Quick Millions (1931) w/ Spencer Tracy!

[j.lunatic]

Definitely do catch this before it rotates off the Criterion Channel. As for a physical release, be aware that it's one of the old Fox Films that now belongs to Disney. We're lucky that they licensed this film to the CC. They haven't issued any of these films themselves, and are only beginning to think about licensing to the boutique labels.

There was a story several months ago that Disney had made a deal with Mill Creek to reissue the titles 20th Century Fox had once released in its MOD line. Quick Millions would not be one of those titles, but Young America (1932) would.

[j.lunatic]

Warning: Here be industry insider talk that I only vaguely understand myself.

An anonymous, self-proclaimed film industry veteran made an extensive post to another forum, attempting to explain for laymen why some titles cannot be licensed for home video:

https://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread.ph ... st21157368

As far as I know, everything CandymanHappyman says is accurate. However, he/she/other fails to address donor restrictions (when filmmaker X places a film's negative or other materials with archive Y, under terms limiting what the archive may do with these materials). For example, many of the major studios placed their nitrate-era film holdings with the Library of Congress/UCLA/the George Eastman House. And under the terms of those donations, the archive cannot legally provide copies of the deposited films for personal or commercial use. Even after the film in question has gone into the public domain under U.S. law. People on other film forums describe contacting the studios, asking them to relax these restrictions, and getting little or no response.

The Quick Millions materials, and some number of other early Fox titles, appear to be held by MoMA (and I have no idea if any donor restrictions are in play). Dave Kehr at MoMA successfully negotiated with Disney to allow some of these films to be streamed on the Criterion Channel. But streaming rights are different from home video rights. So far Disney has shown no sign of allowing any of the 20th Century Fox titles they control to be legitimately issued on disc, so I'm not holding my breath.

That said: Because Quick Millions, Wild Girl, and some other Fox films have been streamed on the CC, fair to good copies of these can be found on YouTube and less reputable sources.