The Little American (1917)
(Cecil B. DeMille, US 1917, 69 min., 35mm)
Silent Tuesdays | WWI. America’s entry into World War I on April 6, 1917, unleashed a torrent of Hollywood patriotism. Mary Pickford and Cecil B. DeMille were two of the first to turn their attention to the impact of the war. Both worked sold War Bonds to support America’s troops, and their collaboration on The Little American (Pickford also served as producer) was a popular and artistic success. Love and rivalry, patriotic duty and sacrifice, heroism and betrayal—these are the themes DeMille and Pickford explore against the backdrop of the war’s violence and cruelty. Jack Holt and Raymond Hatton vie for Pickford’s affections as they meet on the battlefield of war.
Live piano by Philip C. Carli. Special support provided by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.