Boxoffice-March.20.1948

THE NATIONAL FILM WEEKLY
PUBLISHED IN
NINE SECTIONAL EDITIONS
BEN SHLYEN
Editor-in-Chief and Publisher
JAMES M. JERAULD Editor
NATHAN COHEN Associate Editor
JESSE SHLYEN Managing Editor
IVAN SPEAR
Western Editor
J. HARRY TOLER Equipment Editor
RAYMOND LEVY General Manager
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OXOFFICE
I
i
THE ANGLO-AMERICAN PACtI
r-
.^^ 7HAT old saying that half a loaf is bet
ter than none may aptly be applied to the settlement of the
British ad valorem tax controversy. From the cash standpoin
—that is money which the American producers can take ou'
of British earnings—the compromise agreement is a 50-5C
proposition, for the accrued "take-out" is expected to yield
approximately half of the estimated current year's Americar
film earnings in Britain.
Generally, the settlement is looked upon with satisfaction
the negative view being in the minority. In some measure i1
may be considered as a victory for the American industry, foi
it does represent a considerable gain, if only in having en- .jbi
tirely eUminated the principle of the ad valorem duty that hoc i
been imposed. Thus the precedent-setting danger this measure
held out to other countries has been eased, to say the
least. From that standpoint American producers stand to gair
in remittances to be derived from other foreign markets, where-i
as had the British tax remained those markets, too, would hav€j| i'^(
been squeezed out.
I
Under existing world conditions, particularly Britain's own
economic circumstances, the deal is as good as could have
been expected, if not a bit more than actually was expected.
Further on the plus side is the possible use of the "frozen"
funds remaining in England for investment that will bring some **
future return. Where the money is put to building or enlarg- ^
ing studio facilities and payment of salaries and other costs
in the making of pictures in Britain by American companies,: u
with American stars and other talent, there is, in effect, c !.,,
further dollar accrual for the American industry.
From the British side, their motion picture industry has
been saved from not only possible, but probable, destruction.
With resumption of the flow of American pictures for British -
cinemas, theatre interests over there can now heave a big sigh
of rehef. British producers gain as well from the assurance *c
of continuing good business in England's theatres. And they:
also stand to gain from the greater attentions that will be: a
given to the exhibition of their productions in America, under '
the terms of the settlement agreement. Not to be overlooked
is the benefit to be derived by the British treasury out of the
high tax collections that will come from these stepped-up in-j
come-producing sources. | n
In the over-all picture, the public, both in Britain andlj^^
America, if not "around the world, is the ultimate beneficiary' -„
from the settlement of this eight-months' old controversy. Having
been used as at least one of the several invalid excuses
for some of the inferior product that has come out of Hollywood,
the settlement should help to clear the atmosphere and
serve as a springboard for instilling new confidence on the
port of the picturegoing public. And on the part of the in-i
dustry, itself—in itself!
I
That can take almost immediate effect from the proper
Entered » Second Class matter at Post Office, Kansas City. Mo.
Sectional Edition, $2.00 per year; National Edition, $7.50
Vol. 52 No. 20
MARCH 2 0, 1948