Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-05-26
The Foreign
Film Invasion
ny Yresiertc J. Haskin

New York, May 3e.--Civil war has
hrokcn out In the moving picture In
duatry. Thorn who. only few months
ago. stood solidly united In the night
arainst censorship. now are split into
two bitter and belligerent factions by
new issue--the importation OF foreign
nlms.
since the successful introduction of
the German film. Passion not long
ago. toscns of German film productions
have been received In this country, 40
recently arriving In one week. Anu
they are still coming in, with no end OF
them In sight Encouraged by the
German success. moreover. the trench
are now making fllms with the Ameri-
can market In view. and the Italians,
Who are famous for the artistic quality
q their pictures. are said TO pe speed
ing us sample products.
Ths hood of importations is regarded
with the most serious misgivings by
actors. directors and others employed
in our own moving picture industry.
who realtze that II means a curtailment
of production in this country. They
know that for every foreign film bought
by AN American producer, he VIII make
one iew ever hore and employ CORES
pcndingiy fewer people. The picture
people have already lived through an
cxcccdtnxiy Loan year while the big
wodnoins companies were getting rid
ri thsar surplus stock. Now T. : face
an even greater crfeis IL the influx OF
foreign films keeps up.
Thux the war CRY is being sounded
throughout the industry and the various
o~GA nixat tiope OF actors. directors. as
siMeAut dtUctorr. scenario writer's and
camera man are sharpening their weap-
ems for = stin night against the foreign
flms. Leading the rebellion is the
Actors Equity Association, which has
enlisted the AID Of the American Legion
and n preparing to take the matter up
wtth Congress. with view 10 securing
. prut~ctive tariff.
the opposition has become so intense
tat when The Cabinet OF DIR. Caligari."
t1-he new German futurisuc film which
hAs CREATED such furore) was exhib-
Nod In Lo~ Angeles a few weeks ago,
II was hoyco<trd- Protests were first
hodg~d by the American Legion. the
Motion rtct~rc Directors Association.
the IntcrnasSouAl Alliance of Theatrical
stage Euup.oSere and Moving Picture
OpUNAnrs. Whe.s the theatre manage
RnaDt paid 10 attention to the protest
pickets from these organizations. in
clv<Anx wuundxsd veterans of the war,
were stationed outside the theatre with
hAnncrr adsnorsrhins the public not 10
pasronixe It.
Boycctting q Finn.
The demonStrs ton. which lasted from
the opening time on Sunday until $50
at nisht. was unauestionably success
full Up until 6 O'Clock about rs persons
entered the theatre. while less than
that number attended the evening show.
Thousa nds were attracted to the neigh
horhood. but they merely stood on the
sidewalk and viewed the proceedings
when a patron emerged from the the
ater he was te~red at. but there WAS no
violence of any kind. AT 5 o'clock, the
theateT management announced that
another picture had been substituted for
the German fm.
The great menace of the foreign films
from the American picture peopIes
standpoint 10 their remarkably low cost.
Owing TO the difference IN American
and European exchange rates. they can
he bought for a mere song and dis
trihuted at a tremendous profit. Pas
sion," for instance. which is said TO