The House That Shadows Built (1928)

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THE TRUST GOES TO SEED 129 In 1909, it organized its exchangemen for continuous and regular distribution. But important men kept out from under its tent. Then in 1910 it formed the General Film Company, virtually a subsidiary, and started to buy up exchanges. A year or two more, and the agencies of the General Film Company covered the entire country, with the important exception of New York. There William Fox, afterward a large factor in film production, had enough capital and political backing to hold out. Now the Trust, which did business with no house that ever exhibited an independent film, could begin regular distribution of two new films a week. Outside of New York and one or two unimportant localities, the independents had to use the old states’ rights plan. Zukor took his supply at first from the Trust; but shortly after the General Film Company was formed, he aligned himself with the independents. The Trust had therefore some competition, which, under ordinary circumstances, might have developed the moving picture into its modern form. However, the circumstances were not ordinary. These competitors were merely sniping around the edges. All of them knew that any exceptionally fine and popular film, any startling new departure, would cause the Trust to draw its concealed weapon — the law of the land. As for the “regular” firms, they started bravely forward about 1907 or 1908; a few men of artistic impulse and back