BRITISH FILM INDUSTRY

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIV, 9 January 1931, Page 7

BRITISH FILM INDUSTRY

GREAT ADVANCE MADE RECENT TECHNICAL DISCOVERIES EFFORTS TO CAPTURE EMPIRE AMERICAN INTERESTS ALARMED (By T.CJL.) English people are slow to adopt new ideas, and in nothing is this more strikingly illustrated than their attitude towards moving pictures. When they appeared at first the English discounted their possibilities, not for a moment believing they would ever seriously interfere with the music hall and theatre forms of entertainment. Consequently they left the field clear for the Americans, who were not slow to exploit it. The Americans never had any doubts regarding their future, and raised all the capital they wanted to improve and perfect the technique and reproduction of pictures, feeling certain that abundant reward would come in due course.

How the enterprise succeeded is known to all. The American commanded the film trade of the world, and incidentally did tremendous propaganda work by its means for the United States. He acted on the axiom that “trade follows the film.” Up till recently lie was supreme master of the film situation. Britain was completely left behind in this important sphere of activity, and the showman in New Zealand had to rely almost exclusively for his programmes upon American agencies, who exploited him thoroughly. A SIGNIFICANT CHANGE A change came over the film scene in 1924, hut it was one the significance of which was realised at the time by very few, least amongst them being those in the trade itself. It Avas the discovery by Dr. De Forest of the secret of photographing and reproducing sound. I happened to see the first machine tried out in London in 1924. It was at a theatre near the Elephant and Castle, whither I had gone with two other New Zealanders. The exhibition Avas somewhat crude, hut it set one thinking, and as Ave returned homeward over Blackfriars’ Bridge Ave Avere all silent, meditating upon Avhat Ave had seen and heard. “What is your opinion?” I Avas asked. “It seems "to me that Ave liaA'e been Avitnesses of a process that is destined to cause a revolution in motion pictures.” The others concurred. That night I attended an ordinary picture shoAA r at Tivoli, in the Strand, and as the film came on I unconsciously Avaited for the accompanying Alices. I Avas surer then than before that the talking picture had only to be developed as the silent had been to make its success assured. The British interests Avhicli had the patent rights of the process did not make the best of their opportunities during the ensuing three or four years, but in 1928 the Americans, sensing its possibilities, and seeing the silent pictures Availing in popularity, produced talkies Avhicli Avere a distinct advance on anything previously heard. Then -Competitors became actiA T e, both the i,fecording and reproduction systems fw’ere vastly improved, and the talkies took America, and then the Avorld, by •storm. For a time the Americans had the field almost to themselves, and it looked as if the British Avere again to be left behind in tin? race. In New Zealand, as Avell as in other British Dominions, the public did not take kindly to the American nasal voices, preferring the unadulterated English voices, but they Avere giA'en little choice, as all the best pictures Avere being produced in the HollyAVOod studios. Then English interests began to recognise lioav they were missing tlieir great opportunities, and many film producing companies Avere formed to exploit the market. Most of the. companies Avere badly managed, their pictures Avere second rate, and slioAvmen in the Dominion could only exhibit a very small qfiota of British productions. One after another these companies failed, the public losing practically all of the money they had. put into them. The better managed and financed ones survived, and it is they avlio have given a fresh impulse to English film industry. Experienced men have iioav come into the industry, men avlio have the ability, as they have the ambition, to regain the ground Britain has lost in the past, and financial support is also forthcoming. ENGLAND’S OPPOKT UNITY There can he no doubt that the advent of the talking picture lias given Britain a Avonderful opportunity. Through the lead America had gained, tlie British film industry suffered in the silent picture days by lack of artistes, screen Avriters and technical facilities. These have been swept aAvay by the talkies, for in the talking world Britain is rich in story material, artistes and dialogue writers. Members of the Empire Press delegation were afforded the opportunity when in England recently .of seeing what Britain is doing in this important sphere. They visited the British International Pictures’ studios at Elstree, coA'ering some 40 acres of ground, Avlierc replicas of Flanders’ trenches, Piccadilly circus, a Devon village, Scotland Yard, and Dartmoor had been fashioned and used in the company s productions. The studios contain no feAver than nine sound-proof stages, and Avliilst the party Avas there a feature Avas being “shot” iu three languages. In the English version tlie star artistes Avere Muriel Angulus and Jack Rayne, and there Avere separate stars for both the German and I reach versions. It Avas at Elstree studios that “Blackmail,” one of the most successful British talkies made, Avas produced. Up to date fifty-six nicturcs luiA'e been turned out, and the production iioav is about 30 a year, and of a quality equal if not superior, to any tiling produced in HollyAvood, Avhose leadership in film making is now being threatened. Hollywood’s A'ery insularity, Avhicli Avas ideal for silent picture production in the view of competent authorities, is the A'ery factor Avliich will bring it doAvn and cause production to move elseAvhere, So far as the British Empire is concerned, the American film and its unpleasant accent Avill go just as soon as there are available sufficient films of British manufacture of the requisite standard of entertainment value. And that day is not very far distant. IN DEADLY EARNEST

The English, slow to move, are now in deadly earnest. They see their pic-, tures sweeping England and gaining great popularity in the Dominions. They can produce each picture in three or four languages, and, without great expense, bring over from the Continental countries leading artistes to fill

the chief roles. The Americans, who have always discounted the possibilities of English competition, are now thoroughly alarmed, and, in order to ensure a profitable outlet for their own productions, have recently purchased strings of important theatres in London and the provinces, just as they have done in Australia. They are also talking of opening studios in England and making English and foreign pictures. This is all to the good, for at last the people of the British Empire will have the opportunity of listening to and seeing wholesome picture plays and not having their senses outraged as in the past. Though late in starting, the British have now gained on the Yankee in the technique of recording and production. I had evidence of this at the A.S.F.I. studios at Wembley, and the Fidelity studios at Isleswortli. The latter, by the way, is directed by an ex-New Zealander, Mr L. G. Grace, formerly of Nelson and Wellington. Under him is a staff of clever young Britishers who have designed a recording set that is a distinct improvement, upon anything previously in use. They have also invented a reproducing set which is as simple as it is original, and one that bids fair to render obsolete all the elaborate, complicated and costly sets that are being supplied from the United States. I had the pleasure of seeing and hearing two of their recent productions, namely, “Guilt,” a drama by Reginald Fogwell, featuring James Carew (the husband of the late Helen Terry), Harold Huth and Anne Grey, one of the coming English cinema stars: and “Madame Guillotine,” adapted from the French, and starring Madeline CaiToll (regarded as the most beautiful and talented picture actress in England at present) and Bryan Hearn. Nothing the Americans have so far produced could surpass these photo plays in technical or histrionic quality. They are not exceptional: the English companies are now producing the goods, and are bent on capturing the British market. One thing is certain: the sentiment both in England and the Dominions is entirely favourable to the English as against the American talkies. THE ATTEMPTED BOYCOTT Incidentally the cabled reports of the American film interests’ attempt to browbeat and boycott New Zealand have been followed with intense interest in England, not only by those interested in the film industry, but by the general public. Admiration was freely expressed of the backbone exhibited by the Government towards this effort at dictation and interference by outsiders in the affairs of a British state. The collapse of the “boycott” was not unexpected, for Britain is used to American bluff, in this and other domains, and not a little tired of it. The leading statesmen of England are now alive to the value of the speaking film as a means of keeping British interests and enterprise before her own kith and kin and the world generally, and it can be taken for granted 7 now that an adequate supply of suitable high-grade British pictures are available, the quota in England will be stiffened until before long the percentage of programmes will bo at least 75 per cent. British. In this connection New Zealand has an opportunity of putting herself on the map. Undoubtedly New Zealand is the most popular of all the Dominions—everyone who visits England is soon made aware of the kindly feeling towards his country —and scenic and other pictures relating to the life of the country would prove very acceptable. Though very small, and hopelessly inadequately fin-, anced, we have in London a very efficient and alert publicity department, which has in the past been able to supply silent pictures dealing with New Zealand scenery and industry to the trade, without cost to the Government, but the day of the silent picture has gone, and the picture houses are seeking talking pictures. It should be possible without much expense for the Government to supply such pictures, and so maintain interest in New Zealand, to the advantage of our trade and the country as a whole.