The Adventurer Clippings 9/84
Moving Picture World, New York, July 21, 1917
„Pledged himself to establish a reputation for perfect pictures“
Editorial content. „Chaplin to Strive for Quality
In Executing His Contract With the Exhibitors‘ Circuit
Comedian Will Aim to Fortify His Hold on Public.
CHARLES CHAPLIN is to be more than a producer of
pictures for the First National Exhibitors‘ Circuit.
Both the comedian and his brother Sid, always his confidant
and now his personal representative, are to be looked
to by the stockholders of the distributing corporation for advice
and suggestions in matters vitally affecting their mutual
interests. While it is true that this phase of the relations between
Chaplin and the Circuit is not formally set fourth in legal
verbiage and attested before a notary it is also true that such
is the understanding between the two parties. The
,near partnership‘ is revelatory of the complete harmony
existing between Chaplin and his new associates.
A film man in the confidence of Chaplin and the heads
of the Circuit pointed out last week that the comedian,
in looking over the field preparatory to executing a new contract,
was not entirely concerned as to the size of the monetary
consideration that should enter into the papers. He was looking
beyond that. Chaplin, as every one easily may understand,
is ,fixed‘ more than comfortably. He is unconcerned about any
wolf at the door. What perhaps is a new twist in a motion
picture player way, he is concerned about the quality of the
pictures with which his name is to be associated. He
is ambitious. He is anxious to maintain his grip on the regard
of picturegoers, to advance along with the most
progressive of producers.
It is in furtherance of this aim that Chaplin has agreed
in the event a subject proves to be sub-standard
that it shall be destroyed and entirely refilmed. And it is in the
furtherance of it that the Circuit has agreed that it will
accept a picture that runs 1,600 feet or one that runs 2,300
feet. In other words, the comedian in his new contract
has a margin of 700 feet the Circuit will pay the same amount
as it will for 2,300. In case Chaplin decides that the
strength of the script requires between 2,300 and 3,000 feet
fully to develop the story the Circuit will pay
a proportionate increase.
The Moving Picture World last week told the story of Chaplin‘s signing up with the Circuit, which is representative of
twenty-five exhibitors having exclusive territorial franchises
in the United States and Canada; how the comedian
was to make eight subjects within a period of sixteen months,
the first to be ready on October 1 next, and at a salary
approximating double that under which he has been working
the past year. A World man last week sought out J. D.
Williams, general manager of the Circuit.
,Just what is the psychology of Chaplin‘s hold on the
world?‘ asked a reporter. ,Why is it he is as strong
in one country as in another, English-speaking or otherwise?‘
,Because he never uses slang in his sub-titles,‘
answered Mr. Williams promptly. ,That means there are no
opportunities for mistranslations, that the few
descriptive aids Chaplin employs in his pictures are as
intelligible in one country as in the next.‘
It was Mr. Williams‘ first word to a trade paper in regard
to the signing of the Chaplin contract. He explained
the Circuit had been under absolute obligation to Charles and
Sid Chaplin to say nothing publicly until the final
ratification of all papers.
,I‘d like to show you the stack of clippings I have from
English newspapers showing the regard in which
Chaplin is held in his country,‘ continued Mr. Williams. ,There
is genuine recognition over there of the value of the
comedian to his fellow-countrymen who are fighting. The regard
extends from the humblest private or man-o‘-wars‘
man to the King and Queen.
,Chaplin‘s signing up with the Circuit had for him a
sentimental side. He realizes that much of his
success is due to the exhibitor, and he welcomes the
opportunity of dealing with exhibitors. Naturally
he is anxious to have his pictures go into the fine new
photoplay theaters that are springing up all over
the country and he is ambitious to make subjects worthy
of these houses and of himself. We are confident
that is just what he will do. He had offers in excess of that
of ours, several hundred thousand dollars, in fact,
but he liked the idea of being ,unaccompanied,‘ insuring
an open field.
,Th whole idea of the contract is to do away with quantity
and substitute quality. Chaplin has pledged himself
to establish a reputation for perfect pictures. He fully realizes
that the production of unsatisfactory comedies at
this time would cost him anywhere from a quarter of a million
to a half million dollars on his next contract. Therefore
any picture that is found to be below the high-water mark will
be destroyed and work on it commenced all over again.
With this determination the First National Chaplin pictures should exceed in quality and in interest anything Chaplin has
previously produced.
,The First National Exhibitors naturally are elated with
the prospect of the amount of money they know after
investigation it is possible to make with these pictures. While
it is true that the First National is paying the comedian
twice as much as he has ever before received on any contract
the pictures will cost the members a very reasonable
sum and proves what an organization of this kind dealing,
direct from producer to consumer can accomplish.
,It is the intention of the First National Exhibitors‘ Circuit
to adopt the same methods regarding production with
any other stars with whom it may contract to produce pictures,
insuring quality by paying the same for four-reel features
as would be paid for eight reels, every star thus being put strictly
on his merits.‘
It is interesting to note that Mr. Williams set out from
Los Angeles only on February 1 last determined to
make concrete the idea long dormant in his brain of forming
a circuit of exhibitors. By May 1 he had accomplished
a tour of the country and signed up all the present stockholders
of the First National Exhibitors‘ Circuit, and by July 1
the concern was a proved success and had signed up the big
thing in motion picture actors, Charles Chaplin.“
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