The Foreign Invasion
Inquiry directed to the leading executives of the industry with reference to what
effect the so-called foreign "invasion" has had upon the industry results in many inter¬
esting expressions, the bulk of which however, indicate that America has no need to
fear the showing of foreign pictures.
Worry Not Justified
Too much worry and thought has been devoted
to the so-called foreign invasion. _ Ii there is merit
in a foreign production there is no reason why
the exhibitor should not show it. The introduc¬
tion of foreign stage plays has not ruined our
native drama; neither will it harm our screen.
If it is an incentive to American artists all the
better. To dale we have had a few productions,
the cream of foreign manufacture. Coming at an
off period, it seemed as though these might be
partly responsible for a falling off in production
activities. There have not been enough of them
to make any impression on the number of pro¬
ductions necessary to feed the theaters of America:
Let the foreign producer offer his wares in Amer¬
ica, else the reaction on our expurt trade will en¬
tail a greater loss than the introduction of a few
foreign films on the American screen.
ARTHUR S. KANE.
Not Alarmed
I believe in the continued supremacy of Amer¬
ican pictures not- only in our own domestic mar¬
ket, but in the markets oi the world. Eor that
reason I cannot become alarmed at the thought
of foreign competition.
.MACK SENNETT.
Not Worried
From .time to time a few productions may
come to America which arc worthy of intensive
exploitation and distribution, but the American
public will not cordially receive productions
which either directly or indirectly ridicule or
attack the various countries throughout the
world. Unless there is a very marked change
in the class of productions, there is very little
likelihood that the volume of such productions
will in any way seriously impair the distribu¬
tion of American made productions.
R-C-PICTURES CORP.,
R. S. Cole, President.
No Cause for Alarm
We arc sending over 600 productions abroad
every year, and so far this year we have shown
about a half dozen foreign pictures in Amer¬
ica. There is no real cause for alarm. Now
that the war is over and considering the fur¬
ther, fact the old "Patents company" has long
since been dissolved, there is no legitimate
reason for us. to believe that we hove a corner
on the motion picture business or the art of
making them any more than that we should
presume we have the exclusive, right to make
any other commodity in America. We derive
about 85% of our revenue on motion pictures
from the foreign market. ..today. The whole
world needs trade" -stimulation between the vari¬
ous nations in every line of commodity, mo¬
tion pictures included. We can not take the
inconsistent position of shaking hands with the
foreign buyer with one hand oh the purchase
of our goods and shoving him away with the
other hand with the merchandise which he has
to sell.
The faith which I have in the American pro¬
ducer is sufficient to keep me from fearing
any serious competition for years. We need
trade; competition is the life of the trade. It
may be that we will make better pictures ii
we have a little healthy competition. Who's
afraid ?
C. C. PETT1JQHN.
Brought Some Good
The invasion of foreign pictures has, like the
old saying, "An ill wind"—brought some good,
inasmuch as it has awakened American pro¬
ducers to the necessity of greater effort. The
invasion will make it necessary = to place a tariff
upon the foreign-.made product, in order that
the home-made product may survive. This will
lead to a long discussion on reciprocity, and
will require much thought, in view of our de¬
sire to enter the foreign market on a greater
scale than before.
ALLEN HOLUBAR
Not a Menace
The arrival of foreign films in direct competi¬
tion- with the best in the American market
upset two beliefs: one, that European pictures
could not compete with our own in the Ameri¬
can market and the second that our public
does not like costume plays. "The Golem,"
"Deception" and "Passion" not only wrecked
our two traditions, but also served as a re¬
freshing stimulus to our producers. The. beauty
of the settings revealed by these pictures, the
handling of the mob scenes and the perfect
continuity and excellent acting came as a sur¬
prise.
I am not a producer, so I cannot discuss the
effect of a "foreign invasion" of the American
market. Three good films selected from about
a thousand which were offered from abroad
against many hundreds of home-made hardly
can be called an "invasion." The foreign pro¬
ducers will have to hit a higher average, week
in and week out, before they prove a menace
to the better American productions.
HUGO RIESENFELD.
Tariff Indicates Cowardice
The industry in America is in nn danger
through what many frighted persons are term¬
ing "The foreign invasion." Not one percent
of the total number oi pictures made in all- the
other countries of the world will be fitted for
release to the American public, and a portion
of such product as will enter the country will
be so inefficiently handled and distributed by
the Distributors into whose hands it. falls that
only a small portion of the public will ever see
such pictures even after they have been brought
here and released,
The outcry against, the few valid and worth¬
while foreign pictures that can be and will be
brought into this country, is entirely without
justification or excuse. Literature, art. and
music are not affected by national boundary
lines.
The idea of putting a prohibitive tariff upon
foreign pictures is absurd and it will promptly
be met in other countries with a tariff that
' will drive American pictures out of those coun¬
tries to the great injury of their American
Producers. The demand for an American tariff
on foreign pictures is a sign .of cowardice on
the part of American Producers.
F. P.. WARREN.
Low Cost Pictures A Menace
Real foreign product, never has appealed lonfi
to Americans who want pictures that more
closely touch their own lives, but the low-cost,
hyphenated foreign product fathered by Ameri¬
can capital is an undeniable menace to the
honest progress of the art.
ASHLEY MILLER.
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