ACTA UNIVERSITATIS STOCKHOLMIENSIS Stockholm Cinema Studies 10 The Coming of Sound Film in Sweden 1928-1932 New and Old Technologies Christopher Natzén ©Christopher Natzén, Stockholm 2010 Cover image: Advertisment for The Jazz Singer (1927) from Stockholms-Tidningen, 26 February 1929, 3. ISSN 1653-4859 ISBN 978-91-86071-45-5 Printed in Sweden by US-AB, Stockholm 2010 Distributor: eddy.se ab For Harald It’s easy to get buried in the past when you try to make a good thing last Neil - 1974 Contents Introduction ................................................................................................11 Aims and object of study....................................................................................12 Limits of study and periodisation......................................................................14 Previous research in Sweden: a critical survey.............................................16 Sound and the teleological view of historical progress................................21 Previous research on the conversion to sound film......................................24 Film sound theory ................................................................................................27 Film music theory.................................................................................................32 The concept of intermediality ............................................................................35 A note on terminology: the notions of external/internal logic of perception and formative music .......................................................................37 Swedish music life during the 1920s ...............................................................42 Naming of sound film in Sweden ......................................................................44 A note on empirical sources...............................................................................45 Chapter breakdown..............................................................................................49 Chapter 1: Image, Sound, Audience I: “Constructed” sounds - the visibility of technology..............................................................................51 Before the conversion to sound ........................................................................54 The external logic of perception: intermedial aspects of image/sound/music .............................................................................................63 The internal logic of perception: audience participation .............................69 During the conversion to sound: technology and medium-sensitivity.....76 The question of non-diegetic music I: rewriting film music history..........81 Chapter 2: Production – The Companies .............................................89 Technical innovation, post-war economy: a backdrop ................................89 Early sound film experiments in Sweden........................................................94 Rumour and early debates...............................................................................100 Sweden in a globalised world: market and patent wars ...........................106 Svensk Filmindustri: a backdrop ....................................................................115 Sound film production at Svensk Filmindustri .............................................117 The question of non-diegetic music II: the case of Svensk Filmindustri ..........................................................................................................134 Chapter 3: Reception – The Cinemas .................................................141 “See and Hear”: Wings and sound as success.............................................144 Sound as disappointment: The Jazz Singer as event.................................156 Sound as failure: Midnight Madness and the “logic of perception”.........161 No turning back: Love and the Devil and White Shadows in the South Seas changes exhibition practices..................................................................164 The following seasons: the dialogue and language trouble......................170 Chapter 4: Practice – The Musicians...................................................177 The Musicians’ Union Stockholm branch in 1929........................................179 The musicians: a background..........................................................................181 Organisation, policies, areas of conflict.........................................................184 Membership issues: the case of Wentzell Wanca........................................189 Foreign musicians: the case of Eduard Hladisch.........................................196 Richard Wagner versus “degenerate” music: the case of Georg von Kraskowski...........................................................................................................201 Sign of a weak organisation: Carl Lovén’s private member’s bill on free days.......................................................................................................................212 Greta Håkansson: The case of a woman conductor ...................................215 Chapter 5: Image, Sound, Audience II: “Authentic” sounds - the disappearance of technology ................................................................219 After the conversion to sound .........................................................................222 The function of music in sound film: the internal logic of perception ....227 The intermedial aspect of sound film: the external logic of perception..235 Summary and Conclusions....................................................................241 Sources......................................................................................................245 Archives................................................................................................................245 Literature..............................................................................................................245 Films with date for Swedish premiere ...........................................................270 Index ..........................................................................................................275 Acknowledgements The deepest gratitude goes to my advisor Professor Maaret Koskinen with- out whose guidance, patience and encouragement this would have been an impossible project to carry out. The detailed readings of the manuscript at various stages has been invaluable as well as the help with all things sur- rounding a project like this. I am also thankful to my second advisor Associ- ate Professor Bo Florin who at various stages made comments on the manu- script. Professor John Fullerton can’t be given enough appreciation for con- stantly giving comments and remarks on different drafts. Especially his as- sistance and suggestions on chapter 1 was invaluable when it was felt that the pages couldn’t be more difficult to write. I am also indebted to Fil. Dr. Mats Björkin for his thoughtprovoking read- ing of the manuscript at a late stage. Many of his remarks ended up in the final version. Equally important for the end result was Fil. Dr. Mats Roh- din’s thorough last minute reading of the manuscript which made me realise that it was not quite as complete as I had imagined. This dissertation would not have been possible without financial support from several organisations and institutions. Holger and Thyra Lauritzen Foundation gave a grant for printing of the text while Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation provided a grant for an early research trip to Ham- burg. I am also grateful for the financial support given by the Department of Cinema Studies at Stockholm University which gave the possibility to pre- sent the project in its various phases for an international audience. A special thank you goes to the head of research at the National Library of Sweden, Docent Pelle Snickars, for providing office hours when time was a luxury. Several archives and libraries have been very helpful for making access to empirical material so much easier. The Swedish Film Institute’s Library has facilitated the writing enormously by allowing me to use the library’s collec- tions during closed hours. All staff should receive a thank you but particu- larly Ola Törjas and Martin Sundin. Many hours have also been spent at the Labour Movement Archives and Library whose staff was helpful beyond recognition, while the wit and knowledge of the National Library of Swe- den’s staff significantly facilitated the acquisition of hard to find objects in the library’s vast collections. The library’s Audiovisual Media Department also helped giving access to rarely screened films and musical recordings. I am also indebted to Elaine King who copy-edited the manuscript and for making the text readable. I want to express thanks to all colleagues at the Department of Cinema Studies at Stockholm University. In particular I would like to thank Associ- ate Professor Marina Dahlquist for always being supportive in all aspects of day to day work at the Department; my roommate Fil. Dr. Joel Frykholm who never grew tired of exchanging thoughts about dissertation writing but more importantly whose refined musical taste made the days in our small room even more interesting; and to Sofia Bull who always was there to listen to all those things that really matters. I will miss the possibility to knock on the door and say “it’s time for a beer”. Friends and family have given support in numerous ways