SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             
                             Washington, D.C. 20549



                                    FORM 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT


                       Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of
                       the Securities Exchange Act of 1934


       Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): October 23, 1997




                             FORT JAMES CORPORATION
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


                                    Virginia
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                 (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)


               1-7911                             54-0848173
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     (Commission File Number)         (IRS Employer Identification Number)


                  120 Tredegar Street, Richmond, Virginia 23219
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
          (Address of principal executive offices, including zip code)


       Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (804) 644-5411
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



                       James River Corporation of Virginia
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
             (Former name, former address, and former fiscal year,
                         if changed since last report)

<PAGE>


Item 5.   Other Events.

          On October 23, 1997,  Fort  James  Corporation  ("Fort  James" or  the
          "Company")  published a press release announcing the Company's results
          for the third quarter and nine months ended  September  28, 1997.  The
          Company  published its  consolidated  condensed  balance  sheets as of
          September 28, 1997,  December 29, 1996,  and  September 29, 1996,  its
          consolidated  statements of operations for the quarters (13 weeks) and
          nine months (39 weeks) ended  September  28, 1997,  and  September 29,
          1996,  its  consolidated  statements of cash flows for the nine months
          ended  September 28, 1997, and September 29, 1996, and certain segment
          information for the nine months ended September 28, 1997, and the year
          ended December 29, 1996. A copy of the press  release,  which includes
          the consolidated  financial  statements,  is filed herewith as Exhibit
          99.

Item 7.  Financial  Statements and Exhibits
         (c)    99  Press  release  dated  October 23,  1997,  published  by the
                    registrant - filed herewith.


<PAGE>
                                   SIGNATURES


     Pursuant to the  requirements  of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934, the
Registrant  has duly  caused  this  report  to be  signed  on its  behalf by the
undersigned thereunto duly authorized.

                                 FORT JAMES CORPORATION
 
 
 
                                 By:/s/ William A. Paterson
                                    William A. Paterson
                                    Senior Vice President & Controller
                                    (Principal Accounting Officer)


Date:  October 23, 1997
[{"type": "8-K", "sequence": "1", "description": "FORT JAMES CORPORATION FORM 8K DATED 10/23/97", "secsgml_size_bytes": 3461}]
{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "FORT JAMES CORP", "cik": "0000053117", "assigned-sic": "2621", "irs-number": "540848173", "state-of-incorporation": "VA", "fiscal-year-end": "1231"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "8-K", "act": "34", "file-number": "001-07911", "film-number": "97699630"}, "business-address": {"street1": "120 TREDEGAR ST", "city": "RICHMOND", "state": "VA", "zip": "23219", "phone": "8046494296"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "P O BOX 2218", "city": "RICHMOND", "state": "VA", "zip": "23218"}, "former-company": {"former-conformed-name": "JAMES RIVER CORP OF VIRGINIA", "date-changed": "19920703"}}
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             
                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                                    FORM 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT

                       Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of
                       the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

       Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): October 23, 1997

                             FORT JAMES CORPORATION
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

                                    Virginia
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                 (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)

               1-7911                             54-0848173
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     (Commission File Number)         (IRS Employer Identification Number)

                  120 Tredegar Street, Richmond, Virginia 23219
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
          (Address of principal executive offices, including zip code)

       Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (804) 644-5411
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                       James River Corporation of Virginia
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
             (Former name, former address, and former fiscal year,
                         if changed since last report)
Item 5.   Other Events.

          On October 23, 1997,  Fort  James  Corporation  ("Fort  James" or  the
          "Company")  published a press release announcing the Company's results
          for the third quarter and nine months ended  September  28, 1997.  The
          Company  published its  consolidated  condensed  balance  sheets as of
          September 28, 1997,  December 29, 1996,  and  September 29, 1996,  its
          consolidated  statements of operations for the quarters (13 weeks) and
          nine months (39 weeks) ended  September  28, 1997,  and  September 29,
          1996,  its  consolidated  statements of cash flows for the nine months
          ended  September 28, 1997, and September 29, 1996, and certain segment
          information for the nine months ended September 28, 1997, and the year
          ended December 29, 1996. A copy of the press  release,  which includes
          the consolidated  financial  statements,  is filed herewith as Exhibit
          99.

Item 7.  Financial  Statements and Exhibits
         (c)    99  Press  release  dated  October 23,  1997,  published  by the
                    registrant - filed herewith.
SIGNATURES

     Pursuant to the  requirements  of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934, the
Registrant  has duly  caused  this  report  to be  signed  on its  behalf by the
undersigned thereunto duly authorized.

                                 FORT JAMES CORPORATION
 
 
 
                                 By:/s/ William A. Paterson
                                    William A. Paterson
                                    Senior Vice President & Controller
                                    (Principal Accounting Officer)

Date:  October 23, 1997