The Moving picture world (January 1922)

I January 7, 1922 MOVING PICTURE WORLD 67 Laemmle Asks Bids on ''Foolish Wives"; Salesmen to Cover Only the Big Cities AFTER waiting a year and a half for "Foolish Wives," Carl Laemmle has the satis- faction of seeing the final ar- rangements for its showing and distribution to exhibitors moving in the smoothest and most en- couraging order. The past week has seen the completion of the distribution plan and has re- ceived thousands of assurances that exhibitors are highly appre- ciative of the decision which he made to let them have it direct instead of following a long period of extended engagements in In- dividual cities. For the puyposes of distributing "Foolish Wives" the Universal has created a sales force oper- ating directly from 1600 Broad way, New York City. This force consists of eight men to each of whom has been assigned a terri- tory or zone. These men have nearly all of them been busily en- gaged with H. M. Herman, the exchange manager, on the details of the selling plan for the last three weeks. They will be occu- pied for some time only with the big cities in their zones, and it will be necessary for them to do a great deal of traveling in order to cover the territory which the Universal for ordinary selling purposes has divided into thirty- three exchanges. For this reason it has been thought best to announce to ex- hibitors that all inquiries about the release of this picture in their territories should be addressed direct to 1600 Broadway, in order to receive the prompt attention which it is Mr. Laemmle's desire shall be given to every offer from exhibitors on this picture. Mr. Laemmle is fully convinced that "Foolish Wives" will be the bright spot in the theatrical sea- son for thousands of exhibitors. He believes that the big takings that they make in the course of a year can be counted on the fingers of one hand. The reason is be- cause there are not enough big productions available. Now that he has the opportunity within his hand to assist so many exhibitors to start the year 1922 with a big profitable engagement, he is let- ting nothing stand in the way of any exhibitor from making an offer to his for "Foolish Wives." He has determined that the ma- chinery described above will be the most rapid and effective for putting exhibitors in touch with the "Foolish Wives" release dates which are open in their territory. For this reason he has not thought it wise to announce the cities from which these personal representatives are going to oper- ate. It will facilitate matters greatly if all bids are sent direct to 1600 Broadway. This matter having been deter- mined, Mr. Laemmle resolved to follow up his move of giving his costly picture direct to exhibitors by an equally striking departure. He has, in the statement just issued, asked every exhibitor who is interested in "Foolish Wives" to make him personally a bid on the picture. The following is his statement addressed to exhibit- ors : "You have never before been asked to bid for a picture. But Universal's million dollar picture is so totally beyond the class of any production ever before at- tempted that it must be handled in a revolutionary manner. "Universal can never get its money back on this stupendous super-production. It has already cost so much that by the time we haxe exploited it and have made the prints we will have to take in $2,500,000 to break even! "I could take in more money than this by road-showing 'Fool- ish Wives.' But there are two powerful arguments against such a method. First, road-showing is a slow process. Second, I con- sider it unfair to you exhibitors and therefore poor policy, to make regular picture theatres wait for months and months, and maybe years, after release date before showing the screen's greatest effort. "I want moving picture thea- tres to have first crack at the big- gest achievement in the history of the industry. I say I want this. But I can't afford to sacrifice a $1,000,000 picture—the only one ever made—to accomplish it. Therefore I can't go through with it unless you meet me more than half way. "Some of the greatest exhibit- ors in the world have made hand- some offers for first run of 'Fool- ish Wives.' But, as handsome as those offers have been, they do not cover that part of the nega- tive and positive cost chargeable against their cities. "Better still, such men as Tom Moore of Washington, Felt Brothers of Philadelphia, Ruben & Finkelstein of St. Paul and Minneapolis, and others, have of- fered me their theatres on any terms I see fit to make, because they say the industry owes this tribute to Universal! It is a great spirit, a new spirit, a spirit which will inspire Universal to reach greater heights in the future than it ever hoped for before. "Other exhibitors have said that I will be justified in asking terms that have never been dreamed of before. One man said, 'Your company has done a thing no other concern ever dared to do. You are entitled to recognition for this. You are entitled to the very highest limit every exhibitor can give you.' "It was this exhibitor who sug- gested that I ask you to make your very highest bid for 'Foolish Wives.' Will you do it? Will you smash all precedent and tell me the very limit you can stand in order to have the honor of being the first to present the first $1,000,- 000 production in your city? Will you demonstrate that my policy of giving motion picture theatres first chance is the right policy? "With so much at stake I nat- urally reserve the right to accept or reject your bid; in either event, I am going to receive it in the best of faith, just as I ask you to accept this announcement. Ad- dress all bids to Universal Film Mfg. Co., 1600 Broadway, New York City." The opening at the Central Theatre in New York has been changed from January 8 to Jan- uary 11. The interest in "Foolish Wives" is to blame. The opening will be as brilliant as any thea- trical first night, and the change was made to prevent conflict with other opening attractions, of which there will be an unusual number following the holidays. Makirg Four Films 071 the Lasky Lot The Lasky studio at Holly- wood recently presented an ap- pearance suggesting a composite picture of a gathering of a gigantic circus troupe, a grand reception to the embassies of the world, a musical comedy re- hearsal and a grand opera en- semble. Working in the big set- tings was a great throng of play- ers, assembled for "The Noose," William D. Taylor's production starring Betty Compson; Sam Wood's production of Elinor Glyn's story, "Beyond the Rocks," with Gloria Swanson as the star, Thomas Meighan's picture, "The Proxy Daddy," directed by Al Green, and Wallace Reid's "Across the Continent," directed by Philip E. Rosen. Some gorgeous costumes were used in the reception scene staged for "The Noose," while in "Be- yond the Rocks" a Tyrolean tav- ern scene with native dancers and musicians. SCENES FROM "WINNING WITH WITS." STARRING BARBARA BEDFORD. A WILLIAM FOX RELEASE