owns the JolnvlUe studio of five stages wired by RCA at a cost of $500,000; In these studloo Pierre Colombler di- rected the first talker actually pro- duced in France, "Chlque," a two- feeler. All other French talkers, to date, have been filmed abroad. Natan claims to have on hand $10 000,000 available from a recent iflsu6. The $4,000,000 he spent dur- ing the past year was what he had left on hand a year ago, he sUtes. His theatres, according to him, are grossing about $4,000,000 a year. He expects to produce 15 to 20 French talkers in. 1930 At an aver- age cost of $100,000. This is more than twice what pictures bring here with the exception, of a few hits. Talkers may gross more than silents used to, but the profit margin, after taxes and operating expenses have been paid, hardly make for safety. If French banks really want to con- solidate the French picture Inter- e.Tta, they are not likely to allow such a large unit as Pathe-Natan to remain independent. . ' Everything is in abeyance for the moment until the end of February by which time certain legal formali- ties must be gone through with at the board meetings. This before Franco-Aubert-Gaumont can be technically and formally merged. Not until that time will the Pathe- Natan phase be considered. Only Foreign Pictures let here. - . Hoilyvirood, Feb. 4. Abandoning Ehglish talkers, Tom •White, indie producer; has produc- tions in Spanish and Japanese un- derway and plans to concentrate on foreign language shortiS and fea- A Japanes talker is now 6^% com- pleted at "White's studio In Mon- rovia. It will be the first Hollywood Nipponese production.. Cast is com- posed of local Japanese actors. White also has two Spanish shorts ~ waitlfig for use with his Spanish features. Pans '^Atlantic" Frankfurt, Jan. 35 "Atlantic," British film, was panned, as are all sound pictures here in South Germany. Yet the presence of Captain Dlttmar-Pitt- man, eye witness of the sinking of the Titanic,. attracted many people to the local Roxy theatre. ' German version, of course, was given here. TOURNEUR-SAPENE TflUCE Director Will Make Talkina Meller Por p.N_No English Version Paris, Jan. 25. Evidence of Maurice Tourneur's complete truce with Jean Sapene. newspaper publisher of "Le MM»n and former chieftain of the picture Industry in France, is Tourneurs contract with Pathe-Natan to pro- duce a drariiatlc 9.11-talker. • Gaby Morlay, legit star, heads the cast, although previously set to -make_a^lk.et:_for_JMgJies_Hajk^^ Tourneur's feature is a music hall murder melier by Jean Jose Frappe, as yet untitled. Only a French version now. Maybe German and Spanish versions later, but none; In English. _ Tourneur's feud with Sepene dates back to a post-Avar military feature which Tourneur, then under contract to Paramount in America, wanted to shoot in France, em- ploying Frehch troops as part of the local color. Sepane attacked Tourneur for having become a naturalized American citizen re- sulting in Tourrteur being denied the official co-operation he had sought. HollyAVOod, Feb. 4. If producero mUst national- ize their villains, it's okay to have the menace a Russian. Hays' ofllce has given the okay. Old idea of having a Mexi- can play the "heel" passed out quite a while ago as the mar- ket below the Rio Grande was too important to offend. But there being no business now In Russia for fllmSi t° •Soviet regulations, who cares? So the stream. of Vodka schemers. is on. Portugal Film Going Strictly Social; Attend for the Long Intermissions HAINES SPANISH FILM No Enalith Version—Rest of Cast All Foreioners Hollywood, Feb. 4. •William Haines Is going to be [starred by MO In a Spanish pic- ture. Although Haines cannot speak Spapioh, his popularity in Sotith American countries •will put him over the studio believes; To get around the handicap, idea Is t<x write in Haines as an Ameri- can in Spain learning the language. Remainder of cast will be Span- iards or South Ainericans. Np Eng "lish version Jnterided;• - &op of Pictures officwr^ Venezuela Smmd Film Performance Ends in Riot "Washington, Feb. 4. Caracas, Venezuela, got Its fixat sound pictures Jan. 1, and a riot resulted, says i report coming through official channels. Two theatres, Ayacucho and the Bolivar, are the houses. First was wired with a British device and the latter with Pacent. Ayacucho advertised talking pic- tures and brought out "^capacity at an advanced scale. Proceeded to show a short talker and then Into the feature with but sound accom- paniment. Gallery became noisy and then began to ^estroy the seats. To make It good, signs were torn down on the ^ront of the house. Protest followed a charge of false advertising with the theatre re- funding and next day advertismg the picture as a silent. Bolivar, showing an actual talker, and being on the outskirts of the town, attracted but half a house with "The Hurricane." This picture was pulled the next day and shorts In iSpanlsh and English substituted. MOROCCO-TUNISIA SOTJlfD Washington, Feb. 4. Both Morocco and Tuni.sia are in advance- of Algeria when it comes to wire installations, says Consul O. S. Heizer, Algiers, in a report to the CommcKce Department. One Avlred house in Algeria is tak- ing out its equipment to install an American system. Questions of pol- icy as affecting the natives is stUl rausing plonty of dlfllculties in cen- British International to Release Thru Schlessinger ~'' British International, which was to use "Worldwide as Its American distributor, appears to be gradually looking'to the gchlessingers for put- t here. Ji, ■^Miere Worldwide, which is usmg Educational's exchanges, was init- ially understood to have had the release of British International films over here. It develops that the latter: company has given 12 of its subjects to the Schlessingers for. American marketing.'First of these, "Dark Red Rose," will be given a Broadway showing by the DeForest financial mentors- before It is gen- erally released. Aneht its foreign deals and pro- duction,^ It is reliably reported, the Schlessingers are abandoning all previous Intent of producing in this country. M. A. Schlessinger leaves for Europe late this week for a conference on production activities over.seas with his brother Isadore. Counter Attack Hollywood, Feb. '4. Foreign artists agents, losing their clients to American talkers, are trying to stage a counter-at- tack. Several are . endeavoring to tie up with local representatives to send Hollywood players ^broad to Paris, Jan. 25. Discounting the cheaply made Pa the talker, "Les Trols Masques" ("Three. Masks"), which was at the lilarivaux in November, and which has the sole distinction of being the first French all-talker, the French picture business, through its current crop of dialog productions, is expe- riencing a crucial financial test. It is from this output that the salva- tion or collapse of the industry will result. , \. It is also from this crop that the American studios will determine whether or not Its costly building- up of Its-foreign market may be totally wiped out or, in a large measure, minimized. It is from this crop, also, -that the French oankers, with as much financial as national- istic Interest, will determine wheth- er or not the French talkers, .alone or in combination with theatre op- erating circuits, can be put on a paying basis. As Propaganda French finances being more close- ly allied and concerned in so many different interlocking interests, it Is obvious what subtle (and yet legiti- mate enough) propaganda on behalf of French perfumes, or sartorial creations, or wines, or anything else that is essentially French in "s origin, could do to bolster the allied French interests. But first, the basic product must b© self-auppprt- ing, according to the bankers dis- passionate business judgment, ■ _ Producers of talkers now, and for the future, say that they must never think of America as a market; it could be only by luck "if we make something you can distribute In your country." That goes even more for talkers, recognizing how far ahead America now Is with its sound product. Hollywood cannot he as insou- ciant about It all, as France Is un- concerned as to America as a mar- ket but Hollywood has always haa at least a 40% eye to the foreign market. Paris, Jan. 25.- Official statistics of the French government. Issued for the first 10 months of 1929, reveal the quantity of pictures Imported from Germany during that period compared •with similar imports from th© United States. Figures are In metres (1 metre equals 3 feet 3 »nc>»e8).^viz : Positives, from U. S.: 1,«00,658 meti-es. Positives, from Germany: 1,372,458 metres. ' . _ Negatives, from U. S.: dw.oto metres. Negatives, from Germany: 192,536 metres. . ,.^^„a„ Raw film, from U. S.: 4,535,740 metres. Raw film, from Germany: 7,378,707 metres. , ^ ' (Majority of the German pictures were imported for the account of Vreparations in kind" under the Dawes plan.) The total imports into France during th© first 10 months last year were: Positives 4 762.962 metres; negatives, 397,300 metres, and sensitized (raw film), 19,0211,945. Total exports for the 10 months (destinations not indicated) were positives, 6,311,373 metresr nega- tives, 1,554,488: sensitized, 2,137,527. Of these figures. It Is shown under another headhig, 784,576 metres of films of all kinds went to the United States; 621.294 to Great Britain, and 469,903 metres to Germany. Switzerland Importations appear in"German;'French andT^nff- lish talkers Paris, Jan. 26. Milton J. Schwartz, Columbia's foreign rep, saw "Le Mystere de la Vllia Rose" (French film) in Lon- don, and has an option on it tor Columbia's distribution in America. Picture is being handled by Warners as a quota-British film, and wijl be trade shown in London in February. Columbia's American" distribution of "The Mystery, of the Pink Villa (Jacques Haik production) will mark the first, French-made imppr tation into America. Film has t\vo ver.'^ions, English and French. Britain's 256 Patents Hollywood, Feb. 4; M P P- has been advised by George R. Canty, trade cPm mis- sioner in Paris, that 256 patents on devices connected with Alms were granted in Great Britain last year. • Of these, 57 dealt with sound; 52 with color, 21 with stereoscopic processes; 10 with safety devices; 9 -gn ""new^-machinesy- =and-^35=-Oii^ne_ processing of film. Others ard mis- cellaneous but concern pictures. Zurich, Jan. 25. Only two Zurich picture theatres have so far adopted sound, the Capitol and Apollo. Former Is a Universal house and the second Is run by arrangement -with Fox. A third theatre, Orient, UFA house, had begun to show • Tobls shorts but the public snubbed them and they were withdrawn. This theatre has returned to a silent policy. "Singing Fool" (W. B.), had seven weeks ^t the Capitol. Replaced by "Lady of the Pavements" CU. A.). ^White- Shadowsii-.-(-M:-JGX—at_tbe. Apollo, with biz not exceptional. Many changjps reported at the Compagnie Generale du Cinema- tographe, leading Swiss picture house chain. Company suffered heavy losses last year. As a result, several of the company's theatres will be sold. This concerns mainly theatres at Geneva and Zurich. New house under wajy here. Re ported it will seat 3,000. • CHAPLIIJ'S 8 MONTHS Paris, Jan. 25. In a 280-seat grind, "shooting gal- lery" on the Boulevards des Itallens, Chaplin's "Gold Rush" has been i-unning to a 6-10 franc scale since June 15. Likelihood the picture will stay another six months. "Chariot," as Chaplin is known in France, is a huge fav. . Long runs for.. pictures here are not unusual. By ALVA E. GAYMON .Lisbon, Jan. 25. Speaking about "talkers" In-Por- tugal Isllke talking about Einstein's theory to a Chinese stevedor on the Tantse River. American film salesmen recently ■ appeared hero a,nd after inquiring as - to whicU theatres were.wired, or being wiredl was told they were all wired—for electric light. No talking film has yet appeared In Lisbon lipr has any film. house owner even shown signs of-con- sidering the step. ' Tivoli and the Odeon are the Pnly cinemas worthy of the namei,_and. they jare cpnstructe?| ivlth "the rdld" Ideas of getting as misiny "camaro- tes" (boxes) around the semi- circle enclosure as possible. ' In Portugal each theatre seat is so arranged that its occupant can see most everybody in the house, and betw:een intervals the men stand up and smoke-with their hats on and look around to see who's pres- ent. V . Thursday night is gala society night and they sit and hod and bow and smile from one box to another, making sure that they are being recognized. Long intermlisslpn!? be- tween sections of the picture give ' everybody time for the inspection ifind to be Inspected. Pictures are old when they get here and only a few of the best have appeared. Population of con- tinental Portugal 'Is only 6,000,000 and it seems it doesn't pay to have the sub-titles translated Into Portu- guese for the only country in Eur ope speaking this/language. . Recently the Condes had a big run on "Uncle Tom's Cabin" (U). Of the 600.000 people in Lisbon, , it is generally known that only li 51.000 can read, so when and i£ the '* talkies appear here they -^vlW open up a drawing attendance which at present is not explored. , r.sual language difficulties Will bl^ , tn- < - countered by talkers and unlfes'i^ the i prolific Portuguese facial and cor- poral gesticulations are properly accompanied with spoken words, the audience will hb"wl. Repbats Home Product Film Industry here is alVribst wholly confined to rural - scenes of Portuguese countryside. . No" stu- dios nor are there any artists of popularity or importance. • Films are practically all Imported from Germany, France, 'United States and Italy, and sub-titles In the Portuguese language is obligatory..: Every theatre owner must show a certain percentage of Portuguese- made film, and some of these home made "fltas" are getting to be a joke because their repeated so often. Tivoli Is the only theatre in Lis- bon having comfortable seats arid J aisles wide enough to stretch your ji legs. The others have old fashioned jt hard chairs or straight back seats •,] of an odd uncomfortable Portu- guese Invention. Rows are crowded I close to one another t^t malce-mmerH rows, but the inconvenience of-be- j| ing cramped up In a rainbow dur- jj ing the show keeps many tall people J.j away; There are small cinemas all over the counti-y of all kinds and sixea, T but none are worthy of being called theatres. What pictures are shown are well patronized and American' films are the most popular , even though they are worn out when they .reach these screens, ^ German pictures have roc-ently^ been appeariiig more freriviently than before. Fox Manaqers in town Fox foreign managers are in New York for conferences under Clayton Sheehan, general foreign manasor. Those attending include J. C. Bavetta, France; J. Aussenberg, Germany and Central Europe; H. rausing plontv or aimcu.u.. - kIVu, ' sran^^^^^^ S. Horen. ^jS- i/ the American official. Spain, and B. 1 ux, Itulj. 12th Trade Pap*'* Paris, Jan, 25. , Another picture trade organ has been is.sued here, "Le Cinephlle." Edited by Henri Astier, formerly connected with "Hcbdo Film." This makes the 12th trade paper in France. IN KANE'S SHOETS "Parisi 7aiiV^5V Robert Kane's first two shorts are by the three clowns, Cairoli, Porto and Carlotta, and- a sketch by Dandy, of the Casino de Paris. Other French artists slated for Kane include Bach, Blanche Montel and Jacques Baumer, Parysls, Dor- vllle, Dranem, Milton, , Therese Dorny, Falconetti. Spadaro, Damla, Pasquall, Jeannett Flynn, Claire Franconet and Saint-Granier. U. S. Films Drop 20% In Norwegian Market Washington, Feb. 4. Most popular, film in Norway i during the past year was a native production, reports the American 1 consul at Stavanger. 1 Rogaland Province with a popula- tion of 173,000 has 11 houses, none wired to date. ■. American productions previously held 80% of the" Norwegian niarket. Lam^yexir=this-drppped-to-CO^ MAUDE FOE PAEAMOUNT Hollywood, Feb. 4. Screen tests are being made in London of Cyril Maude foi' P^T' [amount with "Aren't We All ^ mind. Par has option on the piayj Firm also has the silent rights on, "Grumpy" but hasn't come to leim for the dialog rights.