If Mary was set on leaving Motown, hindsight being 20/20, she might have been better off going to Atlantic instead of 20th Century Fox. I read that they had made some overtures to Mary in 1964 as well.

Atlantic had plenty of experience breaking records in both the r&b and pop markets, something I don't think 20th Century Fox had done much of. By the time she did sign with Atlantic in 1966, it might have been too late, although she did get a big hit out of the gate with DEAR LOVER.