I became a son-in-law in the United States

Chapter 56 Feuds Among the Wealthy

Indeed, that was the case. Right after this incident, Luther asked around and heard quite a few horrifying stories.

It turns out that Lowell had been plotting revenge ever since he returned, and none of the young people who had publicly humiliated him would escape.

However, Lowell's revenge plan had to be repeatedly delayed due to the establishment of the new youth club.

In the end, he finally understood one thing: his enemy was not Tom and his sister, nor the people who said they would hang him that night. His only true enemy was Luther.

Once you understand this, the rest is simple.

Lowell first used his family's influence to pressure movie theaters in Boston and nearby states and counties to stop showing movies from box office companies and even to stop renting copies.

Those who already have partnerships will also face strong pressure from Lowell.

Faced with such pressure, even if the cinemas were unwilling, they ultimately had no choice but to give in.

There's nothing we can do; that's just how Lowell is.

Their ancestors were prominent figures on the Mayflower, and after arriving in America, they cultivated the land for over a century, eventually becoming the large Lowell family we know today.

In Boston, if there's anyone you can't afford to offend, it's the Lowell family.

And so, without a sound, a campaign to crush box office films began.

As for the box office films, after learning about these situations, the entire company was also shrouded in gloom.

In the office, no one spoke much. They realized that the problem was tricky, but they didn't have any good solutions.

After a moment, Neil Young finally couldn't help but say, "Well, I'm acquainted with some of the theater owners, some of whom are distant relatives. Many of them run independent theaters, not controlled by those Puritans!"

Neil Young privately referred to these guys as "Puritans," with a touch of sarcasm.

But Reynolds shook his head, his expression still grim.

"That sounds good, but it won't actually work, old Neil." Reynolds paused before slowly saying, "We've invested a lot this time, and even if those theaters are willing, we definitely won't break even."

After he finished speaking, he glanced at Jia, his eyes filled with guilt.

The company didn't have much money in its account to begin with, and the rest was all paid for by Luther and his wife. It can be said that the entire company was under tremendous pressure to complete this filming and had high hopes for it, but now, it seems that all their efforts will be wasted.

That's nearly $60,000!

After Neil Young finished speaking, another business manager named Ramos paused and then spoke up:

"How about this, we just bypass Boston and sell copies in other states and counties?"

That's a good idea.

It's important to understand that in Boston in 1927, with the added pressure of Prohibition, censorship was extremely strict. Even if Lowell didn't make things difficult, there would still be plenty of trouble.

In contrast, other states and counties in the United States, though poorer and less developed, certainly don't have this many problems.

If they completely abandon the theatrical release and only sell copies, they can recoup a lot of losses, at least not lose as much.

"But this would jeopardize the future of box office films," Luther said.

"If one movie is like this, what about the movies that follow? By then, the box office film company will have completely become a third-rate production company. In a few years, no one will even remember the name of this company."

After he finished speaking, everyone else fell silent.

The facts are laid bare before us; we can't avoid them or get around them. There's almost no other way but to face them.

Gia looked rather dejected, her beautiful eyes lacking their usual sparkle. Luther could sense her tension; she seemed to be struggling to breathe.

This was her first time participating in the family business, but she didn't expect to encounter something like this right away.

It wasn't entirely because of Luther. Even without Luther's affair, the old blue-blooded Bostonians would have dealt with the Irish in pretty much the same way.

"Oh, Luther, what are we going to do now?"

As she spoke, she slowly turned around, her gaze falling on Luther, and the two faced each other.

"Our hard-earned film can't be released because of some people's wishes. It seems doing business isn't so simple..."

She complained softly, but the anxiety she felt before had subsided because Luther was there.

She didn't know why, but every time she was with him, she felt happy and at peace.

Even if the film couldn't be released this time, as long as Luther was still in front of her, she didn't think it was a big deal.

Even if you lose half of your pocket money, there's always a way to earn it back...

But Luther didn't think so.

This is my first investment and the first film I've ever made, carrying all my glory and dreams.

Whether he could get into Hollywood and have a voice in American high society depended largely on this, so Luther had no reason to back down.

Considering the current unfavorable situation, Luther pondered for a moment and actually came up with a solution.

He paused, looked at the crowd before him, and said:

"Don't worry, we can just screen it normally this time. It just so happens that we have a sound film, and most theaters don't have sound systems."

Upon hearing this, Reynolds nearly burst into tears: "But Mr. Luther, no theater is willing to screen it..."

"Who says it has to be a movie theater?" Luther retorted.

"You mean...."

Reynolds seemed to realize something crucial.

Luther nodded and pointed out a direction for everyone: "That's right, we can have an open-air screening."

Upon hearing this, everyone was taken aback, then suddenly realized what was going on.

Luther's idea wasn't just wishful thinking; in fact, the world's first open-air cinema had already opened ten years earlier and then spread all over the world.

By the 20s, some companies even launched portable projectors, which were known as cinemas in suitcases.

At 44.5 cubic centimeters, it can be used for circulating screenings and can even be paired with a sound amplifier to synchronize the picture and sound.

"We only need to purchase a batch of portable projectors and find a suitable venue, and our movies can be screened. This way, we don't have to share the box office revenue with the cinemas."

Jia's eyes lit up, instantly regaining their sparkle: "Luther, that's a great idea!"

This time, not only Gia, but even Reynolds nodded, admitting that he hadn't thought of that.

As for other procedures or formalities, such as broadcasting licenses, he wasn't worried. If all else failed, he could ask old Joseph for help, since he was the former mayor's son-in-law.