With spiralling budgets and massive sets constructed on the Universal City backlot, the only option for Universal to try to recoup it's costs was to embark on a major publicity campaign based on the fact that this, in 1922, was "THE FIRST MILLION DOLLAR PICTURE"!
Erich Von Stroheim's epic story of a womanising "Count" in Monte Carlo following WWI was the first of Universal's productions to warrant the category "Super Jewel". (The branding system used until this movie consisted of three tiers; Red Feather (low budget), Bluebird (mainstream releases) and Jewel (prestige movies produced and marketed to gain higher ticket revenues from roadshow style venues).
The total budget was $1.04 million and although the film was profitable, Erich Von Stroheim was unemployable due to his flagrant excesses (which enraged Carl Laemmle).
Links:
