The Heart of Humanity

original title:
The Heart of Humanity
other titles:
Hearts of Humanity
country / year of production:
USA / 1918
original length:
133 min. , black/white
premiere:
USA: 22 December 1918.
genre:
melodrama
based on:
director:
Allen Holubar
film script:
Allen Holubar , Olga Scholl
producer:
cinematographer:
King D. Gray
editor:
Frank Lawrence , Viola Mallory
composer:
cast (role):
Dorothy Phillips (Nanette) , William Stowell (John Patricia) , Walt Whitman (Father Michael) , William Welsh (Prussian Officer) , Erich Stroheim, von (Eric von Eberhard) , Dorothy Phillips , William Stowell , Walt Whitman , William Welsh , Erich Stroheim, von
more:
plot synopsis:
Nanette, an American girl living in a small Canadian village, is in love with John Patricia, 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 attends the wounded and cares for pitiful pitiful orphans. At the time she must fight off the advances of evil Prussian officer von Eberhard. As von Eberhard tears her dress and she tries to escape his clutches, John comes to her recue at the last moment.
keywords:
silent movie , women during wartime , medical orderly , field hospital
war:
First World War (1914-1918)
literature:
remarks:
Titel and plot strongly remind of D.W. Griffith`s "Hearts of the World", nonetheless this film is no cheap knock-off. Especially the battle scene were considered very authentic by many critics.

Since Stroheim had played the role of the villainous Prussian officers several times before, this film with a scene where he throws a baby out off the window finally founded his reputation as "The Man You Love To Hate."
availability: