Variety (July 1915)

VARIETY 21 The New William Fox Policy for Motion Picture Exhibitors E 30E a ON September 6th, next, William Fox, president of the Fox Film Corporation, the man who has made film history more rapidly and effectively, since his entry into the business, than any other manufacturer engaged in the industry, inaugurates an entirely new policy. A policy that means muck to the exhibitor. So much, in fact, that every exhibitor is earnestly urged to read with unusual care the facts which follow and which have purposely been set forth as tersely and crisply as possible and are designed to answer all the questions he may feel inclined to ask, so that, when he has perused. William Fox's argument, all he will have to do will be to fill out the application for con- tract form without delay or questioning. Beginning on September 6th, the Fox Film Corporation intends re- leasing every week one great feature, written by a celebrated author and headed by a famous star. Beginning on that date, the One-a-Week policy will be inaugurated and contracts with exhibitors, which are now ready, will read from Monday, September fth, 1915, to Friday, September 1st, 1916, inclusive, guaranteeing the exhibitor Fifty-two (52) of the most mag- nificent features it is humanly possible to produce. This innovation has not been entered into with undue haste. There has been no headlong hurry about it. This policy is a natural develop- ment of what Mr. Fox, ever with an alert "ear to the ground" for the exhibitors' needs, feels is a necessary step. Exhibitors throughout the country have expressed their desire for a William Fox One-a-Week service, basing tkeir demands upon the enormous success they have met with in booking the William Fox features in the past. But the wonderful qualities of those features called for the services of directors capable of meeting the high standards set by Mr. Fox—and such men do not grow on bushes. Not till now has it been possible—after combing the entire field, both here and abroad—to assemble a producing staff that Mr. Fox feels measures up to his requirements; the grade of pictures, for instance, represented by Theda Bare in -The Devil's Daughter," "The Two Orphans, "The Clemenceau Case" and "A Fool There Was", Bettey Nansen in -Should a Mother Tell?." "A Woman's Resurrection"; W'lham Famum in "The Bondman," "The Plunderer," "The Nigier," "A Gilded Fool" and "Samson"; Nance CNeil in "Princess Romanoff" and "Kreut.er Sonata ; Wilton Lackaye in "Children of the Ghetto"; Charles Richman in The Idler," and Dorothy Donnelly in "The Thief." The features to come under the new policv will transcend even the notable hits enumerated in every way, impossible though it may sound. From the theatrical branch of his enterprises alone, Mr. Fox has amassed a fortune far greater than he can eve ^P end ;*% * a V a "J V^ar income that is many times larger than he requires. Mr. Fox u > n obar rassed by financial uncertainty. The Fox Film Corporation does jot rest on the shifting sands of stock-jobbery and notable feats of '/•»"•* finance. Instead it is rooted firmly in the living rock of a sound founda- tion of financial security. Its directors number such men as Thomas N. McCarter, president of the great Public Service Corporation of the State of New Jersey; Colonel Anthony R. Kuser, y ice .; Pr «^„ n ^The Stre^th dential Life Insurance Company, world-famous for its slogan, ™ strength of the Rock of Gibraltar"; Uzal H. McCarter, president of the Fidelity Trust Co. of Newark, N. J. Among the other directors of this corpora- tion are John C. Eisele and his partner, Nathaniel King, of the banking firm of Eisele and King. Mr. King is one of the directors of a dozen banks and big business enterprises. Mr. Eisele is equally prominent and well-known. These are the men upon whom, with Mr. Fox, the business integrity of the Fox Film Corporation rests. But above and beyond all this is the unique position that Mr. Fox occupies in the producing world. His interests and yours are identical. He could not afford to give you a mediocre picture, for his own success as a theatre owner depends upon a rigid adherence to the pace he has set. Right here, you may feel inclined to say, "Well, I've got a good theater in a good location. I pack them in right along. Why should I switch from the brand of pictures I'm using to the William Fox features? In reply, we give you the following facts: We are the only large firm in the 'producing business that does not buy a single fraction of outside film. We are the only firm that applies the acid test, administered by Mr. Fox himself and an advisory board of twenty-five of the keenest minds in the film business to every inch of product. We are the only firm that presents a strictly "hand-picked" program and whose program is not made up of the products of several manufacturers. "What's the matter with a program made up of the productions of several manufacturers?" you ask. Well, the writer happened recently to take dinner in a New York restaurant. At the adjoining table four manufacturers, who are con- tributing to one program, were talking, and this was part of the con- versation he overheard: Manufacturer No. 1 said, addressing his remarks to Manufacturer No. 3: "The last picture you made and contributed to our program is a terrible looking thing. I don't see how any exhibitor can pay a rental and earn a profit from a picture of that kind." Manufacturer No. 3 replied to Manufacturer No. 1: "You've got a h of a nerve to talk to me about the quality of my picture. It Is a darn sight better than the one you contributed to our program two weeks ago." And so these four manufacturers were consoling themselves with the bad goods that they were making, and the fact that each of them felt, anyhow, that the other manufacturer was making goods Just as bad as he wasl Those not using our features profess to feel bad about the character of our pictures because our pictures deal with Life. The Fox features don't adopt a sugar-and-water attitude towards the facts of existence. They are real pictures of real men and women, not pictures of sweet- scented substitutes for human beings, behaving as no mortal beings ever did or ever will. That is why the William Fox features are so immensely popular. Because they are real, and sincere, and they do unerringly appeal to the hearts and imaginations of everyone who sees them. We defy anyone to see one of our pictures and not find food for thought and conversation in it long after he has left the theatre where it is shown. And that's the best sort of advertising any theatre can possibly get. Day by day more people are beginning to realize that the Fox Film Corporation's pictures are better than the best, and they are comparing them with the class of pictures that you, Mr. Complacent, Satisfied Ex- hibitor, are showing. By-and-by— and the time is shortening— the demand for Fox features will be so great that you will HAVE TO PUT THEM IN. How will you feel when that time comes to find that some long- headed showman has got ahead of you and secured the One-a-Week service? Moreover, Fox feels that he has a mission to perform for the less luckily situated showman no less than for the satisfied Individual we have imagined. His efforts will go on and on, despite the sore-head producers, till he makes "STANDING ROOM ONLY" blossom out on theatres not so fortunately located by giving them the best productions and greatest programs ever released. We intentionally do not give the names of the noted stars we have signed, the celebrated plays and books the motion-picture rights to which we have acquired, for Mr. Fox feels that to do so at this time would be to give away the secrets of his business and let his competitors see his hand. But— Every exhibitor who has read what has gone before, and every exhibitor who has ever had experience, directly or indirectly, with William Fox features, or with William Fox personally, knows that his confidence will not be misplaced. The one ambition of Mr. Fox, which he has instilled into every member of his producing staff. Is to produce features that will be BETTER THAN EVEN THE BEST OF THE PAST. For we realise that our exhibitors must be able to earn good profits to continue our contract and pay us promptly. So that you are doubly in- sured for a program of surpassing merit and pulling power. If you fall own _ °1 tni * !t wiH *• TOur own * ault * li vou can,t » ct y°" r contract it will be because you delayed in sending in your application. SIGN THAT COUPON AND HUSTLE IT TO THE MAIL BOX. From VARIETY. FORM OF APPLICATION FOR CONTRACT FOX FILM CORPORATION 130 WEST 46th STREET, N. Y. (Kindly fill out tbe blanks below witb required information) Name of Owner and Manager Theatre Seating Capacity City Population of City How Many Other Theatres?... ? h » hereby make application for form of contract embracing the new William Fox Policy.