''The Heart of Humanity'' is a 1918 American silent

war War is an intense armed conflict between states, governments, societies, or paramilitary groups such as mercenaries, insurgents, and militias. It is generally characterized by extreme violence, destruction, and mortality, using regular o ...

propaganda film A propaganda film is a film that involves some form of propaganda. Propaganda films spread and promote certain ideas that are usually religious, political, or cultural in nature. A propaganda film is made with the intent that the viewer will ad ...

produced by

Universal Pictures Universal Pictures (legally Universal City Studios LLC, also known as Universal Studios, or simply Universal; common metonym: Uni, and formerly named Universal Film Manufacturing Company and Universal-International Pictures Inc.) is an Ameri ...

and directed by

Allen Holubar Allen Holubar (August 3, 1890 – November 20, 1923) was an American actor, film director, and screenwriter of the silent film era. He appeared in 38 films between 1913 and 1917. He also directed 33 films between 1916 and 1923. Career Allen ...

. The film stars

Dorothy Phillips Dorothy Phillips (born Dorothy Gwendolyn Strible, October 30, 1889 – March 1, 1980) was an American stage and film actress. She is known for her emotional performances in melodramas, having played a number of "brow beaten" women on screen, bu ...

William Stowell William Stowell (March 13, 1885 – November 24, 1919) was an American silent film actor. A handsome actor with matinee idol good looks, Stowell was signed into film in 1909 with IMP (forerunner of Universal Studios), and debuted by sta ...

, and

Erich von Stroheim Erich Oswald Hans Carl Maria von Stroheim (born Erich Oswald Stroheim; September 22, 1885 – May 12, 1957) was an Austrian-American director, actor and producer, most noted as a film star and avant-garde, visionary director of the silent era. H ...

Overview

The film "follows the general theme and construction of the D. W. Griffith film ''

Hearts of the World ''Hearts of the World'' (also known as ''Love's Struggle'') is a 1918 American silent film, silent World War I propaganda film written, produced and directed by D. W. Griffith. In an effort to change the American public's neutral stance regardin ...

'' and, in places, parallels tsplot". The film was made toward the end of

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

and is known for showcasing von Stroheim as a lecherous ' Hun'.

Cast

- Nanette *

- John Patricia * Robert Anderson - Paul Patricia *

Walt Whitman Walter Whitman (; May 31, 1819 – March 26, 1892) was an American poet, essayist and journalist. A humanist, he was a part of the transition between transcendentalism and realism, incorporating both views in his works. Whitman is among t ...

- Father Michael *

Margaret Mann Margaret Mann (4 April 1868, in Aberdeen, Scotland – 4 February 1941, in Los Angeles, California), was a Scottish-American actress. Biography Margaret Mann starred in a number of major silent films such as '' Black Beauty'' in 1921 and play ...

- Widow Patricia *

- Eric von Eberhard * Lloyd Hughes - Jules Patricia * Frank Braidwood - Maurice Patricia *

George Hackathorne George Hackathorne (February 13, 1896 – June 25, 1940) was an American actor of the silent era. He appeared in more than 50 films between 1916 and 1939. Hackathorne was born and educated in Pendleton, Oregon. Despite his mother's wishes ...

- Louis Patricia * Pat O'Malley - Clancy * William Welsh - Prussian Officer * Lieutenant Smith - Canadian Officer *

Joseph W. Girard Joseph W. Girard (April 2, 1871 – August 21, 1949) was an American film actor. He appeared in more than 280 films between 1911 and 1944. He was born in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, and died in Woodland Hills, Los Angeles. Before he became an ...

- Canadian Colonel * Valerie Germonprez - Red Cross Ambulance driver * Gloria Joy *

Tom London Tom London (born Leonard T. Clapman; August 24, 1889 – December 5, 1963) was an American actor who played frequently in B-Westerns. According to ''The Guinness Book of Movie Records'', London is credited with appearing in the most films in ...

(billed as Leonard Clapham)

Plot

Nanette (Dorothy Phillips), an American girl living in a small Canadian village, is in love with John Patricia (William Stowell), the eldest of five brothers. The war interrupts their romantic idyll, as everyone goes overseas to Belgium and France. Nanette becomes a Red Cross nurse and is terrorized by the evil Prussian Lt. von Eberhard (Erich von Stroheim). It is up to John to save her from the Hun's advances.

Reception

''The New York Times'' criticized the " theatricalities and sentimental artificialities of his plot" but characterized "some of olubars battle panoramas samong the most comprehensive and vivid ever reproduced on the screen." It pointed out that "children add to the charm and effectiveness of some of the scenes, and their costumes and acting reveal that intelligence and care in direction elsewhere evident in the production. One receives the impression, however, that the making of a few of the scenes in which the children appear was not very good for the children."

Preservation status

A copy of the film is preserved at the EmGee Film Library and in private collections. It was exhibited at the

Museum of Modern Art The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) is an art museum located in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, on 53rd Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenues. It plays a major role in developing and collecting modern art, and is often identified as one of ...

in 2014.

References

External links

* * 1918 films 1918 drama films American silent feature films American war drama films American World War I propaganda films American black-and-white films Films directed by Allen Holubar Universal Pictures films 1910s American films Silent American drama films Silent war films {{1910s-US-film-stub