NEW ENGLISH FILMS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21296, 24 September 1932, Page 11 (Supplement)

NEW ENGLISH FILMS

PROGRAMME OF RELEASES CAPITAL OF £6,000,000 Sanguine hopes for the future success of British films are entertained by Mr. J. Lippman, Australian representative of British international Pictures, who has come to Melbourne to witness the opening screening of all-British pictures at the Plaza Theatre, under the. new arrangement made with tfoyts Theatre, Limited, and British Ernpire Films, Limited. Mr. Lippman said recently that the progress made bv British films in Australia and New Zealand during the past twelve months was very gratifying. It was obvious that the lime had arrived when British pictures, on their own merits, could compete with the American films which for so long had dominated the situation. So popular were British pictures becoming that arrangements had been made recently by one of the foremost American exhibitors'to screen them regularly throughout the United States. There were about six well-established companies producing pictures in Great Britain now, and about 100 pictures were being produced by them -this year. The company which he represented had a capital of nearly £6.000,000, and was associated with exhibiting companies which had control of 483 theatres jn the United Kingdom. Mr. Lippman added that when he spoke ■of British pictures he did not refer to English pictures exclusively. He had in mind films produced in all ports of the Empire, and his company was prepared and willing to assist in the distribution" •of-films • produced in the Dominions. He Jiad offered the Sydney company which •produced "On Our Selection" facilities for having that picture exhibited in the •theatres associated with his company ■throughout Great Britain. He considered the picture an admirable production, which was worthy of exhibition in any part, of the world. Mr. Gordon Ellin. general manager of Empire Films, Limited, distributors jn Australia for British International 1 ictures, stated ihat among early films to be released in New Zealand would be the jnusica I joinedv "■ The Maid of the Mountains," in which two Australians, Nancy jßrowne and Betty Stockfield, are featured. •Others would be " England Awake, a f,lm story of England's progress throughout the Inst century; " Spanish Customs, Lucky Girl," from the musical comedy ©f the same name; " After Office Hours, from the London stage play Hall: "The Last Coupon, Mr. tfiU *he Conqueror," " Money for Nothing, •with Sevmour Hicks and Betty Stockfield; V Verdict of the Sea," " Creeping Shadows," and Timbuctoo, a comedy in the wilds'of Africa. Well-known English actresses' and actors are starred in the [productions-