![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() United Artists was then a major source for top subtitled releases, handling films from Fellini (“Satyricon”), Bergman (“Shame,” “The Passion of Anna”), and Truffaut (“The Wild Child”). And the distributor masterfully handled X-rated “Midnight Cowboy” to huge popular success and its Oscar wins. Unlike smaller specialized companies, UA had the access to the best theaters and the financial stability to spend money to reach maximum success. The gross of “Tango” was boosted by an initial ticket price in major cities of $5. Doesn’t sound like much? That’s the equivalent of $28.48 in 2018 dollars. The film’s delayed release heightened interest (its initial European dates were in December 1972). And though New York opened in late January, and Los Angeles shortly after, most cities were slow in arriving. The theaters chosen were top ones in their cities, with bigger capacities than most art houses. In Chicago, for example, they played the McClurg Court, a theater that opened in 1971 and for most of its existence showed two UA musicals - “Fiddler on the Roof” and “Man of La Mancha” - as exclusive engagements. United Artists made it more difficult to see the film by setting up these engagements as pre-purchase availability reserved performances. The audacity of asking customers to buy tickets in advance (which required stopping by the theater or by mail) made the film stand out as a special event. With early dates in New York and Los Angeles drawing huge initial crowds, words of sellouts and the difficulty of getting in fed already-strong interest. This led to more people willing to pay the high-end cost, and commit themselves early to the film. ![]()
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