The overt reasons for the formation of the MPEA were to cope with various monopolies and cartels which were beginning to solidify in the foreign territories, to propagandize the American way of life and thus aid in the rehabilitation of war-torn areas, and to prevent the indiscriminate “dumping” of the backlog of American films which had been unavailable in many areas for almost a decade. The MPEA held exclusive distribution rights for the films of its member companies and operated exchanges in the various territories, paying all distribution and advertising expenses. Profits from each picture were divided among the members according to a pre-arranged schedule.
There were other, less publicized, advantages for the member companies. The Association provided its members with data on the motion picture industries in foreign countries on subjects such as tax rates, commerce laws, and market potentials for films, but often on more political topics: economic developments abroad, strikes, changes in governments, and current and projected developments of local film production and distribution industries. The Association acted to protect the interests of its members, maximizing profits, lobbying for favorable legislation, and furnishing legal aid when necessary. More pointedly, according to a telegram dated 20 September, 1946, “...the purpose of [the] Export Corporation is to operate film exchanges in countries...so we can develop [a] free market for individual companies at a later date.”
United Artists was a member of the MPEA on behalf of both itself and its independent producers. Gradwell Sears sat on the MPEA Board until August of 1947, and was succeeded by Arthur W. Kelly. While materials in the series are dated as late as 1958, the majority were created before 1950, by which time most distribution in the foreign territories ceased to be handled through the MPEA and had been assumed on a free enterprise basis by the individual distribution companies. Materials dated prior to 1946 usually refer to pre-war matters of later concern to the MPEA.
