In the District Court of the United States, for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, the United States of America, petitioner, vs. Motion Picture Patents Company, et al., defendants (1914)

Record Details:

Title:
In the District Court of the United States, for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, the United States of America, petitioner, vs. Motion Picture Patents Company, et al., defendants
Date:
1914
Publisher:
New York, Appeal Printing Co.
Volume:
In the District Court of the United States, for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, the United States of America, petitioner, vs. Motion Picture Patents Company, et al., defendants : record volume 5
Leaf #:
000381
Language:
English
Collection:
Government & Law and Early Cinema
Format:
Periodicals
Contributor:
The Museum of Modern Art Library, New York
Sponsor:
Media History Digital Library
Coordinator:
Media History Digital Library
Description:
These seven volumes contain the testimonies and supporting documents from the U.S. District Court's antitrust lawsuit against the Motion Picture Patents Company (MPPC). Formed in 1908, the MPPC (sometimes referred to asœ"the Edison Trust" or just "the Trust") sought to control the American film industry through pooling patents and demanding that producers and exhibitors acquire licenses to those patents. Independent producers and exhibitors, who refused to license the patents, argued that the MPPC was an unlawful monopoly. In 1912 and 1913, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania heard testimonies from both MPPC members, such as Siegmund Lubin, and "Independents" who later became Hollywood moguls, such as William Fox. Ultimately, in 1915, the case reached the U.S. Supreme Court, which found the MPPC in violation of the Sherman Antitrust Act and spelled the end for the already weakening MPPC. -- Eric Hoyt, 2012
Date Added:
September 21, 2023
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Max Milder, Direct Examination. 2831 to some of the producers? A. I have frequently cut them down. Q. What is the situation at the present time with respect to the orders you send to the producers at your exchange? A. I placed a standing order shortly before Christinas for certain makes, and cancelled it right after the first of the year on certain ones. I cancelled Monday's Edison. Q. Did you substitute anything in place of the one you cancelled? A. I substituted a Pathe feature that we had not been buying previous to that time. There was a demand for multiple reels, and I cancelled the single reels and substituted the multiple reels. Q. Are there any producers of licensed producers from whom you are not taking subjects at the present? A. I am not buying any from George Kleine, and I am not buying any of the Melies subjects. Q. Do you find from time to time that the popularity of a brand of motion pictures increases or diminishes as the merit of the production increases or diminishes? A. Yes, sir. Q. Do the licensed producers of motion pictures send advertising matter to you, calling your attention to the merit of their productions, and urging upon you the desirability of securing their productions? A. Every day in the week. Q. Do you find that they are competing with one another as to the quality of their productions? A. Each one tries to put out better subjects than the other one does. Q. Do you sell projecting machines at your exchange? A. Yes, sir. Q. Do you find that the exhibitors when purchasing projecting machines at your exchange buy them because they are cheap, or because they are efficient and satisfactory? A. Because they are efficient and satisfactory. Q. What is your experience with exhibitors with respect to their desire to buy the latest and most improved models of projecting machines? A. They show a desire to buy the best machine that is made, and with each change made on the machines the exhibitors try either to attach it to their machines or to trade in their old ones for the new ones. Q. Is this regardless of any increase in price? A. They have never questioned the price on the machine, if the machine will do as we say it will do.