United States of America v. Motion Picture Patents Company and others (1914)

Record Details:

Title:
United States of America v. Motion Picture Patents Company and others
Date:
1914
Publisher:
Washington, D.C. : United States. Government Printing Office
Volume:
United States of America v. Motion Picture Patents Company and others
Leaf #:
00074
Language:
English
Collection:
Government & Law and Books
Format:
Books
Contributor:
Media History Digital Library
Sponsor:
Media History Digital Library
Coordinator:
Media History Digital Library
Description:
Date Added:
December 21, 2023
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68 XIII. Final observations. A thousand factors determine the success of a motion picture, for the art has advanced gradually owing to numerous inventions and discoveries, some patented and some not patented. Yet, any one reading defendants' brief or the answer of defendants and knowing nothing about the motionpicture business or about photography, would assume that the entire art had been founded upon the patents controlled by the Patents Company. The analysis we have given above in respect to each of these patents has shown just what is the value of each. In our opinion the only patent which has any material value is the Edison camera patent, but that invention was valueless until some one could invent a film which could be used. Successful commercial use of the Edison camera patent is dependent not only upon the film but upon all the other processes and improvements made in such processes in the photographic art. Assuming, arguendo, the arguments of defendants that the patents are complementary and that they are valuable, nevertheless we maintain with confidence that the Sherman law prohibits restraints of trade and monopoly accomplished by means such as were employed in this case. Mr. Church says in his brief (p. 1) that the patents " properly cover and lawfully monopolize the industry in which the defendants are engaged, and