Series Histories - Detail
Gaumont Sound Mirror
- Dates:
- 1927 - 1932
History
Gaumont Mirror began in January 1927 as a partner to the well established newsreel Gaumont Graphic, although it had a weekly rather than bi-weekly release. It was described by Gaumont as a Screen Periodical advertised with the slogan, ëReflects Everything New and Novel.í Novelty, however, was not the Gaumont Mirrorís sole preoccupation. Women were their prime target audience and many of the subjects covered were intended to be of ëspecial interest to women,í for example, women in sport, fashions and hints for the home. Gaumont seem to have intended the Gaumont Mirror as direct competition for both of Patheís popular cinemagazines ñ Pathe Pictorial and Eveís Film Review. Not only was the series aimed at women, but it was also advertised as a Pictorial Review (in The Bioscope, 29 December 1927), a title that suggests similar appeal to the Pathe Pictorial.
R. S. Howard, Gaumont Mirrorís editor had moved sideways from Gaumont Graphic and in November 1930 became editor of all Gaumont periodicals. Although the cinemagazine and newsreel were frequently advertised together, they were different products and there is no indication that cinema exhibitors were obliged to take both. Indeed, one advert in The Bioscope, 31 December 1930, suggests just the contrary.
Very early in the series, Gaumont Mirror launched its animated star, Dismal Desmond. He was already an established character ëseen in every toy shop and Ö extensively advertised in the pressí (Kinematograph Weekly, 4 November 1926) and thus a tried and tested investment. These cartoons were shown at the end of the reel, and intended to please both children and adults. In addition, they provided Gaumont with plenty of opportunity for merchandising, with toys and novelty items available from the cinemas as well as toy shops. In 1928, the Mirror ran a competition to establish the relative popularity of the various items of interest included in the reel each week but unfortunately the results have not survived
The British Acoustic sound version of Gaumont Mirror, Gaumont Sound Mirror was released on 29 September 1930 at the Capitol, Haymarket. This ëDe Luxe Sound Magazineí was run alongside its silent original to cater for those cinemas that were reluctant to adopt the new technology. It is unclear whether these issues, released simultaneously, were made up of the same stories and footage. As an incentive to patrons to take the risk of adapting to sound, the Gaumont Sound Periodicals offered free insurance policies to subscribers against loss of takings due to technological faults in the sound equipment. In April 1932, this was extended to cover all equipment in the cinemas. Due to the interest in the Gaumont Sound Mirror, its silent sibling lost much coverage after the beginning of 1931. However, it does seem likely that the silent Gaumont Mirror continued to be produced into the middle of 1931. Gaumont Sound Mirror continued to grow in popularity as more cinemas became wired for sound, and the final issue that we have recorded was issue number 78, released in late March 1932.
Provenance
This database is an attempt to reconstruct the output of Gaumont Mirror from details published in contemporary trade journals, particularly the Kinematograph Weekly and the Bioscope. Several issue records were also compiled from viewing notes.
Other Information:
See also GAUMONT MIRROR.
Where to see the film:
- BFI National Archive
