Evening star., 1927-10-16
American Pictures
Are Popular Abroad
BY HARDEN COLFAX.
Special Correspondence of The Star.

| Special Correspondence of The Star.
Despite obstacles devised abroad.
the American motion picture continues
to unreel In steadily increasing foot
age in all parts of the world, a power
full trade missionary both here and in
foreign countries as we'll as a compel.
| ling form of entertainment which is
more than holding it's own even in the
face of the indirect competition from
the fireside radio.
1t Is only recently that the value of
the motion picture in stimulating con.
sumner demand for merchandise has
begun to be recognized frankly in the
United States, but the foreigner
realized the influence long ago and
| moved to counteract It. Not that the
pictures are used deliberately as ad-
yertising media; their influence is
educational toward commodities an a
class rather than toward brands of
any particular merchandise.
AT recent national convention, a
| speaker asserted that the motion pic
ture has meant hundreds of thousands
of dollars to plumbing supply con.
| Germs, particularly for better bathroom
| fixtures.
Information was received this week
| that when the British Parliament
reassembles next month the motion
picture quota bill will be pressed for
immediate passage. 1t is designed to
encourage the British motion picture
industry, and at the same time block
to the extent possible the silent sales
| manship of the American movie in
behalf of American merchandise. The
latter is considered the more important
by proponents of this measure.
Agitation is under way in half
dozen countries for laws which will
| limit American motion pictures. Ger
many and Austria already have iegis-
lation on the subject. Meetings have
| been held by French dressmakers and
other business interests, but without
definite conclusion on a course of &C.
tion as yet.
Meanwhile, the eyes Of millions. In
| every country in the world, daily and
nightly turn upon screens where
American.made pictures, showing
American styles Of dress. architecture.
motor cars and those things touching
ordinary life, are displayed.
The automobile industry, the cloth
ing manufacturers. the shoe producers,
the plumbing equipment makers, the
various branches of building supplies
and many other lines In the United
States have felt the influence Of the
American motion pictures on their
shipments abroad. The collegiate"
trouser style swept even the United
Kingdom as a result of the imported
movies. The California-type bungalow
was introduced into Brazil. where it
Is very popular, by the same uncon'
scious advertising.
Germany and Austria have enacted
laws which require licenses for the
| importation of American films. in pro-
portion to those of domestic produc-
| tion. In Germany, under present reg
ulations, one license for importation
is issued for each German-made pic
ture. In Austria, one domestic MIN
admits 10 foreign motion pictures. In
neither country, however, hre exhibit
| tors compelled to display domestic pic
| lures. AS a result, there Is growing
up a business of producing cheap
| films at home with the profit coming
| from the resultant licenses by which
American films may be brought in.
| American producers are financing for.
eign companies in certain cases.
The British bill, which soon will be
pressed for passage, however, is on a
quota basis, with exhibitors compelled
| to display before their audiences a cer-
| tain proportion of British-made pic
lures. Beginning with 7aa per cent
domestic production OF total pictures
passed by the censor, of which exhibit
ors must display two-thirds of the do
nestle total in year, the bill, as now
drafted, increases gradually until a
maximum of 20 per cent home pictures
will be required.
Copyright 1927, by the Consolidated Press.