GLUM DAYS FOR CINEMA THEATRES

Chronicle (Levin), 5 February 1948, Page 5

GLUM DAYS FOR CINEMA THEATRES

These are glum days for British cineiiia proprietors and not entireiy '■.lieerful Oilfes for, British fifm producerS. The reason, of course, is the 75 per cent. tax against Ameriean films which has resulted in oiily the duty free Americati films in the eotmtry beforfe the tax was applied, being shown iti Britain, "and -many " old ones being re issued. Attfendances at cinfemafi throughout the eountfy are xeported to be falling and orie privately o'Wned cinema at Haywards Heath in Gussex has alreadv decided it carinot carry on and therefore has closed. -Soon, it is stated, there wil] be a geiiferal slump in cinema attendances. This fall in box office rec.eipts wil 1, in all likelihood, affect tlife production of British films for it has been the pbliey of the Rank organisation to [ikough lutck part oF tlie Odeon cinema grdup profit.s to tiro making of * new pictures. Rfeduced profits will ineviL-' ab'lv meart lefis moriey for British prudiieers. ' Already it is stated that British filrii companies will make fewer pictures "than last year- — probably fewer than '50. Tho'ugh orie theory is that the absencfe of Ameriean films provides Britain with the opportunity of expanding its litm business, it is also stated that eveh witlt Governmerit priorities for building and equipping studios, and with longer funs for pil'tufes, Britain could not liopfe to supply lriofe than half her filnl requireiri'entfi Yithin tlie next foitr to live yerirs. The reason for tlie 75 per cent, tax ori Ariie'rican filins is to save about £l2,0OO',UOO worth .of dollafk going^from Britain to Ariiefica every ye.aiV loss of reveriue is seriO'us to Hollyri'odd aiid the Anierican fiJm industTy retaliated by eiittirig thfe Moiv b£.rifew filrits to Britaiii. Thfe Aiiiferifeans belifevect

that Sir Stafford Cripps would back •do'wii aiit^ recant his tax or modify it but so fari -tiie Chariefe'llor tajce.s the view that food is niore iriiportant tlirin films. - There is a growing feeling, li'Owfever, tliat liriless soirife itind of cOiiiprOiiiise reached, tlie fihri iridKlstfifek of btltri couiiti'ifes Mill be'Mdvefsely affeeted aiicl Anglo-American relations fenib'ittfel'fed. ■