The “road show” distribution method, usually reserved for “prestige” motion pictures, involves sending “advance men” to promote the picture and attempt to secure the maximum possible attendance; these agents then move on to the next cities and the distributor takes over the operation of the theater for the duration of the run. The “road show” model was followed by United Artists with Henry V. Contracts for individual engagements were drawn up by UA branch managers around the country. They attempted to secure first run theaters in or near the center of a town or city; they tried to obtain theaters with relatively small seating capacity, preferably for the “worst” days of the week, Monday through Thursday, for short-run engagements of one to three days.
During the first months of the Henry V road show, theaters were rented on a “four-wall” basis: United Artists paid the theater owner a flat fee for the use of the theater and its staff, paid for all advertising, tickets and additional staff necessary, and kept all of the box office revenue. All seats were reserved, with strong emphasis on advance sales. About one-third of the house would be scaled at the top price (then $1.80 evenings, $1.20 matinees), and the remainder would be set at a lower price ($1.20 and $.90), with special student rates.
Later in the process, the four-wall policy was changed in favor of “percentage” contracts: United Artists would pay for a certain percentage, typically 60%, of all costs and receive the same share of the boxoffice gross, thus splitting both the costs and the revenues with the theater owner.
Attendance from colleges, high schools and private schools provided a large part of the revenue for Henry V, and UA made every effort to secure that business: no engagements would be held during school holidays, special performances for students would be arranged when practical and the cooperation of teachers and administrators was actively solicited.
Approximately twenty-five agents would be on the road during the early months of the road show, arriving at the scene of an engagement a week in advance, remaining until its end, then moving on to the next city. Advertising was relatively minimal and no pressbooks were used, but the agents distributed posters, window displays and pamphlets and secured newspaper and radio advertising. They reported by letter to the home office every forty-eight hours and reported the boxoffice receipts each evening during the engagement.
Towards the end of the road show, beginning in October 1948, a simpler exploitation policy was followed. Advance agents were no longer assigned to particular engagements, but spread their efforts over several simultaneously. Seats were no longer reserved, prices were lowered and distributor and theater split expenses and profits fifty-fifty.
As a result of the road show procedure, Henry V was shown at hundreds of cities and towns throughout North America and became United Artists' biggest money-maker.
