862.4061 Motion Pictures/64
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Germany (Sackett)
Sir: There is enclosed for your information and consideration a copy of a letter, dated September 9, 1932, from Major F. L. Herron [Page 371] of the Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America.95 In this letter complaint is made against certain provisions of the German regulations with regard to the importation and exhibition of foreign films in Germany. The regulations against which Mr. Herron complains seem to the Department to be quite onerous and to place a severe restrictive burden upon American films. It is, however, doubtful whether you will be in a position to take any effective action which would help the American interests concerned but I feel that the situation warrants your looking into the matter with a view to determining whether there is anything that can be done to help.
The principle involved in the dubbing regulation is one which if carried into other fields of commerce would be a most serious matter. In effect this dubbing regulation requires that a semi-finished product be finished within the country into which it is being imported. Since the companies exporting to Germany employ qualified German speaking persons to take the speaking parts of the players in the film there would appear to be no basis for an allegation were it made that dubbing is necessary in Germany in order that correct German will be spoken by the actors in any given film. You will please let the Department know what action if any you find it possible to take in this matter.
Very truly yours,
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