BRITISH PICTURES

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXIV, Issue 210, 18 August 1934, Page 14

BRITISH PICTURES

Company’s Different Film SEEKING A WIDER MARKET The Gaumont-British Corporation is to make “Anna Karenina,” with Con rad Veidt as Vronsky, and Madeleine Carroll as the unhappy Anna. The announcement is of first-rate import ance, writes the film correspondent of the London “Daily Telegraph.” Those of us who have the ultimate welfare of the British film industry at heart have been urging for years that our ■ producers should cease to concentrat*' entirely on subjects of purely British interest; under-rating, no doubt, the great difficulties and risks inseparable from an attack on the world market. “Anna Karenina” will mark the end of a film epoch. It shows that the largest British company has reached the stage when it feels able to chai lenge international competition, in stead of playing safe with subjects ami artists found by experience to yield a sure profit in the British market. “Naturally we cannot undertake more ‘than two or three productions like ‘Anna Kerenina’ and ‘.Tew Suss’ in a year,” Mr Michael Balcon, the Gaumont-British director of productions, said in an illuminating discus sion of policy. “We cannot get away from the fact that we are engaged in commerce and therefore have a certain responsibility to our shareholders. We are anxious to maintain the highest possible standards, but we have to go slowly. “You cannot educate the public all at once,” Mr Balcon went on. “It is a matter of careful experimentation over years. Critics often say we under-estimate the intelligence of the public. Our experience shows that when yon get away from the type of entertainment people have come to expect you are generally asking for trouble.”

And Mr Balcon, a subtly persuasive talker who convinces you while apparently seeking your advice, men tioned three American pictures, all brilliantly made and favourably received in the West End, which had proved dismal failures outside London.

“Are wo to go all out for such productions at the possible risk of ruin, or should we go on making good light entertainment such as the public always supports, and content ourselves with working a big, ambitious picture into our programme now and thent”

Alas, there seems to bo only one answer.