The Film Renter and Moving Picture News (Jul-Aug 1922)

July. 29, 1922. THE FILM RENTER & MOVING PICTURE NEWS. 13 GOLDWYN’S NEW POLICY—AND A GUARANTEE. Forthcoming Picture Program which includes “Ben Hur’ and “The Christian,’ and the Firm's General Policy. HE Goldwyn Company make an announcement this week ; in reference to the uew studio policy intended to be pursued in regard to their 1922-1923) program. Incidentally the company gives a guarantee in regard to the pictures, on the production of which they are at present engaged, which will be of peculiar interest to exhibitors. Studio activity will, we are told, be confined entirely to the making of superspecials, the reason for this decision being that exhibitors have indicated their desire for this type of film instead of the usual program picture. Twenty Super-Productions. The company will concentrate’ upon the making of twenty super-productions, and when we have set out the details in regard to these subjects below we believe that readers of THE Firm Reser will be prepared to accept the company’s valuation that they are super-pictures and nothing less. So certain are those responsible for directing the company’s activities in regard to the films upon which they are ‘at present engaged, that they intend that each shall stand or fall on its merits. Exhibitors will not be compelled to take a medium picture in. order to get one of these supers, for we are assured that each will be equally big from the box-office point of view. They will be ** bigger and better pictures ’’ in every sense of the word, and magnets which will draw in the public, whether regarded from the point ot view of story, players, or producers. A £250,000 Story. Naturally, the and attraction in the Goldwyn program for. the coming year will be the film version of that phenomenally successful play, ‘* Ben Hur,’’ the picture rights of which have been secured by Goldwyn against all bidders from A. L. Erlanger for a sum approximating on a quarter of a million sterling. A fortune was spent to obtain the right to film this subject, and, according to our information, ‘several other fortunes will be spent in making. it the most stupendous motion picture achievement in the history of films.”’ Work on the scenario is well under way, and the picture will be partly produced in California and partly in Italy and Palestine. Exhibitors will ecrtainly look forward with extraordinary interest to secing this film upon the sereen, great outstanding ‘* The Christian.’ film which will considerable amount of interest is the film version of Hall Caine’s popular novel, ‘* The Christian,’’ for which, it will be remembered, the Goldwyn Company sent Maurice Tourneur to this country last spring with a number of leading artistes in order to make the essentially English scenes, which include the running of the Derby. 'Theproduction of this film is almost complete, and whilst we fully appreciate the immense opportunity which it offered the producer for great spectacular scenes, we can well believe that Another arouse a _when the completed play is submitted to the English trade it will be found that’ Goldwyn’s have given us not only avery fine version: of a story which: has appealed for 20 years to thousands. of people throughout the world, but is, in addition, one of the best productions they have submitted to the judgment of the critics. Accordine to plan the film should be available for trade showing in this country some time this side of Christinas. A Sound. Policy. Goldwyn's do not believe in the principle of blind booking. Two years ago they insisted that exhibitors could only obtain satistaction after a film had been trade shown, and to-day they not only. hold to that opinion, but are more insistent upon it than ever. Their studio policy has been clearly defined. They take every precaution, both in regard to story, artistes, and producers, that their pictures should be absolute superproductions which reach the standard of excellence they themselves have laid down, Should any film fail to meet with their approval on completion it would, in their words, immediately ‘‘be put upon the shelf and forgotten.”’ In view of the magnitude and interest of the subjects named above, and the directors to whom their production has .been entrusted, such a fate is hardly likely to overtake any of the pictures included in the company's forthcoming program. Exhibitors will be in a position to judge for themselves of the quality of each individual picture at the trade show, and to decide strictly upon their merits whether they will book them or not. This is a thoroughly sound policy, and with such a list of super-attractions as are enumerated above the Goldwyn Company should meet its reward in largely increased bookings. y SS Ss WSS SS WS Y l SS WY y Vy) 4, Y/) Wy yyy WyYYjWIVIT VAG Wy SS SS S SSS SS ¥ WS As7 Qs WS WS WS NSS WH SS SS SS \ XS LSS WSs S S S SS SS Ns \ 0) © v2. a y}