''The Lost Battalion'' is a

1919 Events January * January 1 ** The Czechoslovak Legions occupy much of the self-proclaimed "free city" of Pressburg (now Bratislava), enforcing its incorporation into the new republic of Czechoslovakia. ** HMY ''Iolaire'' sinks off the c ...

American silent war film about units of the

77th Infantry Division 77th Division or 75th Infantry Division may refer to: *77th Infantry Division (Wehrmacht), Germany *77th Infantry Division of Khurasan, Iran *77th Division (Imperial Japanese Army) *77th Division (People's Republic of China) *77th Division (Spain ...

(the " Lost Battalion") penetrating deep into the Argonne Forest of

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

during

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 ...

. The film was directed by

Burton L. King Burton L. King (August 25, 1877 – May 4, 1944) was an American film actor and director. One of his best-known productions was '' The Lost Battalion'' (1919). Selected filmography * '' The Battle of Gettysburg'' (1913) * ''Under the Crescent'' ...

and features Major Charles W. Whittlesey and a number of actual soldiers from the 77th who portrayed themselves in the film. It was released July 2, 1919 in

North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere and almost entirely within the Western Hemisphere. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and the Car ...

. The film was

remade Bas-Lag is the fictional world in which several of English author China Miéville's novels are set. Bas-Lag is a world where both magic (referred to as "thaumaturgy") and steampunk technology exist, and is home to many intelligent races. It is inf ...

in 2001 by

Russell Mulcahy Russell Mulcahy ( ; born 23 June 1953) is an Australian film director. Mulcahy's work is recognisable by the use of fast cuts, tracking shots and use of glowing lights, neo-noir lighting, windblown drapery, and fans. He directed music videos i ...

Plot

The men of the 308th Infantry Regiment, part of Major General Robert Alexander's

, have been drafted from diverse ethnic, economic, and social groups in

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...

. Two men are fighting Chinatown tongs, one is a burglar, another is a wealthy merchant's son in love with his father's stenographer, who dreams of becoming the greatest movie actress, another is a private in love with the merchant's ward, and finally there is "the Kicker," who finds fault with everything. After training in

Yaphank Yaphank () is a hamlet and census-designated place (CDP) in Suffolk County, New York, United States. The population was 5,945 at the time of the 2010 census. Yaphank is located in the south part of the Town of Brookhaven. It is served by the L ...

and in

, the 463 men advance under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Charles W. Whittlesey into the "Pocket" of the Argonne Forest, to help break down the supposedly impregnable German defense. Cut off from Allied troops and supplies, and surrounded by the enemy, the battalion, nicknamed "The Lost Battalion," withstands six days without food or water. When the German commander asks for their surrender, Whittlesey replies, "Tell them to go to hell!" The Chinese rivals fight bravely side-by-side, while the burglar dies heroically. After their rescue, the survivors are given a parade in New York, and are reunited with their families and sweethearts.

Cast

*Major General Robert Alexander – (Himself) *Lieutenant Colonel Charles W. Whittlesey – (Himself) *Major George McMurtry – (Himself) *Captain William J. Cullen – (Himself) *Lieutenant Arthur F. McKeogh – (Himself) *Lieutenant Augustus Kaiser – (Himself) *Private Abraham Krotoshinsky – (Himself) *

Helen Ferguson Helen Ferguson (July 23, 1901 – March 14, 1977) was an American actress later turned publicist. Biography Born in Decatur, Illinois, in 1901, Ferguson graduated from Nicholas High School of Chicago and the Academy of Fine Arts. Ferguson wa ...

– (The Stenographer) *

Marion Coakley Marion Coakley (September 22, 1896 - August 30, 1968) was an actress on stage and screen. She was in various theatrical productions from 1917 into the later 1920s. The New York Public Library has a collection of photographs of her from White Stu ...

– (Nancy Crystal) * Mrs. Stuart Robson – (The landlady) *Blanche Davenport – (The mother) *Lt. Jordan – (Himself) *

Bessie Learn Bessie Learn (30 August 1888 – 5 February 1987) was an American actress who appeared in 86 films between 1911 and 1919. Biography Elizabeth “Bessie” Learn was born in San Diego''Photoplay: the Aristocrat of Motion Picture Magazines'', Vol ...

– (The girl next door) *

Sidney D'Albrook Sidney D'Albrook (May 3, 1886 – May 30, 1948) was an American actor. He was born in Chicago, Illinois, a son of Harry Dahlbruck, a musician, and Jennie McGuire. He was working as an actor in Davenport, Iowa, in 1910, living with his sister Rut ...

– (The burglar) *

Gaston Glass Gaston Glass (born Jacques Gaston Oscar Glass; December 31, 1899 – November 11, 1965) was a French-American actor and film producer. He was the father of the composer Paul Glass (born 1934). Selected filmography * ''The Corsican Broth ...

– (Harry Merwin) *Jack McLean – (The Kicker) *

William H. Tooker William H. Tooker (September 2, 1869 – October 10, 1936) was an American stage and film actor. Tooker acted with the Tivoli Comic Opera Company in San Francisco. On Broadway, he performed in ''The Coronet of the Duchess'' (1904) and ''The Gove ...

*Stephen Grattan *J. A. King

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Lost Battalion 1919 war films 1919 films American black-and-white films American silent feature films American war films Cultural depictions of Charles W. Whittlesey Films directed by Burton L. King Western Front (World War I) films World War I films based on actual events 1910s American films Silent war films