United Artists, Volume 2, 1951–1978: The Company That Changed the Film IndustryIn this second volume of Tino Balio’s history of United Artists, he examines the turnaround of the company in the hands of Arthur Krim and Robert Benjamin in the 1950s, when United Artists devised a successful strategy based on the financing and distribution of independent production that transformed the company into an industry leader. Drawing on corporate records and interviews, Balio follows United Artists through its merger with Transamerica in the 1960s and its sale to MGM after the financial debacle of the film Heaven’s Gate. With its attention to the role of film as both an art form and an economic institution, United Artists: The Company That Changed the Film Industry is an indispensable study of one company’s fortunes from the 1950s to the 1980s and a clear-eyed analysis of the film industry as a whole. This edition includes an expanded introduction that examines the history of United Artists from 1978 to 2008, as well as an account of Arthur Krim’s attempt to mirror UA’s success at Orion Pictures from 1978 to 1991. |
Contents
Prelude at EagleLion | 7 |
Gambling on Independent Production | 38 |
The Company in Place | 83 |
Making Them Big | 115 |
The Studio without Walls | 157 |
Selling Them Big | 193 |
International Operations Part 1 Of Art Films and Great Britain | 218 |
007 A License to Print Money | 249 |
Life with a Conglomerate | 298 |
To MGM and Beyond | 329 |
United Artists Domestic Releases 19511978 | 345 |
United Artists Principal Producers 19511978 | 384 |
United Artists Collection Addition 19501980 | 394 |
Index of Motion Picture Titles | 419 |
| 427 | |
International Operations Part 2 France and Italy | 271 |
Common terms and phrases
addition agreed American audience Award banks became Bond boxoffice British budget called changed Chaplin City Conglomerate contract Corporation costs David deal directed director distribution domestic Douglas Eagle-Lion earned Edward Small example film financing foreign French grossed head Hollywood important Independent Production industry interest International interview Italy James John Kramer Krim Krim and Benjamin Lancaster Last loss lost Love majors March million Mirisch motion picture movie never Night opened Operations original percent Place play president producer profits Rank received record release result Reviews Robert Saltzman screen Selling Seven share star story studio successful talent television theaters tion Title told took ture turned UA's United Artists Variety Walter wanted week World York Young