TALKING PICTURES MUST COME

Hokitika Guardian, 3 September 1928, Page 1

TALKING PICTURES MUST COME

(By J. i). WILLIAMS, who is now managing director of the British firm of United Motion Picture Producers, Ltd., and formerly a prominent figure in tlie American film business).

Tlie excellent leading article in the

“Daily Mail” on tlie talking film will he instrumental in arousing tlie interest of the public in this remarkable development in tlie motion picture industry. Very few people realise tlie potentialities of this great new medium. I landed in New York four weeks ago and up to! that time did not have much faith myself in tlie possibilities of tlie talking film. But after seeing tlie newest devices I have no longer any doubt in the world about its possibilities. The advent of the talking motion picture, or sound film, will do as much for tlie motion picture industry as the telephone and telegraph did for newspapers. And it will be the greatest impetus the British film industry has ever lmd. The present producers of motion pictures in Great Britain will start from “scratch” with tlie American producers in this new field and will have a great advantage over them in many ways. The English voice is better trained, tiic pronunciation and diction are clearer than those of the average American, ’flic greatest asset English actors have ill America is their clear speaking voices. English feminine aitists did ft great deal to popularise vaudeville in America oil account of their dear voices which enabled tlie audience to hear distinctly every word of their songs.

It will be far harder now for « producing company in Hollywood to make a real English talking picture than it would be to produce a silent picture of English life. Ihe American public is already crowding into the cinemas which feature talking films. The technique ol production naturally will change and improve as time goes on, consequently the attendance at the cinemas will steadily increase.

The British Empire and America comprise SO per cent of tlie world value of motion pictures. Talking pictures cannot lie made successfully for any countries other than the Eng-lish-speaking ones, although titles may lie inserted in place of the spoken lines.

English producers now have tlie greatest opportunity they have ever had. If they take advantage of it they will find that English talking pictures will lie as much in demand in America as English clotii and cutlery. or (to take a closer analogy) 'tlie works of groat authors like Sir Janies Barrie and G. B, Shaw,