DEPRESSION DISAPPEARING.

Huntly Press and District Gazette, Volume XV, 17 April 1931, Page 3

DEPRESSION DISAPPEARING.

IS OPINION OF MOTION PICTURE EXECUTIVE. An optimistic note, in that evidence of the recent world-wide economic depression was beginning to disappear, was sounded by Mr. Wm. J. Clark, General Sales Manager of famous Lasky Film Service (Paramount Pictures), which operates in New Zealand, Australia and the Far East, on his return from a visit to the United States of America recently. It has been proven in the States that personal economy does not assist in lifting the depression, but it was noticeable in communities where the population spent freely and firms spent additional sums in advertising, that the signs cf returning prosperity were most marked. By a system of i-areful Government economy, such as is being put into force in the Dominion, the United States is steadying herself after the big Wall Street catastrophe. The Motion Picture Industry was one of the first organisations to reflect the coming of better times. In that business capital expenditure has been increased, thus giving employment to many thousands more persons. There has been no cutting of production costs in the bigger producing companies and considerable sums of money have been allocated for the purchase of British stories and actors to supplement the many English stars who have been working in Hollywood since the advent of talking pictures. In this respect, the American Motion Picture interests are spending more money in England and the Continent than before. Regarding the activities of the Paramount organisation, Mr. Clark stressed the fact that musical backstage productions had been entirely dropped and music itself was only introduced where the play and action demanded. Story value was the rock on which his company pinned their faith and the increased patronage of the audiences has been the result not only in the States but in England and the * Continent. Mr. Claik intimated that Paramount has several surprise productions for release in New Zealand- this year, commencing with “Morocco,” co-starring the new German actress, Marlene Dietrich, and Gary Cooper. A more rugged type of story is “Derelict,” starring George Bancroft, who is well-known to New Zealand picture-goers. “Tom Sawyer” the immortal Mark Twain story, will soon be seen in the Dominion. For this picture, Paramount signed the child actor, Jackie Coogan, who heads the cast of juvenile actors in the production. “The Right to Love,” with Paul Lukas and Ruth Chatterton, is the first picture to be recorded with the “perfect sound” equipment, which eliminates all extraneous noises such as scratching, etc. Maurice Chevalier will be seen in several pictures, the first of which is “Playboy of Paris.” “Fighting Caravans” with Gary Cooper, is Paramount’s big 1931 outdoor picture, and “Rango” will be the first true sound drama filmed in the jungle of Sumatra. Many other Paramount pictures are in the making, but Mr. Clark states that the new policy adopted by his Company allows for only a comparative few pictures to be scheduled for production at a time, so that the public will be assured of having entertainment up to a considerably high’ standard, for production plans will be constantly adjusted to suit the changing tastes of the i>eople.