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

Chapter 62 We made history!

This is certainly a miracle.

Regardless, Wadden was ultimately a low-budget film shot in Boston.

There were no Hollywood stars, no big studio promotion, the cast consisted of ordinary people or extras, and the filming was not very refined, or even sophisticated.

Moreover, the 1927 US box office charts were dominated by heavyweight contenders from major studios, such as Fox's "Seventh Heaven," which ranked second with $180 million in revenue.

Paramount's "Wings of Faith" is also good, as is MGM's "Ben-Hur," both of which are currently very popular movies.

However, no one expected that this long-standing box office record would be broken by a small company in Boston, and in an unbelievable way.

With its clichéd plot and the simple technique of synchronized audio and video, it surprisingly broke the box office records previously held by major companies, and spread like wildfire across the country.

What surprised these giants even more was that, in order to be able to show this movie, many theaters worked overnight to upgrade and install sound equipment.

Initially, viewers in other states and counties in the United States didn't feel anything, and despite seeing GG of "Waden" everywhere, they didn't pay much attention.

After all, in this prosperous era, GG has become a part of people's lives, and nobody takes it seriously.

But as more and more people started talking about the movie, most realized that sound movies had quietly become a part of their lives.

A new era has arrived, and the turning point came faster than anyone expected.

The first group of viewers leaving the theater still had shocked expressions on their faces; they had never seen a movie like this before!

When the characters in the film began to speak, and when the sounds of water and wind from Lake Wadden were heard for the first time, my 30 years of movie-watching experience was completely overturned!

They used to think it was strange for movies to have dialogue, but now it's the other way around; they find silent films strange.

Then word spread, and the movie's name spread like wildfire.

Long queues form every day outside cinemas in various cities, but tickets are sold out early every day.

Soon, by the third week, cinemas across the country had taken the initiative to adjust and increase the number of screenings, with some cinemas even showing as many as eight screenings a day!

In addition, summer vacation is usually the peak season for movie watching, and the arrival of this sound movie will undoubtedly push this peak season to its peak.

Ultimately, the figure was settled on paper: $234.4 million!

This number once again pushes the US box office record to a new high.

No one could believe that such box office success came from a small Boston company.

However, even more convincing than these figures is the media's reaction.

Newspapers like The Boston Globe published lengthy film reviews for three consecutive days.

"To describe this film as 'revolutionary' is no exaggeration. The moment the characters on screen uttered their lines, the entire theater fell silent, followed by thunderous applause. Some cheered, some sighed, and some inexplicably shed tears. We can almost certainly say that, because of box office success, because of 'Walden,' the silent film era is over, truly over. Now we must all prepare to welcome a better era."

In addition, another major Boston newspaper, the Boston Herald, was equally eager to follow suit:

"Some say film is a silent technology, but now we can be almost certain that this is not true. Film also needs sound. This time we heard the voices of the male and female leads, the sounds of water, birds, and wind, which, together with the simple dialogue, created the most wonderful audiovisual feast of this summer. It has to be said that the box office hit has done something remarkable."

"It's extremely rare in film history for an independent film made in Boston to break national box office expectations in its opening month. It'll surprise those who think only sunny Hollywood can produce miracles: miracles sometimes happen in the rain and fog of New England."

These reviews made it into major newspapers one by one, sparking wave after wave of movie-going frenzy throughout the United States.

Everyone knows that this summer, a small company made history.

The storm is in New York.

By the end of August, the box office phenomenon of "Walden" was no longer just a topic of conversation in Boston, but the top news in the entire American film industry.

At New York's major film exchanges, agents were scrambling to inquire about licensing prices for box office hits;

For the first time, Broadway theater owners realized that, in addition to stage plays, there was something called "sound films" that could compete with their business for audiences.

But what truly brought Luther's name into the public eye for the first time was the New York Times that week.

On the last Tuesday of August, The New York Times’ Amusements section published a long article on its front page titled “Boston’s Dark Horse: Independent Films Breaking Down Hollywood Walls.”

"While Hollywood studios were still basking in the glory of launching a new actress's career, and Hollywood producers were still reveling in past box office successes, a small company called 'Box Office Films' had already raked in over two million dollars nationwide with a film that cost less than $6. Regardless of your opinion on the film itself, you have to admit one fact: Hollywood bosses have also learned a lesson from this young man."

The article caused a huge uproar within 24 hours of its publication.

From New York to Los Angeles, from Hollywood Boulevard to the executive corridors of Universal Studios, the phone rings in almost every office.

Paramount's CEO, Adolf Zucker, paced back and forth in his office, yelling at his assistant, "Find out exactly where this box office hit company comes from! How could they let such a small company beat them to the punch?!"

William Fox of Fox had an added layer of worry beyond anger—his own sound film project was still in the experimental stage, but because he was too much of a perfectionist, it was overtaken by box office hits.

Meanwhile, at the MGM studios on the westernmost edge of Hollywood, Louis B. Mayer stared at clippings from The New York Times with a grim face, unable to utter a single word.

Sitting next to him was production supervisor Irving Talberg, the 28-year-old "genius producer," who frowned and muttered, "Ludwig, where did this guy come from?"

That day, everyone in Hollywood remembered the same name: Box Office Film Company.