Mercury (Hobart, Tas. : 1860 - 1954), Monday 28 November 1921, page 4


i A FINE AUSTRALIAN PICTURE

BLOCKED BY U.S. BOOKINGS.

Mr Arthur Weigall, author of "The Influence of the Cinematograph on Na-tional Life," ssnting in the London "Daily Mail," savs -Recently I was shown pnvatelj the Australian film, "Silks and Snddles " I was unable to be present at the trade show last month It is a production by the Common-wealth Pictures Ltd, and the rights hase been purchased by Jury's, but un-fortunately the latter firm has been un-able to arrmgc for its releisc in this country until ne\t October Here, then, \ou have an ixample of the results of this pernicious sjstem of block-booking which still obstructs the British mar-ket This film in its unpretentious svav is tirst late, it tells an interesting and exciting racing storj, certain to appeal to any audience rho heiome, MissBrossnic Vernon, ii charming, the photography is e\eellcnt, and the scenes of Aus-tralian countrj life aro delightful. Yet, though Australia is just now in the front of our thought«, though this pic-ture presents colonial life to us in a most alluring fashion and though the production cannot fail to put us into sympathetic touch with conditions oser there, the British public has got to svait another year before it is shown, simplv because exhibitors are booked up with Arrkrican films thev have ncsci csen Been, apd the names and subjects of which they do not know

Suiely, when the film in question is really quite a good box office attraction, it svould not bo too much of a strain on the exhibitors' patriotism to allow a British product to take precedence over an American, even though a little trouble is involved Nobody wants to see a poor British film exhibited at the expense of a really good American pic ture, but in the present case the Brit-ish article is blocked by some picture or other of svhich the value is at present hypothetical