The Little American (1917)

Incredible imagery from DeMille

Directed by Cecil B. DeMille
Starring Mary Pickford, Jack Holt, Raymond Hatton
Produced by Mary Pickford Company

Our last movie of 1917 is DeMille's The Little American, a melodrama set against the backdrop of World War I.  Angela Moore (played by Pickford), a young woman literally born on the Fourth of July, is wooed by two suitors, one French and one German.  When war breaks out, the men return to their native lands to serve their countries.  Angela is soon called to her ancestral home in France to care for a sick aunt.  On the way, her boat is torpedoed by a German submarine, but she survives to reach France and find both of her suitors.  Who will she pick?  And will they survive the war?

Okay, this is melodrama and propaganda.  Angela carries a miniature American flag in her dress and is constantly waving it in the face of her aggressors.  She is literally caught between both sides of the war, but there is no mystery as to the filmmakers' sentiments.  The Germans are barbarous and French are gallant.  If you are an American and choosing a side, there really is no choice.

There are some set pieces here that are remarkable.  When the ship carrying Angela is torpedoed in an episode evocative of the Lusitania's fate, the interior of the boat pitches and begins filling with water in an incredible effect.  Later, as the life rafts are lowered and people plummet into the icy waters, the lighting only heightens the tension and dread.  There are moments here that are clearly evoked by James Cameron almost 90 years later in Titanic.

This being a melodrama, Angela's French suitor conveniently ends up in her home in France and plants a hidden phone for communicating German military positions.  Moments later, the French retreat and the Germans establish their headquarters in the same mansion.  Of course, the Germans include Angela's other would-be boyfriend Karl Von Austreim (played by Jack Holt).  He recognizes her as he is attempting to rape her.  Seriously.

Over the course of the rest of the film, the Germans make despicable decisions with Holt in the background overacting his mental anguish.  He disagrees with the choices, but is powerless to go against his superior officers. However, when Angela's life is threatened, the film becomes unconventional.  Karl sides with Angela and the two are about to be shot, when the French save the day (thanks to Angela's intelligence efforts).

The two then wander through a bombed out town, complete with a barely standing church and the striking image of the crucifix.  When the church falls to one last bomb, Jesus remains standing with his arms outstretched above him, no longer on the cross.  It's a powerful moment, particularly given the propagandist nature of the film.

DeMille is clearly hitting his stride as a director here. The film is amazingly cinematic and visually exciting.It's the closest thing I have seen to a modern day action film, with the sinking of the luxury liner, the Germans chasing Angela through the house and the bombing scenes at the end.

The one issue (besides the overacting by the male leads) in this movie I had was the music that the DVD company included with the movie.  It feels like they just bought a CD of silent film music and walked out of the room.  The music almost never conveys a mood that matches what is happening on the screen.

The Little American is a good film, held back by some slow patches and some acting that, while typical of the silent era, is very distracting.  Mary Pickford, in a very different role from our previous film, is fantastic throughout. She is understated, yet passionate.  She does a fantastic job of standing in the U.S. in its struggle to choose a side, while entering World War I.

Watched on DVD through NetFlix
Photo from The Oscar Site