FRENCH ENTERPRISE

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XVI, Issue 11, 24 December 1925, Page 16

FRENCH ENTERPRISE

While Britain talks, France acts, lhe group of French authors, artists, academicians and leading mon who, with the support of the Ministry of bine Arts, recently formed the “CinoRoman” organisation to light foreign film-dominance, have now - produced three notable spectacles. These are "The Miracle of the m-j n S ’<’ U StoI '- v of Fl ' anc e in the Middle Ages, shown early this year in London ; “Surcoui,” a story of the Breton sorsairs, recently shown here under the repellent title of “rhe Devil of the High Seas” ; and “Les iVliserables, ’ a large-scale and revised adaption of the Hugo classic. All these productions have been .sold . on good terms in America, and have won ioi- France a position of prestige that reacts favourably on all other b rencli films. ' Half a dozen films of this type would l.v new complexion on the -i.u..'d film situation. \\ hat we need is not cpiantitv hut quality, and « e need il quickly.

Films by Order, Br-tcsh films, acroniing to a naive bm -incere scheme put forward by the home industry recently, should form a compulsory entertainment. They should >e sjiown to. us whether we want them or hoc on tne principle that they are bounu to do us good. Fsperionec of the British public suggests that it will never take its enterr.naniJiil louipuhordy, not even British j ' y the originators ol this scheme 'isii to avoid a ridiculous fiasco they will organise themselves to show Bnemn,±^Vsm >lU, ' tary “ nd nOt ° U a ■V one needs compulsion to show good ; :11ls h films hut compulsion will let in Inc bad British films. Anything more comic than the suggestion that the Board ol Trade shoukl i;Y, ol auti ""' !t y to judge whether bntisn films contmn sufficient enterb'mnieiit for compulsory exhibition h., not been conceived on;side the studio of Lloyd or Chaplin „ r T An j |ll * ,lstl '.v Capable of evolving such of hk‘ a |‘ ' iot be destitute ot ideals 101 hlms which one would wish to see volun’arih .