"A Bit Sticky"

Britons began to realize that the prohibitive tax on Hollywood films (TiME, Aug. 18) was causing a serious shortage of movies in Britain.

Hollywood had been providing almost three-fourths of Britain's annual film supply. Last week, after the London premiere of Cecil B. DeMille's The Unconquered, there were less than ten more U.S. pictures awaiting release in Britain. "From here in," said one exhibitor, "it's getting a bit sticky." So far, British exhibitors had been able to fill their bills with reissues and vaudeville acts (Danny Kaye was the doubletalk of London), but reissues were already drawing catcalls from the customers, and few British movie palaces are equipped for vaudeville.

To make matters worse, Britain's own movie production was falling off. Last week the Film Industry Employees Council charged the moviemakers with slacking. Cinemagnates J. Arthur Rank and Sir Alexander Korda denied it. But independent producers, who last year turned put 26 feature pictures, had been unable to get backing from Britain's nervous bankers.

The bankers feared what British exhibitors knew: that unless the rulers of Hollywood or Britain--or both--give in, many British movie houses would soon be shut down for lack of films. If that happens, British moviemen fear the worst: nationalization.

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