CONFIDENT NOTE

Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 104, 30 October 1933, Page 11

CONFIDENT NOTE

ENTERTAINMENT BUSINESS

A MANAGER'S IMPRESSIONS

-■: A confident note in regard to tho entertainment business and conditions generally in Australia was struck in an interview with a "Post" representative today by Mr. E. L. Rutledge, general manager for New Zealand of the Fox Film Corporation (Australasia), Ltd., who returned from a business trip by the Mauiiganui today. Mr. Rutledge said ho really believed that a marked improvement was also to be expected in New Zealand, his view being that thia would,bo noticeable after the- New Year.

"There is every indication that Australia is now on the high road to recovery from the depths of depression," said Mr. Rutledge. "That very necessary feeling of confidence in the future is evident on all sides, while a distinct note of optimism has been introduced by the recently-announced reduction in taxation both in tho Federal sphere and tho State of New South Wales.

"Statistics taken from every phasa of industry and business endeavour prove beyond all doubt that a definite turn in the tide has. set in. . The tremendous army of unemployed is gradually but surely being absorbed in industry, and the spending power of thp public is swelling astoundingly. Turnover is increasing and plans are now being laid for business expansion of all descriptions." In tho entertainment businoss, said Mr. Rutledge, there was also a growing feeling of optimism. Theatre takings were improving, and tho outlook for the future was very bright. In the caso of his own company they were naturally delighted to note the generally improved tone of theatre business, for they were heavily interested in a chain of one hundred odd theatres throughout Aus tralia, besides which they were now the largest distributors of films in Australia and New Zealand. Mr. Rutledge referred to the Fox Company's supply for the next twelve months, indicating that it was just as keenly interested in the success of British pictures in Aus tralia and New Zealand as it was in the product of America. Mr. Rutledge mentioned the titles of a number of first-class productions fof early release. He said that the dramatic side would be taken care of by such productions as "A Talo of Two Cities," the immortal classic, to be made entirely in England. "The 'World Moves On," written by Reginald Berkeley, who adapted "Cavalcade" for tho screen, would be produced on the same hugo scale. Turning to new British productions, he said that information received disclosed a high percentage of subjects defiling with everyday life in England, and there were others in which full advantage would be taken of the well-known ability of English producers in the comedy field. Altogether, it looked as though New Zealand picture-goers could look forward confidently to a plentiful supply of pictures to their liking from British studios.

For several weeks past, added Mr. Rutledge, in conjunction with tho Fox executives in Sydney, ho had been negotiating with representatives of tho main theatre circuits in New Zealand. An agreement was finally reached with the Amalgamated Theatres Circuit and their associated houses in Auckland to screen the whole of the Fox, GaumontBritish output throughout their chain of theatres in New Zealand. This meant that the new State Theatre, now in course of erection iv Wellington, would ' show practically all tho pictures he had mentioned, besides a number of other?.