Wid's year book (1921)

The Foreign Invasion Inquiry directed to the leading executives of the industry with reference to what effect the so-called foreign "invasion" has had upon the industry results in many interesting expressions, the bulk of which however, indicate that America has no need to fear the showing of foreign pictures. Worry Not Justified Too much worry and thought has been devoted to the so-called foreign invasion. If there is merit in a foreign production there is no reason why the exhibitor should not show it. The introduction of foreign stage plays has not ruined our native drama ; neither will it harm our screen. If it is an incentive to American artists all the better. To date we have had a few productions, the cream of foreign manufacture. Coming at an off period, it seemed as though these might be partly responsible for a falling off in production activities. There have not been enough of them to make any impression on the number of productions necessary to feed the theaters of America. Let the foreign producer offer his wares in America, else the reaction on our export trade will entail a greater loss than the introduction of a few foreign films on the American screen. ARTHUR S. KANE. Not Alarmed I believe in the continued supremacy of American pictures not only in our own domestic market, but in the markets of the world. For that reason I cannot become alarmed at the thought of foreign competition. MACK SENNETT. Not Worried From time to time a few productions may come to America which are worthy of intensive exploitation and distribution, but the American public will not cordially receive productions which either directly or indirectly ridicule or attack the various countries throughout the world. Unless there is a very marked change in the class of productions, there is very little likelihood that the volume of such productions will in any way seriously impair the distribution of American made productions. R-C PICTURES CORP., R. S. Cole, President. No Cause for Alarm We are sending over 600 productions abroad every year, and so far this year we have shown about a half dozen foreign pictures in America. There is no real cause for alarm. Now that the war is over and considering the further fact the old "Patents company" has long since been dissolved, there is no legitimate reason for us to believe that we have a corner on the motion picture business or the art of making them any more than that we should presume we have the exclusive right to make any other commodity in America. We derive about 35% of our revenue on motion pictures from the foreign market today. The whole world needs trade stimulation between the various nations in every line of commodity, motion pictures included. We can not take the inconsistent position of shaking hands with the foreign buyer with one hand on the purchase of our goods and shoving him away with the other hand with the merchandise which he has to sell. The faith which I have in the American producer is sufficient to keep me from fearing any serious competition for years. We need trade: competition is the life of the trade. It may be that we will make better pictures if we have a little healthy competition. Who's afraid ? C. C. PETTIJOHN. Brought Some Good The invasion of foreign pictures has, like the old saying, "An ill wind" — brought some good, inasmuch as it has awakened American producers to the necessity of greater effort. The invasion will make it necessary to place a tariff upon the foreign-made product, in order that the home-made product may survive. This will lead to a long discussion on reciprocity, and will require much thought, in view of our desire to enter the foreign market on a greater scale than before. ALLEN HOLUBAR. Not a Menace The arrival of foreign films in direct competition with the best in the American market upset two beliefs: one, that European pictures could not compete with our own in the American market and the second that our public does not like costume plays. "The Golem," "Deception" and "Passion" not only wrecked our two traditions, but also served as a refreshing stimulus to our producers. The beauty of the settings revealed by these pictures, the handling of the mob scenes and the perfect continuity and excellent acting came as a surprise. I am not a producer, so I cannot discuss the effect of a "foreign invasion" of the American market. Three good films selected from about a thousand which were offered from abroad against many hundreds of home-made hardly can be called an "invasion." The foreign producers will have to hit a higher average, week in and week out, before they prove a menace to the better American productions. HUGO RIESENFELD. Tariff Indicates Cowardice The industry in America is in no danger through what many frighted persons are terming "The foreign invasion." Not one percent of the total number of pictures made in all the other countries of the world will be fitted for release to the American public, and a portion of such product as will enter the country will be so inefficiently handled and distributed by the Distributors into whose hands it falls that only a small portion of the public will ever see such pictures even after they have been brought here and released. The outcry against the few valid and worthwhile foreign pictures that can be and will be brought into this country is entirely without justification or excuse. Literature, art and music are not affected by national boundary lines. The idea of putting a prohibitive tariff upon foreign pictures is absurd and it will promptly be met in other countries with a tariff that will drive American pictures out of those countries to the great injury of their American Producers. The demand for an American tariff on foreign pictures is a sign of cowardice on the part of American Producers. F. B. WARREN. Low Cost Pictures A Menace Real foreign product never has appealed long to Americans who want pictures that more closely touch their own lives, hut the low-cost, hyphenated foreign product fathered by American capital is an undeniable menace to the honest progress of the art. ASHLEY MILLER. 207