Evening star., 1930-05-04

~ Chevalier's ingratiating SMILE Billy
Doves cloying sweetness, William
Haines' boyish conceit and Bill
Powells suave vllainy are just about as popu-
lar on the sound screens of London, Paris and
Melbourne as they are in America.
So we are told by Mr.. c. J. North, chief of
the division of motion pictures, Department
of Commerce. From all portions Of the globe
American consular officers and trade commits
sioners keep him and his assistant, Mr.. N d.
Golden. informed of the latest movie develop
ments.
Of to flying start in the new art of sound
pictures, Hollywood, of course, win continue, for
several years to come. to go unchallenged as
the rightful center of things cinema. Neverthe-
less, virtually all the leading countries with Ger
many and England at the top OF the heap.
have launched ambitious plans for producing
their own particular brands Of canned tragedy
and comedy.
In pointing out the situation In Great Britain
during 1929, Assistant Trade Commissioner
Martin II. Kennedy, London, says: sowing to
the advent of the sound film, there was at first
quite an upheaval in the British industry; but
after the first few months when it became
evident that the public was taking kindly to
this new form oAentertainment, there gradually
came about more organized state of affairs.
until today the business is in an exceptionally
good condition.
"The early chaos resulted when British film
were utterly unprepared for the talkies and yet
had to relegate to their shelves a number OF
silent films upon which great deal Of money
had been spent. However, those exhibitors who
were fortunate enough to get their houses wired
Immediately reaped golden harvest, and their
example was very quickly followed by others.
'"The new type of entertainment has acted as
tonic and there is not the slightest doubt that
1t Is going strong, not so much on the grounds
OF novelty as on worthwhile entertainment
value.
I'm this connection few important figures,
many Of them showing the strength of Ameri-
can craftsmanship in the talkie, win not be
amiss while 1t is difficult to estimate the exact
number Of British sound features completed
during the year 1929, the best figure is in the
neighborhood OF 40.
'Ten studios have thus far been equipped for
sound Aim production. and about $50 theaters
were provided with sound features. OF these
693 had American apparatus and all the rest,
except "a. were British. Moreover, according to
figures Of the censorship board, 75e features
were censored, about 100 sound films being re-
leased. nearly all of which came from the
United States"
VICE CONSUL WALLACE Z. MoEssNER,
- Manchester, brings out these interesting
facts: 'It is claimed that there are more than
1000 movie theaters in the United Kingdom,
and that of this number nearly 10 per cent
are in the Manchester district
1.-The Manchester motion picture houses may
therefore be taken typical of the British in
dustry. A majority of the theaters offer a con-
tinuous program pretty much on the lines of
those shown in America; q feature short
comedy and a news reel. Orchestral music is
usually provided even in the smallest suburban
houses. although in some cases it may consist
Of nothing more than violin and piano; while
most of the larger houses have very good and
complete orchestras One or two of the theaters
for Sfill
chestra during the intervals between pictures.
ut is said that the attendance at motion
picture houses in this district Is good at all
seasons of the year. and that the average house
is filled at least eight times a week. If this
be correct, then it indicates weekly attend
ance of around two million persons mt an aver
age admission charge of pence (18 cents)
The Oxford Theater, Manchester, was one
OF the first houses in Great Britain, outside
London to install the necessary equipment for
the reproduction of sound films At the pres
ent time 1t appears that five theaters In Man.
chester are equipped to show talkies, and, ac-
cording to announcement I'm the press, one
of the largest syndicates in this district intends
to equip between 30 and 40 of the houses
under its control with sound apparatus at an
early date. All five houses are understood to
be provided with American equipment"
WHEN asked to summarize the chief defects
Of the English sound films distinguished
American critic recently replied: "In word,
the ingredients for picture are usually ex-
cellent enough but the whole thing all too fire.
quently is narred by lack CT expert direction.
Particularly is this true in the matter of care
in developing good technical procedure. Al
most invariably the photography leaves much
to be desired, and apparently no way has been
found to speed up plot construction. Whereas
this is achieved in admirable fashion by the
Americans by means of suggesting action via deft
little touches, in England the director spends
yards and yards of footage on inconsequential
happeningS Let us s,ru1Se for instance that n