The Unspooling of Artkino: Soviet Film Distribution in America, 1940–1975
2009; Routledge; Volume: 29; Issue: 1 Linguagem: Inglês
10.1080/01439680802704757
ISSN1465-3451
Autores Tópico(s)Hong Kong and Taiwan Politics
ResumoClick to increase image sizeClick to decrease image size Notes Notes 1 Press release of the Film Guild, 1959, Art. 739, Artkino Corporation Collection, Museum of Modern Art, New York, New York (hereafter Artkino/MOMA). 2 The Artkino collection at the Museum of Modern Art consists of 23 boxes of documents that deal mostly with specific Artkino releases, including business files, scripts, publicity materials and film stills. They were donated to MOMA in 1975 by Mr. Sam Madell, Artkino's last president. I am indebted to Mr. Charles Silver, director of the museum's Department of Film, for his generous assistance in consulting this collection during my two visits to MOMA. References to it in the footnotes are limited to representative examples. While the Artkino collection at the Pacific Film Archive is much smaller and appears to duplicate some of the publicity materials from MOMA, it also includes a couple of boxes of additional documents donated to PFA in 2002 by Sam and Rosa Madell's son Tom that are not part of MOMA's holdings. My thanks go to Ms. Nancy Goldman of the Pacific Film Archive for allowing me access to these recent acquisitions, which are not catalogued as of this writing. For their helpful and informative responses to my questions, I am also grateful to Tom Madell, his brother Rob Madell, and Ms. Lenore Napoli-Lev, the daughter of Nicholas Napoli, Artkino's first president. Additional research was carried out at the Margaret Herrick Library of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in Beverly Hills, California. Finally, I wish to express my gratitude to Drs. Brenda Wirkus and Pamela Mason of John Carroll University for their encouragement and insightful criticisms of the text. 3 Soveksportfilm, Kino entsiklopedicheskii slovar’, ed. S. I. Iutkevich (Moscow, 1986), 394; Serge A. Kouzmitchev, Sovexportfilm transition—from propaganda to profits, Variety, July 5, 1989, p. 36. 4 Soviet Russia, 1936–37 International Motion Picture Almanac (New York, 1936), 1098. Soviet films are identified by the English-language titles under which they were released in America. They are accompanied by the year of their release in the USSR followed by the year of their US release as indicated by their playdates in New York City, e.g. 1954/1955. A film whose US release occurred in the same year as its Soviet release is accompanied by that year alone. 5 Soviet Film Runs in U.S. Suspended, New York Times, February 3, 1940, p. 9; Thomas M. Pryor, The Soviet Fadeout, New York Times, February 11, 1940, IX, p. 4; Liquidated, Time, February 19, 1940, p. 47. 6 Agreement between Artkino and Soyuzintorgkino, March 1, 1940, Artkino collection, Pacific Film Archive (hereafter Artkino/PFA); To Resume Soviet Films, New York Times, March 10, 1940, p. 40; Thomas M. Pryor, By Way of Report, New York Times, April 6, 1941, p. 22. 7 1940–1941 Motion Picture Almanac (New York, Quigley Publishing, 1940), 441. In the 1920s, Napoli reportedly edited Il Lavoratore (‘The Worker’), a Communist newspaper published in New York. His ideological sympathies appear to have caused him trouble. Napoli's daughter Lenore recalled visits to the family residence after the war by the FBI, although nothing ever came of them. In 1995, decades after his death, the US government officially removed the veil of secrecy from the Venona Project, which, between 1946 and 1981, had translated more than 2900 messages sent between the New York office of the KGB and KGB headquarters in Moscow during World War II. Venona purported to show that the Soviet Union had recruited spies throughout American society, including its military and diplomatic agencies. One of the translated messages names Napoli as an informant. Venona, however, has also come under criticism for demonizing individuals whose contacts with Soviet agents were entirely innocent. John Earl Haynes and Harvey Klehr, Venona: decoding Soviet espionage in America (New Haven, 1999), 8–22, 359, 458n215; Victor Navasky, Cold War Ghosts, Nation, July 16, 2001, 5. Rosa Madell's reminiscence about seeing The Battleship Potemkin is found in an undated manuscript in the PFA's Artkino collection. 8 The 1941 Film Daily Year Book of Motion Pictures (New York, 1941), 225; Peter Kenez, Cinema and Soviet Society, 1917–1953 (New York, 1992), 186–188. Lenore Napoli-Lev, the daughter of Nicholas Napoli, said that World War II effected a complete turnaround in the business fortunes of Artkino; in her words, it was a veritable ‘gold rush.’ Telephone conversation with Lenore Napoli-Lev, July 8, 2008. 9 David Platt, Soviet Films Enter New Era, Daily Worker [New York], March 25, 1946, p. 11; Vodkaites Veering to Revusicals, Says USSR Rep; New 3d Dimension, Variety, March 13, 1946, p. 15; Nicholas Napoli, Film Notes of a Trip to the USSR, manuscript of article later published in Russian in Russkii golos, April 21, 1946, p. 5, Artkino collection, Pacific Film Archive (hereafter Artkino/PFA). 10 Kenez, 235–239. 11 The postwar rise of the foreign-language film and ‘art house’ cinema in America is the subject of Barbara Wilinsky's Sure Seaters: the emergence of art house cinema (Minneapolis, 2001). 12 William Taubman, Khrushchev: the man and his era (New York, 2003), 306–10, 382–88; Josephine Woll, Real Images: Soviet cinema and the thaw (London, 2000), x. 13 Bosley Crowther, rev. of The Ballet of Romeo and Juliet, New York Times, April 3, 1956, p. 31. The film was distributed by Tohan Pictures. 14 A. Weiler, rev. of A Big Family, New York Times, June 6, 1955, p. 24; Woll, 16–19. 15 ‘M. E.’ [Milton Esterow], rev. of Conflict, New York Times, December 26, 1955, p. 23; Esterow, rev. of The Case of Sergei Rumyantsev, New York Times, November 26, 1956, p. 22; Howard Thompson, rev. of The Forty-First, New York Times, June 15, 1957, p. 10; Alan Stanbrook, The Legacy of the Thaw, Films and Filming 6 (November 1959), 8; A. H. Weiler, rev. of Carnival in Moscow, New York Times, November 4, 1957, p. 40; Thompson, rev. of The House I Live In, New York Times, April 20, 1959, p. 34. 16 As an example, the print ad for Devotion describes it as ‘Something new in Soviet films.’ New York Times, July 30, 1955, p. 14. 17 See e.g. press release, January 29, 1946, Art. 739, Artkino/MOMA; Artkino Sets 10 USSR Films for Next Season, Variety, August 16, 1967, p. 15. 18 Subtitling occurred almost exclusively on dramatic features. By contrast, documentaries usually had English narration, which was supplied in the Soviet Union. Napoli had tried generating interest in dubbing rather than subtitling dramatic features during World War II but to little effect. See, for example, the transcript of a talk that he delivered at a film exhibitors’ meeting in Toronto in August 1943. Speech by N. Napoli at Convention of Empire-Universal Film, Ltd. at Hotel Royal York, Toronto—August 14, 1943, Artkino/PFA. 19 Art. 229, Artkino/MOMA. The cut lines are as follows: 1) ‘Energy means light, heat, plenty. Means Communism.’ 2) ‘People who build Communism ought to be kind-hearted.’ 20 Howard Thompson, rev. of Cavalcade of Russian Ballet and Dance, New York Times, May 31, 1965, p. 8. 21 Wilinsky, 25–27. 22 Art. 103, 217, 328 (applications for motion-picture exhibition licenses); Art. 80 (Festival in Moscow), Artkino/MOMA. The quotation comes from Howard Thompson's review of Festival in Moscow, New York Times, February 17, 1958, p. 19. 23 ‘E. J. B.’ [Edmond J. Bartnett], rev. of Village Teacher, New York Times, July 5, 1948, p. 8. 24 Art. 739, Artkino/MOMA; Bosley Crowther, rev. of Boris Godunov, New York Times, January 23, 1956, p. 21. 25 Art. 730, 731, 732 (booking records), Artkino/MOMA. 26 Playdate Status of Russ Pix Here, Variety, September 10, 1958, p. 5. 27 About newspaper and radio advertising, see e.g. materials about Son of the Regiment, Art. 302, Artkino/MOMA; invitation to a preview of Grown-Up Children, Art. 112 and 113. For a sample list of advertising materials, see Art. 233 and 234 about Peace to Him Who Enters. 28 Examples of advertising mats can be found among materials relating to many films, including Queen of Spades, Art. 252 and 253, Artkino/MOMA. 29 Esterow, revs. of American Farmers Visit Russia, New York Times, November 3, 1955, p. 37, and Porgy and Bess documentary, New York Times, June 11, 1956, p. 26. American Farmers opened at the Stanley in November 1955. The documentary about the Porgy and Bess troupe played the Cameo in June 1956. 30 MPEA Still Getting a Typical Soviet Stall on Pix, Variety, July 19, 1950, p. 37. 31 United States and U.S.S.R. Sign Agreement on East-West Exchanges, Department of State Bulletin 38 (February 17, 1958), 243–48. 32 Variety's coverage of the US–Soviet film negotiations is extensive; three especially informative articles are the following: ‘Favors’ to Russians Might Inspire Other Nations to Pressure Yanks, March 5, 1958, p. 16; Fred Hift, Soviets’ Theme Is ‘Mutuality’, April 23, 1958, pp. 3, 16; Yanks Find ‘Em Hard Bargainers, May 7, 1958, p. 5. 33 United States and U.S.S.R. Agree on Films To Be Exchanged, Department of State Bulletin 39 (November 3, 1958), 696–698. 34 Soviet–Yank Synchronized Premieres, Variety, March 25, 1959, p. 14. The USSR had begun attending Cannes on a regular basis in 1954. While earlier Soviet films had won awards at the festival, Cranes was the first (and, as it would turn out, the only) Soviet entry to snag the Palme d’Or. Kieron Corless and Chris Darke, Cannes: inside the world's premier film festival (London, 2007), 29–31. 35 Washington-Moscow Premieres, Variety, November 18, 1959, p. 22; Max Frankel, U.S. Movie Series Opens in Moscow, New York Times, November 11, 1959, p. 23. 36 Seven U.S. Distribs Draw Straws; But Share Costs and Receipts In Soviet Films Under U.S. Deal, Variety, July 1, 1959, pp. 3, 18. 37 Clipping files for the exchange films are available at the Center for Motion Picture Study of the Margaret Herrick Library, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, in Beverly Hills, California. 38 George Katznelson, Moscow Day-Dates America's ‘Marty’, Variety, November 25, 1959, p. 2; Lanza's ‘Caruso’ Now Plays USSR; State Sees No Break in Exchange, Variety, May 25, 1960, p. 1. The films evidently continued to play throughout the country for some time to come. For example, the author saw The Seventh Voyage of Sinbad at a Leningrad-area theater in August 1978. 39 Vincent Canby, So What's New With USSR?, Variety, November 16, 1960, pp. 5, 24; Art Manager Chides Majors, Variety, December 7, 1960, pp. 7, 11. 40 Film exchange negotiations, unpublished manuscript, August 29, 1958, Artkino/PFA; Russian Evaluation of Swap: Yanks Got More Than They Gave, Variety, February 22, 1961, p. 4. 41 Russo Army Paper Raps The Prizewinning Soviet Pic for Its Pacifism, Variety, October 18, 1961, p. 17; Woll, 121–24. 42 All of the following reviews come from the New York Times: Howard Thompson, rev. of The Letter That Was Never Sent, November 19, 1962, p. 39; Bosley Crowther, rev. of Nine Days of One Year, December 29, 1964, p. 19; Thompson, rev. of Grown-Up Children, April 15, 1963, p. 36; Thompson, rev. of Welcome, Kostya!, November 22, 1965, p. 48. 43 J. Jay Frankel, Film-Trading With Reds No Picnic But Could Hit $1,500,000 in ‘59, Variety, January 21, 1959, p. 22; Clear Path for Private Enterprise With Soviet Film Trust But U.S. Showmen Oughta Check Shelton, Variety, April 15, 1959, p. 5; Univ. Pays 30G For U.S. Rights to Soviet Cartoon, Hollywood Reporter, June 5, 1959, p. 7; Hold ‘Snow Queen’ From Russia for Easter Period, Variety, October 7, 1959, p. 3. 44 How Hardy Young Importer Got Rights to Prize Red Film, World-Telegram and Sun Feature Magazine Section, March 27, 1961, p. 4; Theory: Arty Showmen Better Bets to Handle USSR Product in U.S., Variety, November 2, 1960, p. 4. 45 Hollywood Reporter, December 1, 1959, p. 5. 46 All of the following reviews come from the New York Times: Bosley Crowther, rev. of Fate of a Man, July 11, 1961, p. 28; Crowther, rev. of A Summer to Remember, November 7, 1961, p. 38; Crowther, rev. of My Name Is Ivan, June 28, 1963, p. 25; Crowther, rev. of The Overcoat, March 2, 1965, p. 31; Crowther, rev. of Hamlet, March 16, 1966, p. 48; Vincent Canby, rev. of Meet Me in Moscow, May 3, 1966, p. 51; Howard Thompson, rev. of Sons and Mothers, October 2, 1967, p. 58. 47 Lee Beaupre, Showmanship Links U.S.-USSR, Variety, April 7, 1968, p. 3; USSR's ‘Karenina’ Fetched $1,742,500; Satra Took Stock, Variety, July 16, 1969, p. 17. 48 Letter, Rosa Madell to Stanislas N. Belousov, September 17, 1969, Artkino/PFA. 49 Letter, Sam Madell to S. Belousov, February 17, 1969; letter, Sam Madell to V. Yaroslavtsev, March 7, 1973, Artkino/PFA. 50 Moscow Fest Winners Go To U.S. Domestic Market Via Artkino's Rosa Madell, Variety, August 4, 1965, p. 9; Artkino Sets 10 USSR Films for Next Season, Variety, August 16, 1967, p. 15. 51 Letter, Sam Madell to Joseph De Louise, March 28, 1969; letter, Sam Madell to S. Belousov, November 17, 1970; letter, Sam Madell to NBC Television Network, May 4, 1972; letter, CBS Television Network to Artkino Pictures, Inc., March 14, 1974; letter, Sam Madell to NBC News, April 27, 1970; letter, John E. Ghilain (NBC Television Network) to Sam Madell, May 11, 1970; letter, Karen L. Henard (Bobbs-Merrill Company, Inc.) to Sam Madell, February 7, 1975. All of these documents come from the Artkino/PFA collection. 52 Letter, N. Napoli to T. J. Brandon, March 1, 1954; letter, A. William J. Becker III (Janus Films) to Sam Madell, August 1, 1981; Agreement between V/O Sovexportfilm and Artkino Pictures, Inc., August 14, 1973 [English and Russian-language versions]; letter, Samuel H. Golden to Samuel Madell, August 5, 1985; letter, Samuel H. Golden to Samuel Madell, September 24, 1985 (Artkino/PFA). E-mail (April 18, 2008) from, and telephone conversation (April 22, 2008) with, Mr. Thomas Madell. 53 Agreement between Sovexportfilm and Corinth Films, Inc., June 7, 1979. Terry Ilott, IFEX stays ahead in taking art titles to US audiences, Screen International, October 27, 1984, n.p.
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