|
|
|
Lillian Gish (right).
Photograph: Silent Era image collection.
|
The Greatest Thing
in Life
(1918) United States of America
B&W : Seven reels / 6062 feet
Directed by D.W. Griffith
Cast: Lillian Gish [Jeanette Peret], Robert Harron [Edward Livingston], Adolphe Lestina [Leo Peret], David Butler [Monsieur Le Bebe], Elmo Lincoln [American soldier], Edward Peil [German officer], Kate Bruce [Jeanette’s aunt], Peaches Jackson [Madamouselle Peaches], Ernest Butterworth
D.W. Griffith production; distributed by Famous Players-Lasky Corporation (Paramount Pictures Corporation) [Artcraft Pictures]. / Produced by D.W. Griffith. Scenario by Captain Victor Marier (D.W. Griffith and Stanner E.V. Taylor), from a screen story by Captain Victor Marier (D.W. Griffith and Stanner E.V. Taylor). Special effects by Hendrik Sartov. Cinematography by G.W. Bitzer. Camera operator, Karl Brown. Film editor, James Smith. Presented by D.W. Griffith. / © 15 November 1918 by D.W. Griffith [LP13064]. Premiered 16 December 1918 at Clune’s Auditorium in Los Angeles, California. Premiered 22 December 1918 at the Mark Strand Theatre in New York, New York. / Standard 35mm spherical 1.33:1 format. / Working title: The Cradle of Souls. Released before A Romance of Happy Valley (1919), the production of which was begun before this film. At the Los Angeles premiere Clarine Seymour, Carol Dempster and Rodolfo di Valantina (Rudolph Valentino) appeared in a live prologue to the film, which was directed by George Fawcett.
Drama: World War I.
Survival status: Print exists in the film holdings of Cohen Media Group (Raymond Rohauer collection) [35mm positive].
Current rights holder: Public domain [USA].
Keywords: African-Americans - Death - War: World War I (28 July 1914-11 November 1918)
Listing updated: 24 September 2013.
References: Bardèche-History p. 104; Barry-Griffith pp. 56-57, 60; Bohn-Light p. 114; Card-Seductive p. 35; Everson-American p. 87; Weaver-Twenty p. 146 : Website-AFI.
|