Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-05-28

| " has broken out in the moving picture
industry. Those who, only a few
months ago, stood solidly united in the fight
against censorship, now are split into two
bitter and belligerent factions by a new issue
the importation of foreign films.
Since the successful introduction of the
German film, "Passion,' not long ago, dozens
of German film productions have been re-
celved in this country, forty-siX recently ar
irving in one week. And they are still COM
ing in, with no end of them in sight. En-
couraged by the German success, moreover,
the French are now making films with the
American market in view, and the Italians,
who are famous for the artistic quality of
their pictures, are said to be speeding us
sample products.
This flood of importations is regarded
with the most serious misgivings by actors
directors and others employed in our own
moving picture industry, who realize that it
means a curtailment of production in this
country. They know that for every foreign
film bought by an American producer he will
make one less over here and employ CORE
spondingly fewer people. The picture people
have already lived through an exceedingly
lean year while the big producing companies
were getting rid of their surplus stock. Now
they face even greater crisis if the influx of
foreign films keeps up.
Thus, the war cry is being sounded
throughout the industry and the various Or
| D.
rectors, scenario writer's and camera men are
sharpening their weapons for stiff fight
against the foreign films. Leading the re-
belIion is the Actors Equity association,
which has enlisted the aid of the American
Legion and is preparing to take the matter
up with congress- with a view to securing
a protective tariff.
The opposition has become so intense that
when '"The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari'' (the
new German futuristic film which has Gre
ated such furore) was exhibited in Los
Angeles a few weeks ago. it was boycotted.
Protests were first lodged by the American
Legion, the Motion Picture Directors asso-
citation, the International Alliance of Theat-
rlcal Stage Employees and Moving Picture
operators. When the theater management
paid no attention to the protests, pickets
from these organizations, including wound
ed veterans of the war, were stationed out
side the theater with banners admonishng
the public not to patronize it.
BoyCOtting a Film
The demonstration, which lasted from the
opening time on Sunday until $3.50 at night
was unquestionably successful. Up until 6
o'clock about IS persons entered the theater,
while less than that number attended the
evening show. Thousands were attracted
to the neghborhood, but they merely stood
on the sidewalk and viewed the proceedings
When patron emerged from the theater he
was jeered at, but there was no violence of
11J h1I1u. Az o " ClOCh lie Iu0dI0r manage
ment announced that another picture had
been substituted for the German film
The great menace of the foreign films
from the American picture peoples stand
point is their remarkably low cost. Owing
to the difference in American and European
exchange rates, they can be bought for a
mere song and distributed at tremendous
profit. Passion" for instance, which is
said to have been bought for pittance. has
already brought it's American distributors
over $1,000,000 Some of the films, eabo-
ratey staged and containing massive scenes
showing 10000 people in action, sold for
$4,000 apiece.
Furthermore, the new foreign films are
tremendously popular. Except in the Los
Angeles instance, where the theater was pick
eted, they have drawn unprecedented crowds,
and hence are much in demand by moving
picture exhibitors. Not only has the public
forgotten it's supposed distaste for costume
plays, and given the German pictures it's en-
thusiastic Endorsement, but American critics
have given them royal welcome. "Passon
was the first picture since Griffith's 1.-THE
Birth of Nation,' which made the movie
critics drop their stereotyped phrases and
launch forth into original and impassoned
eloquence. Columns of praise were heaped