M.G.M.'S PRODUCTION PLANS FOR ENGLAND

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 49, 20 November 1937, Page 14

M.G.M.'S PRODUCTION PLANS FOR ENGLAND

Beneath the twin flags of Great Britain and the United States in the largest banqueting hall the Savoy can boast, Mr Louis B. Mayer, first vicepresident of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, and Magnate No. 1 of the entire cinema industry, sat down to lunch with four hundred British exhibitors in London recently (writes a London film correspondent). The speaker's table was lined with celebrities from worlds outside the cinema, representatives of all the arts and all the industries. Among others, A. P. Herbert was there, and Gordon Selfridge, Lord Sempill and John van Druten, C. R. Nevinson and Marie Tempest. Two of Metro-Goldwyn's own stars, Robert Taylor and Maureon O'Sullivan, were also present. But it was emphatically the exhibitor's day. These men and women, who know to a penny the box-office value of Mr Taylor's charm, of Mr Mayer's weekly output, had come from every corner of England for the oceasion. They cheered Mr Mayer, Mr Taylor, . Miss O'Sullivan; they clapped; they sang "For He's a Jolly Good Fellow." Jubilant "Hear, hears" pierced t>he clouds of cigar smoke. A double file of exhibitors wound its way constantly between the tables. Each man carried a menu, and when he eame back to his seat Robert Taylor's tall, sloped signature was inscribed among. the Whitstable Natives, or Miss O'Sullivan's across the Poire Belle Helene. A Great Showman. At the end of the luncheon Louis B. Mayer talked of his plans, for 30 rflinutes, in a speech that must have warmed the heart of every exijibitor. It was tlie speech of a great showman, who has risen in 30 years from the ownership of one dilapidated Boston theatre to the control of the world's biggest film organisation. Alexander Korda, in welcoming him, referred to Mr Mayer with an unusual gravity as the most anonymous, modest, and ablest figure in the "sometimes terrifying publicities" of the cinema. Hearing him speak, and later speaking to him alone, one sensed why. Mayer has the unusual knack of holding an audienee of 500 and then bringing his eloquence down to a pinpoint for a single listener. His answers are frank and businesslike. I asked him why Metro-Goldwyn did not produce pictures in this eountry three years ago, when thc plan was first mooted. He said: "Because we weren't ready. f said then that if we could produce in this eountry on quality lines wo should produce. At that time it wasn't possible. Now I'm ready, and here I'am." I asked him io. it would not be difficult to work so far away from the "front office" in Hollywood. "Of course, it will be difficult; slower, more troublesome in every way. But we've got to make British pictures. and we're going to make good British pictures. " "How?" "By sticking to one at a time. By going slowly. By building up an > rganisation. By finding new English stars. By training English technical men and directors. By using London as a centre for European production." "And you'll hhrow all the weight of the Hollywood organisation behind them?" "Put in All Wve Got." "Of course we shall. How can we afford not to? How can we alford not to?" he ropeated, fixing me with a piercing eye, shaking his finger vigorously. "We've brought over Robert Taylor. We're bringing over Clark Gable. We shall bring over other topline stars. Do you krow what that means to American box-ofllces? Do you realise how mony months of work these people are losing in Hollywood by coming over here? We've brought over Jack Conway, director of "A Tale of Two Cities,' 'Libelled Lady,' 'Saratoga,' one of our ace men. How can we afford not to put all we've got behind tfhem? Why, this first British picture means more to us th.au any cther cn our autumn schedule. "I give you my word," he ended slowly, "my personal word that I and all my Hollywood organisation wnl be 100 per cent. behind our English production." And the man who discovered Garbo, and Thalberg, and Luise Rainer, who piclced Clark Gable and Robert Taylor for honours, and controls the fortunes of a £40,000,00 corporation, was driven off to his hotel to study the possibilities of a new and handsome young Czeeh "star.