BRITISH FILMS

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 97, 21 October 1926, Page 17

BRITISH FILMS

A STRONG INDICTMENT

EXORBITANTLY DEAR AND POOR

SPIRITED REPLY TO CRITIC.

(From Our Own Corespondent.) LONDON, Bth September. Mr. Charles Crystall, described as film-buying agent for the Southern International Pictures, Christchureh, says that he came to England to spend £20,----000 or more, if necessary, on JBritishmade films, but that he has been able to spend only a few hundreds because of the "extraordinarily high prices for poor goods," because of "a lack of enthusiasm," and because "British agents do not seem to have the faintest idea of what Australia and Now Zealand want." A Britisher himself, ho describes British agents as "the world'B worst salesmen." Considerable space has been given to the expression of his views by the "Daily Mirror" and by the film newspaper "Cinema." British agents, he declares, have_ shown him films five and more years* old which are "sheer rubbish," and they asked hundreds of pounds for them. "British films .five years ago were badly produced, badly filmed, and badly acted, yet they expected Australian and New Zealand audiences to put up with them in the face of fierce American competition." .-. ■ . DRIVEN TO GERMANY. Prices in Bngland being "ao exorbitant," Mr. Chrystall went, to Germany, where he" had >& cordial, reception. "Although I told them, that I was. not eager to purchase German films, they did their best to give me a good time, placing ears at my posal. To my surprise they had.the whole Australian situation at . their finger tips. Their. films, ,tpo,;",^ere cheaper and better,, andUas,a result I purchased many of 'thepi,;.although' it 'went against the grain.':-..1 do wish British producers would wake .up to the fact that Australia wants British films and is ready to buy tliem if they are worth the money. But to credit colonials with the mentality of children is an insult." " . : "It is my firm conviction," Mr. Chrystall. assured a '•'.Cinema'? representative, "that your producers are trying to fleece the colonies. They are asking prices which we cannot possibly pay and make.a profit.,.... .....,.' "I have been, buying German picture for £80, and I have been, able to get several for £40 each. For pictures of similar calibre to.these £40 productions, British producers.have been asking £800 to £1000, and for pictures equal to those we can- get. in Germany for £80 I have actually been quoted £1500.- Even witii the tax (about £30 to £50 a film), -the German prices had it. Similar pictures have.been offered men in France for £100. V . However, he was not particularly, keen, on the French pictures, as they Were 'peculiar and weird,' and he did not think they would have a very wide appeal in the country he represents. ■ Independent Australasian ■ firms were- paying about three times as much as this for average American' pictures. ADVERTISEMENT INCLUDED Not only did Germany'offer excellent productions for- a purely nominal price, but .Mr. ■ Chrystall' stated that- he : had received offers of films ranging about £100 each, with the assurance that the German producer would undertake to advertise those films in Australia and New Zealand when they were released. "I have been into practically every place in Wardour street. They are disgusted with me for wanting German pictures, but what is to be done f It is a matter of business. There is a" trust: in South Africa which would not pay a penny more than £250 for a film. That is what is needed in Australasia. 1 ".The'pity of it is," observed Mr. Chvyatallj ■ "that we were keen to get English, production, as there is a great spirit of loyalty among the colonials, but it must not;be thought that the German.pictures -which I am now buying will havft to' face any post-war prejudice. No -^.prejudice whatever against Germany 'j. exists at the present; time ■ in. Australia and New Zealand. The war in, finished and done with, although! find, the 'same spirit doesVnot dxist in ■■' England^ I might add ..that a very friendly spiJit towards England exists, in Germany/'yiierol have been treated.during my recent vi«t with the, utmost courtesy, and. consider.atidn, not merely by people,with:whom:l hope to do business, but by Germansjwith. whom I had no business. connection whatever." ..;:. ::;':;'t: <:^' :: ■;.;■.. 'k'V ",' . GERMAN PICTURES LIKED. | ,This visit- is 'Mr/ Chrystall's,'. first to England made to buy pictures for the Southern International: Company; Hiis firm has handled''several German films before, and has always,found, that they went well. He states, that a:big,output of British films by -a,-well-known'firm that used to ;be released in.Australia and. New 'Zealand' were so.indifferently received that cinema- patrons.used.-"to get up, and go out whenever; British films were shown!./Ho is convinced that the Germans have £armore1 foresight than British producers' aro displaying. One company oven-went so far as to offer him one copy of each of: five of their very best pictures for nothing to take away and release in- Australia! Naturally he agreed to it; they made no money on that, but. the contract which he purposed to sign in a day or two would ensure a market for German films on quite a profitable basis for a long period of years, which showed that their, propaganda "gifts" were not .wasted, but purchased tangible business. ' ;"I was asked £1600 for each of three new British pictures, of which I saw two reels. It is ridiculous to expect Australia and New Zealand to pay a sum like that. Why, one would only have to put up £1000 to get a dozen pictures in Germany. By the time a £1000 film is 'put across," it has cost the renter £2000, and New Zealand and Australia havo not a release capable of covering that and showing a profit. Such a film would have to be released to the big houses, which are choked up with blind booking for three years ahead. The smaller theatres can book a picture for showing three months' ahead, but if a run of the bigger theatres be needed, the picture must lie on the shelf for three years before any, return is realised. ■ One can understand how absurd it is to expect one1 to pay in addition to this a greater price for the picture than it can. possibly recoup." , . • ' ' •. ' A DIAMETRIC VIEW. The experience of Mr. Philip Lytton since he arrived from Australia and Now Zealand quite recently .are interesting in comparison witli those of Mr. Chrystall. ■ ■ ;• . "In my opinion," he remarked, "Mr. Chrystall's statements about the position" are just the antithesis of what it really is. Personally, I would be prepared to go out to Christchureh, take one or two principal theatres there, and oppose the American films by showing nothing else than British. At the end of six months I would expect still to be open, and to be running continuously with the supply of good and interesting British film that is obtainable here to-day; and purchaseable at a reasonable price." When Mr. Lytton came to England

at the end of March to arrange for the production of two plays ho had no intention at all of considering film purchases on behalf of Australasia. In those countries there was current the impression {hat British films, of standard production; were very difficult to get for showing there. However, within a week of his arrival in London his mind was disabused on this point, for he was able to purchase immediately several pictures to send to Australia, including Staepoole's well-known story, "The Blue Lagoon," which had had three years' exploitation in Great Britain, and had had bookings up to £40,000 in the Mother Country. This striking film had.been offered to a number of Australian picture syndicates, but had never been purchased or even really legitimately treated for. FATE Of A HEPWOETH TRIUMPH. "I know of at least five pictures that have achieved bookings of upwards of £40,000 in England alone that were offered at very cheap rates for Australia," Mr. Lytton continued, "yet have never been ■ shown there. The history of one of the big standard productions by Hepworths .reveals the fact that it was : purchased for Außtrar lia, but was never screened there. As a matter of fact, only one copy was asked for. This was supplied for the, supposed Australian presentation. *It can reasonably be assumed, however, that the purchase of one copy only of this very artistic British masterpiece was mado expressly to put it on _ the shelf and to stop its introduction into ! Australia and New Zealand." Mr. Lytton remarked that though critics might say that his association with the picture business had been very slight it could yet be mentioned that he was chairman of directors of the company which arranged for the showing ,of the first picture production in Australia, and it happened that also he personally financed the big Sudolz Famous Players' contract for Australia a number of years ago. He claims too,, to be thoroughly conversant with the ramifications and intricacies of the American picture business in Australia and New Zealand. TIED UP WITH AMEEICA. "The big obstacle in. connection with the Australian supply of British films is very clearly defined by the outstanding fact that all who are interested in the picture business of the Commonwealth at the present time are absolutely tied up by their contracts, which run over a period of years, to supply American pictures, and should a quota be arranged for Australia and New Zealand the picture people will find that they will have a burden to bear to carry out their contracts, having a full supply Of American pictures. The only remedy will be,for the Governments to intervene and come to' a decisive arrangement whereby the public will be protected. "What reason,." asked Mr. Lytton in conclusion, '' could be assigned for the leading production companies •of England, which have produced quite a lot of standard and big earning films, not being covered in some way for Australian releases! Any revenue gained from Australia relieves some of the overload of production; and I consider that any business firm would not quib-. ble at Australasian prices, because it would be to their interest to open up a trade and show the standard of their work. Unfortunately, there are so many excellent film producing firms that'have not succeeded in getting their very important films released in Australasia." ~ Sir Sidney Low, in an article on/ films, in the "Weekly Dispatch," says that Mr. Chrystall's experiences do not surprise him. He himself has in Berlin examined at first hand some of tho studios and the operations of the great companies; .• : ■:■■ . "I was disconcerted to discover that alike in personnel, and in the quality of its work, the German, film industry stood on a higher level than our own. Not all the German films are good; some are heavy, indecent, or bad in other ways. But, their creators have usually endeavoured to cut out a line for themselves instead of adhering to 1 conventions learnt in the unsatisfactory Californian school. The Australian report says that the film which will be welcomed in Australia is one' that does not slavishly copy American examples, 'reeking, as these too often do, with the sentimentality of sob:stuff which is the greatest moral and artistic shortcoming of the modern film.' British producers should take the hint. Sonic of them still need it."