Q&A; WITH SAMUEL GOLDWYN JR. : ‘I’m Never Afraid of Competition’

Independent film companies have a poor survival rate in Hollywood. A few, like Miramax Films, which was purchased last spring by the Walt Disney Co., have been absorbed by studios with deeper pockets. But the Samuel Goldwyn Co., established in 1979 by the son of the legendary mogul, has managed to beat the odds.

Chairman of the board and chief executive Samuel Goldwyn Jr. cites diversification as the reason for his company’s longevity. A leading producer and distributor of specialized films, Goldwyn has two current art-house hits, “Much Ado About Nothing,” based on the Shakespeare play, and “The Wedding Banquet,” a low-budget Taiwanese romantic comedy.

His company also produces mass-appeal television shows such as “American Gladiators” and has a library containing more than 400 feature films. In 1991, it bought Heritage Entertainment Co., thereby becoming the country’s largest exhibitor of specialized films. Goldwyn, 67, recently reflected on the state of independent film-making.

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Question: Now that Miramax is owned by Disney, your company is often described as the last of the independents.

Answer: Our plan is really a whole lot different. (Other independent) companies do a very good job, but they do their job with movies. We made a decision a long time ago (that) the important thing in this business was to survive. And the way to do that is to be broadly based, just like the majors are.

Last year, I had a blockbuster in “American Gladiators.” The guy from your paper came out to the set and said, “But I have such respect for that (Goldwyn) signature on the screen and those beautiful films--why are you doing this?” And I said, “So that I can continue (to do those films).”

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Q: But there are continual rumors that you will be bought out.

A: I like what I do. I’ve got some more time left on the clock. And I intend to spend it.

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Q: You have referred in the past to something you called the “one-hit-makes-you-a-genius” philosophy. What do you mean by that?

A: The first movie I made was very, very successful. I made $1 million on “Man With the Gun,” a (1955) Western with Bob Mitchum. And I said, “Gee, this looks so easy to do.” Somebody very wise said, “But you’re going to find out very soon it isn’t.” So the next movie I made (“The Sharkfighters,” with Victor Mature in 1956), I lost $1 million.

I’ve learned that the important thing is to be there and keep going. And one thing I find very sad about the studio philosophy is that because they change managements so often, these managements feel a tremendous need to take outrageous gambles, purely for their own survival. They end up betting the house on one or two throws of the dice. It won’t work.

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Q: This is what buried some of the other independent companies?

A: Buried every one of them.

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Q: How would you assess the specialized film market today?

A: While the average movie audience has remained static, the audience for specialized pictures has grown each year. The problem is, of course, that they are very dependent on reviews and word of mouth.

Also, there’s no longer the cult of following directors. Whatever the movie is it has to become some kind of an event.

There is a tendency to drive a very hard line between what is a specialized picture and what is a studio commercial picture. But yet our biggest problem is that the studios are making pictures like “The Age of Innocence,” which is, basically, a specialized picture.

More and more, the studios are recognizing that the adult audience is a factor. But the cost of those pictures has to be relative to this audience. It’s growing, but it isn’t going to carry a specialized (film that costs as much as) “Batman.”

And so the risks are going to be increasing, but they’re going to have to make more and more intelligent pictures.

It’s going to be both a challenge and an opportunity for us. More of that material is going to be developed, and we are finding more and more top filmmakers coming to us, wanting to do our kind of picture.

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Q: At the same time, with the tendency right now of the studios to be making movies like “The Age of Innocence” and “The Joy Luck Club,” that means that you’re competing with them for those projects.

A: Absolutely. I was offered “The Joy Luck Club” and (turning it down) was a mistake. It was brought to us early on and we should have done it. I didn’t see how to adapt the book. It’s a wonderful picture.

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Q: Have you ever turned down a picture you loved just because you didn’t think it would sell?

A: I’ve done that. And I’ve sometimes not trusted my own instinct, and sometimes my instinct has been wrong.

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Q: Such as when?

A: “The Crying Game.” I didn’t see the potential for it as a thriller.

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Q: It must be a temptation to become part of a studio so you can make more films.

A: No, we could do it ourselves. We’ve been going through a great internal debate here of whether we should actually take on more pictures a year. Because perhaps we’ve been, at times, a little too fussy.

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Q: You have said publicly you intend to release 10 to 12 pictures a year.

A: We may go with more. Which means we’ll probably take a few more chances.

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Q: You certainly have a reputation for being conservative.

A: I’m examining this very, very carefully. I believe very, very strongly that I want to be here tomorrow. But sometimes I think I’m too conservative and that’s been a criticism of me.

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Q: Do you think your conservative nature is the result of growing up with a father who was constantly experiencing dramatic ups and downs?

A: When people ask me what is the one thing that I really remember about growing up in this business, they always expect me to tell them stories about Clark Gable and Shirley Temple. And I say I remember the day my father paid back the cost of one of his pictures. (People are) not interested (in a story like that). It’s not glamorous. But the point is it’s the key to survival in this business.

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Q: Are you worried that companies like Miramax with studio money to spend will price you out of the market?

A: I’m never afraid of competition. The bottom line is that we are a successful company. They were sold to Disney.

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Q: Just in the nick of time, right?

A: Absolutely. This company is not in financial straits. So am I wrong or am I right? Was I right to turn down “The Crying Game”? No. Was I over-prudent? Yes. But my prudence has gotten me where I am and it’s going to keep me there.