Yorkshire Post (16/Oct/1930) - Empire Film Show

Details

• article: Empire Film Show
• newspaper: Yorkshire Post (16/Oct/1930)
• keywords: Alfred Hitchcock, Blackmail (1929), Murder! (1930)

Article

Empire Film Show

The display of British films which the Imperial Conference delegates will see on November 5 is an excellent idea, but I do not envy the F.B.I. Committee which is to draw up the programme. How is a representative impression of British production to be given without wearying our guests with an over long entertainment? At the moment it is intended to show two " feature films, a British news-reel extract, one of the admirable "Secrets of Nature" series, and possibly a short comedy. This looks like a good three hours' performance. The choice of the "feature" films will be a thorny problem. The two most successful British talkies so far have been "Atlantic" and "Rookery Nook," but "Atlantic" was directed by a German, which will probably rule it out. "Rookery Nook" is an almost literal rendering of the well-known stage farce, but it may nevertheless be considered.

The most brilliant British talkie yet made is Alfred Hitchcock's "Murder," which has recently done well in the West End and is likely to earn much money when generally released. If Mr. Scullin sees "Murder" he will no doubt remember that Mr. Hitchcock's previous talkie, "Blackmail," was banned by the Australian censor, though passed by the censor here, and that the whole question of Dominion censorship is of great importance to British producers. Indeed, the main object of the display, I take it, is to assist the Dominion Premiers to approach Empire film problems with a sympathetic understanding of the British film industry's aims and ideals. American film influence is so strong overseas that the rapid progress of British talkies in 1930 is probably quite unappreciated yet by the Dominions public.