BRITISH FILMS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 51, 2 March 1939, Page 5

BRITISH FILMS

FEW PRODUCED DISCUSSION IN COMMONS. Again, at the turn of the year. British films have been the subject, of questions in the House of Commons, states the London Film Weekly of December 31. Members, perturbed by the present studio depression, bombarded Mr. Oliver Stanley, President of the Board of Trade, with pertinent questions about the results of the new Quota Act. Concerning quality, even. Mr. Stanley could not be encouraging. He revealed that the quota year ending March, 1937, 225 British films had been registered; for the year ending March, 1938, 228; but that during the nine months of the present quota year only 68 British films had been registered, with applications for six more under consideration. Vice-Admiral Taylor claimed that “if British films continued as they had been during the last eight months, there would only be 85 British long films produced as against 225 last year." In defending the Quota Act, Mr. Stanley took his stand on quality rather than quantity. The shortage of films, he said, was general and not confined to British films. He could still say of the Act: I think it will have a satisfactory effect.” “I believe that the only sound basis for British films is good quality and I believe that there has been a very substantial advance in that.” Mr. Stanley said. “There is one thing that can encourage British financiers to go into the film industry and that, is that the industry should make better films. "There are signs that since the pasjsage of the Film Bill, the quality of the films has improved.” Mr. Stanley's remarks may be cold consolation but they are hard sense, the Film Weekly comments. The British film industry has taken too long over recognising that quality, not. quantity, must he the basis of a flourishing industry. Now It Can Be Told. Alice Faye, alluring 20th CenturyFox star of “Tailspin,” now in produc- : tion is about to realise a secret am- | bition. The screen's No. 1 singer reIcently wrote her first song in collaboration with Ben Oakland and Sam Lerner titled “I Promise You,” which will be introduced by Miss Faye on a forthcoming national broadcast.