Now let us see how these things work out.
A dozen or more big distributing companies, blanketing the whole country, each trying to sell the pictures it is handling to the greatest possible number of the fifteen thousand exhibitors for the best possible price. Not to the audiences, mind you; that is the exhibitors’ look-out; the distributors are not trying to sell pictures to the people who sit in rows and look at them—at least, not directly. They are selling them to exhibitors.
Along comes a picture producer who has made, perhaps, an excellent picture of ordinary, everyday people just like you and me. Along comes another producer who has made a picture that isn’t half so good or as true to life—but it cost more money to make, or it has some spectacular sets in it, or it is based on some novel that had a big sale, or it has a catchy title, or a well-known star, or is made from a popular play. The distributor takes it and turns the better picture down, because it will be easier to sell the picture with the “talking points” to the exhibitors! Audiences may not like it as well as they would the other, better picture—but it will be easier to make the exhibitor “bite” on it! See?
Courtesy Assoc. First Nat’l Exhibitors, Inc.
A Tête-à-Tête With a Lion.
Note that the lioness is looking not at the actress opposite her, but at the motion-picture camera that annoys her with its clicking.
Courtesy Assoc. First Nat’l Exhibitors, Inc.
Acting With a “Tame” Lion.