Show Compulsory Law Urged as Aid to British Movies LO- LO LOON LONDON ON March 5 United Press The government Is plannIng shortly to take definite action by parliamentary law to compel movIng movIng Ing pIcture houses here to show British films This will mark the beginning of a determined attack against the American monopoly of the mm film Industry The draft of the bill which will probably be introduced at the present present pres- pres ent session has for several se months been In the hands of the Cinematograph Cinematograph graph ExhIbitors association the Renters society and the British Industries represented by a parliamentary committee It has been decided that the best way to get British films before the public is to force the renters or those who supply and distribute pictures to the theatres to handle a. a quota of British films regardless of what merit they may have As Asa a beg about 10 per cent of the total number of pictures handled han han- dIed will have haye to be BrItish and thIs quota will be increased when the producers can meet the demands de- de mands The term British film Is defined as one one made by a owned British and controlled BrItish company There will not be the difficulty difficulty dif dif- In an American house obtaining ob- ob taming its Ils requisite British quota pictures It can arrange for a corporation corporation cor- cor here to produce with BritIsh British Brit Brit- Ish money four or five films yearly which would meet the quota required required re- re guaranteeing the corporation corporation corpora corpora- tion negative cost plus 10 per cent interest and about 50 per cent of the gross takings all over the world A half dozen American firms now practically control the market here and they have no Intention of I allowing It to be legislated out of their hand If this can be avoided There appears to be no reason why they cannot open British houses as many American Industries have done and produce the genuine article article arti- arti cle over here as British |