The Times (23/May/1928) - The Film World
(c) The Times (23/May/1928)
- keywords: Alfred Hitchcock, Betty Balfour, British International Pictures, Carl Brisson, Hall Caine, Paramount Pictures, Percy Marmont, The Manxman (1929)
Entertainments.
THE FILM WORLD.
AN ANGLO-AMERICAN AGREEMENT.
To fulfil the British "quota" requirements under the Cinematograph Films Act, the Jury-Metro-Goldwyn Company, of London, have arranged with two British Anns to make four "quota" films for distribution in America and England. Two of the pictures, Yellow Stockings and The Broken Melody, will be made by Messrs. Welsh-Pearson-Elder Films, Limited. Mr. Theodore Komisarjevsky has been engaged as producer for the first film, in which Mr. Percy Marmont will play the leading part. The other two pictures will be made by the British Instructional Films, Limited. One of these, it is understood, will probably be Shiraz, the Indian film which way recently made at Agra by British Instructional Films, from a story written by Naranjan Fal. This film, which has been entirely acted by Hindu players, is noteworthy as having been made without artificial lighting of any sort. Both ot these firms already hold commissions for "quota" films, the Welsh-Pearson-Elder Films, Limited, for Paramount, and the British Instructional Films for Messrs. Fox Films, Limited.
An arrangement has also been made by the British Instructional Films by which the Swedish company, Svenska Bioscope, have engaged Miss Elissa Landi, a British Instructional artist, to play "opposite" Lars Hansen in an adaptation of Strindberg's play Broit och Brott. This picture, which will be known as Ecstasy, will be directed bv Mr. Gustave Molander, and will be distributed in the United Kingdom by Pro Patria Films, Limited. Arrangements have also been made for Mr. Gustave Molander to direct a picture there for the British Instructional Films as soon as their studios at Welwyn are completed.
Madame Pompadour, which is now to be seen at the Plaza, has been classified as a foreign film by the Board of Trade. It is stated that the film fails to comply with the stipulation that the author of the scenario must have been a British subject at the time the film was made.
In the prospectus of the Ludwig Blattner Picture Corporation, Limited, which was recently published, it is stated that the firm will acquire the benefit of a contract for the world cinematograph rights for a period of 15 years of Leon Feuchtwanger's Jew Suss.
The next production of the British Dominions will be When Knights Were Bold. It will be directed by Mr. T. Whelan, with Mr. Nelson Keys in the principal part.
Mr. George Banfield is producing a screen version of Maurice Maeterlinck's The Burgomaster of Stilemonde. The company will visit Belgium during Whitsun, where the whole town of Diest has been placed at their disposal for the filming of the exterior scenes. The cast includes Sir John Martin-Harvey and Baroness Fern Andra.
Mr. Carl Brisson has arranged to leave the stage in order to act for the British International Pictures, Limited. The first picture in which he will appear is a screen version of Sir Hall Caine's novel "The Manxman." It will be directed by Mr. Alfred Hitchcock, and will be made partly at the Elstree studios and partly in the Isle of Man.
Several interesting films are being shown in Central London this week. At the New Gallery Miss Dolores Del Rio is to be seen in Ramona. Madame Pompadour, with Miss Dorothy Gish and Mr. Antonio Moreno in the cast, is at the Plaza. The American film, Mr. Wu, with Mr. Lon Chaney, continues its run at the Tivoli. Miss Betty Balfour is to be seen at the Palladium in Monkeynuts.
