New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-07-03
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Danish the Foreign Film?

III would De calamity 20 the Ameri-
can actor and artisan and worker in
American studios if heavy tax should
be levied on foreign films
If we exclude Italian films Italy will
exclude American films, and the same
is true Of every other foreign country.
A tax imposition that would be suffi-
cient to keep a French made picture
out of America would call for French
retaliation on American films, and wa
would end by bottling up our own pic
ture product, in the manufacture of
which we have shown the world we can
lead. We would lose our foreign
market.
Now, foreign rights are a valuable
asset to the American producer. With
that profit wiped off his rental values
he would in many instances wipe off
his net profit figure and his ledger
would carry disagreeable red-loss
To make Up for this immediate loss Of
revenue the producer would be forced to
seek some means of retrenchment. He
could not get more money from exhibit
ors who are now no more than getting
by" His only chance for retrenchment
would be in production costs, and
that's where the sctor, the artisan and
thu unskilled workman come in. By
insisting on keeping out foreign-made
films from America it would be found,
too late, that what really had been &C.
complished was the keeping of Ameri-
can films out of foreign countries. The
boomerang would fly back and whack
with a resounding wallop the salaries
of those who had brought this disaster
upon their own heads, as is frequently
the case where prejudice and hasty
judgments control.
What would happen if foreign films
were admitted freely to this country ?
What happened before the war? An
occasional, exceptional picture like
"Cabiria" was found to suit American
audiences, but the number of pictures
made abroad with an appeal to Ameri-
| can picture patrons was SO negligible
! as to be utterly without effect on the
American industry. Since the war
three pictures (German-made) have
been found competent to excite Ameri-
can enthusiasm; only three-"P assion, ;
! "Gypsy Blood" and deception" Is it
reasonable to suppose that this proper
ton Of successful foreign pictures
will be greatly extended? / think not
Standards Of humor and appraisement
of pictorial and story values are SO
dissimilar between this and European
countries that only the exceptional pic.
ture-made, say in Norway, France
England or Italy-wouId appeal te
American audiences. And for the sake
of keeping out this exceptional picture
we arc asked to support moveme emf
that would ultimately and automatical.
ly close the gates of the civilized world
to American producers, who have
shown greater adaptability and s
wider range Of racial appeal than have
Germany. England, Italy or France in
their picture-making efforts.
Thsre are many ramifications to this
agitation; some are useless to follow
and others too complicated and in
volved for treatment in a brief article
But this one thing is certain, if we
levy tax on foreign-made films we will
be but building a Chinese wall around
the American industry of picture max.
ing, and, like the Inhabitants of that
mythical island of the sea, where they
all make their living by taking in each
others washing, we will be treadirg q
decidedly dangerous and vicious circle
cut off not only from the art of the
world but from its market, too.
ROBERT LIEBER,
President Of Associated First Ma
national Pictures, Inc.