FILM SHORTAGE

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 112, 8 November 1930, Page 23

FILM SHORTAGE

POSITION IN BEITAIN

"SILENTS" IN AMERICAN

HANDS

Many summonses are being brought by the Board of Trade against cinema owners who have failed to show a full quota of British films as required by, the "Compulsory Kirns" Act-of 1927,----says the "Daily Express." The question of a film being sound or silent does not arise as far as the-.Act is concerned. Most of these-quota defaulters, who number about 150, will be able to prove, if they are lucky, that they have been unable to obtain good British films at a reasonable price* The others will pay a nominal fine, ai first offenders, and the costs of the summons. It is practically within the discretion of local Courts to decide what is a good British film and what is a reasonably price to pay for it. The actual fact is*.. however, that there is a definite shortage of good British films, especially; talkies, to which the quota has givea almost a monopoly value. This shortage is accentuated by the rapidly growing popularity of British! talkies, which, of late, have been extraordinarily successful, particularly with provincial audiences. The number of talkies which Great Britain should provide during tha next twelve months, to comply with quota requirements and allow a margin for competitive prices, is about 60, but the demand for them is so great that the theatres could probably absorb 80. NOT THAT MANY. Unfortunately, it does not appear that we could^ produce even 60 good talkies at the present time, owing to the lack of competent directors, of whom there are not more than a dozen, who could be called fully trained. These twelve, even if they worked continuously, could not produce a total of more than forty films in a year, so it is evident that we are within sight of a momentous shortage _ of. good British talkies. The amount of British film, "footage" which American distributors will have to acquire, during the next twelve months, to comply with their own British _ quota requirements, is probably equal to about fifty fulllength films. Most American distributors have hitherto filled their quota requirements by hiring cheap directors, somo of them mere, studio hands, to make cheap, silent films, at a cost ranging from £.500 upwards. The distributor is not required to arrange for the public exhibition of quota films. That responsibility falls on the cinema owners, more than half ot whom are not yet equipped with talking apparatus. Practically the whole business of making silent films in this country ia now in the hands of American distributors. It is a ridiculous and ignominious business, carried on solely for the purpose of what. is called "technical compliance" with the law, "LUDICROUS." This ludicrous situation is the result of the foolish "Compulsory Kirns" Act, likely to be made still mora foolish by a Bill recently introduced ia the House of Commons to amend tha existing Act by raising the quota to a limit of 50 per cent, in the year 1934, and stipulating' that not less than £12,000 shall be spent on each film produced. This proposal will probably cost us dear. A few weeks ago it appeared to be certain that American film companies had made up their minds to accept the existing quota conditions, subject to possible concessions in respect of foreign-born players and technicians, and to make talkies here on a large scale. It was estimated that they might invest up to £8,000,000 in the British! business, but the threat of fresh legislation has thrown their plans into confusion, and the money which might have been immediately spent in Great Britain now appears likely to be diverted to France and Germany. If America could be persuaded to bring her directors, stars, and tech[nicians here, that would solve the" whole problem, but as this prospect is now obscure, Great Britain is still faced with the problem of finding directors —and also players, it should ba added—against competition from America. The immediate solution of the directorial problem is to give a chance to' | stage directors, some of whom, notably; Basil Dean, James Whale, John Murray Anderson, and Seymour Hicks, have been highly successful in talkie production, and there are others, such, as Eaymond Massey and Milton Eosmcr, who are technically competent for tho task. There are also many experienced screen actors —and a few actresses— who are intellectually and temperamentally fitted to direct films. The problem is an interesting one, and the solution of it does not brooS much delay.