Manners v. Morosco/Opinion of the Court

by Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr.

United States Supreme Court

252 U.S. 317

Manners  v.  Morosco

 Argued: March 2, 1920. --- Decided: March 22, 1920

This is a suit by the author of a play called Peg O' My Heart to restrain the defendant, Morosco, from representing the play in motion pictures, in violation of the plaintiff's copyright; and also, although this is a subsidiary question, from producing the play at all. The defendant justifies under an agreement of January 19, 1912, and a supplemental agreement of July 20, 1914, both set forth in the bill. The ground upon which the right to produce the play in any way was denied was that the agreement gave rights only for five years. This construction was rejected by the District Court and the Circuit Court of appeals. Both Courts held also that the agreement conveyed the right to represent the play in moving pictures and on that ground dismissed the bill. 254 Fed. 737; 258 Fed. 557.

By the first agreement the plaintiff, party of the first part 'does grant' to Morosco, the party of the second part, 'the sole and exclusive license and liberty to produce, perform and represent the said play in the United States of America and the Dominion of Canada,' subject to the terms and conditions of the contract. Morosco agrees 'to produce the play not later than January first, 1913, and to continue the said play for at least seventy-five performances during the season of 1913-1914 and for each theatrical season thereafter for a period of five years.' He agrees further to pay specified percentages on the gross weekly receipts as royalties, and that 'if during any one theatrical year * * * said play has not been produced or presented for seventy-five performances, then all rights of the said party of the second part shall cease and determine and shall immediately revert to the said party of the first part.' Morosco further agrees to present the play in first-class theatres with competent companies and with Miss Laurette Taylor (the stage name of the author's wife) in the title role; the play to have a production in New York and to be continued on the road for at least one season or longer if considered advisable by both parties. No alterations, eliminations or additions are to be made without the approval of the author and the rehearsals and production of the play are to be under his direction. The author to have the right to print and publish the play but not within six months after the production of the play in New York City without consent. Morosco is not to let or transfer his rights without the author's consent. 'Should the play fail in New York City and on the road it shall be released for stock;' i. e., let to stock companies, with an equal division of royalties between plaintiff and defendant. By an addendum, after Miss Taylor should have finished her season her successor in the role of 'Peg' for any subsequent tours shall be mutually agreeable to both parties. The contract is declared binding upon the parties, 'their heirs, executors, assigns, administrators and successors.'

The second agreement, in order to adjust controversies and to modify the first, authorized Morosco 'as long as this contract is in force' 'to produce, perform and represent' the play with or in as many companies as he saw fit, without engaging Laurette Taylor and without consulting the plaintiff as to the cast, rehearsals or production of the play. Morosco also was authorized to let or sell any of his rights under the contracts, but he was not to be released from his personal liability to pay the royalties as specified in the contracts. The play might be released for stock whenever the net profits realized from all the companies producing the play should be less than $2,000, and then the royat ies received from the stock theatres were to be divided equally. For four years from date neither party without consent of the other was to produce or give leave to produce the play by moving pictures and after that the rights of the parties were to be determined by and under the original agreement as if the supplemental agreement had not been made.

As to the duration of the defendant's rights we agree with the Courts below. We perceive no ground for converting the defendant's undertaking to continue the play for seventy-five performances during the season of 1913-1914, and for each season thereafter for five years, into a limit of the plaintiff's grant of rights. As was said in the District Court, it is a statement of the least the defendant was to do, not of the most that he was to have. The plaintiff was secured sufficiently by the forfeiture in case the play should not have been produced for seventy-five performances. The provisions in both contracts as to the release for stock are somewhat of an additional indication that it was expected that the arrangement was to last as long as the public liked the play well enough to make it pay, provided the defendant kept his half of the bargain performed.

On the question principally argued we are of opinion that the majority below was wrong. The thing granted was 'the sole and exclusive license and liberty to produce, perform and represent' the play within the territorial limits stated, subject to the other terms of the contract. It may be assumed that those words might carry the right to represent the play in moving pictures if the other terms pointed that way, but to our mind they are inconsistent with any such intent. We need not discuss the abstract question whether, in view of the fact that such a mode of representation was familiar, it was to be expected that it should be mentioned if it was to be granted or should be excluded if it was to be denied. Every detail shows that a representation by spoken drama alone is provided for. The play is to be continued for seventy-five performances for the theatrical seasons named. This applies only to the regular stage. The royalties are adapted only to that mode of presentation. Harper Bros. v. Klaw (D. C.) 232 Fed. 609, 612. The play is to be presented in first-class theatres with a competent company and with Miss Laurette Taylor in the title role, which, of course, does not mean in moving pictures. The stipulations against alterations, eliminations or additions, and that the rehearsals and production of the play shall be under the direction of the author, denote the same thing, and clearly indicate that no other form of production is contemplated. The residuary clause, so to speak, by which the play is to drop to stock companies shows the lowest point to which the author was willing to let it go.

The Courts below based their reasoning upon the impossibility of supposing that the author reserved the right to destroy the value of the right granted, however that right may be characterized, by retaining power to set up the same play in motion pictures a few doors off with a much smaller admission fee. We agree with the premise but not with the conclusion. The implied assumption of the contract seems to us to be that the play was to be produced only as a spoken drama, with respect for the author's natural susceptibility concerning a strict adhesion to the text. We need not amplify the argument presented below against the reservation of the right in question. As was said by Judge Hough in a similar case:

'There is implied a negative covenant on the part of the [grantor] * * * not to use the ungranted portion of the copyright estate to the detriment, if not the destruction, of the licensees' estate. Admittedly, if Harper Bros. (or Klaw and Erlanger, for the matter of that) permitted photo-plays of Ben Hur to infest the country, the market for the spoken play would be greatly impaired, if not destroyed.' Harper Bros. v. Klaw (D. C.) 232 Fed. 609, 613.

The result is tht the plaintiff is entitled to an injunction against the representation of the play in moving pictures, but upon the terms that the plaintiff also shall abstain from presenting or authorizing the presentation of the play in that form in Canada or the United States.

Decree reversed. Injunction to issue upon the condition that the plaintiff shall neither represent nor authorize the representation of the play Peg O' My Heart in moving pictures while the contract with the defendant remains in force.

Mr. Justice CLARKE dissenting.

Notes