Comradeship (1919 film)
Encyclopedia
Comradeship is a 1919
British silent film
drama, directed by Maurice Elvey
and starring Lily Elsie
, Gerald Ames
and Guy Newall
. The film's action covers the entire span of World War I
, from the months before the outbreak of hostilities to the declaration of peace.
. Stoll was a well-known philanthropist who had been instrumental during World War I in setting up a charity to create homes for disabled soldiers, and campaigned to publicise the plight of blinded ex-servicemen. The film's storyline mirrored these interests, and was also one of the first to examine the social impact of the war on Britain in the respect that common cause and experience had caused a sea-change in British society, challenging and eroding traditional class-based assumptions.
Filming on Comradeship began in the summer of 1918 while the war was still in progress, and it was still in production when the Armistice was signed in November. Elvey took the opportunity to incorporate authentic footage of victory celebrations in London and some of his characters in the setting of the city in the immediate aftermath of war, lending these sections of the film a historical documentary feel.
Otto leaves John a note stating his allegiance to Germany, and fails to return to work after the 1914 August bank holiday. Peggy is distraught as she is carrying his child. She is disowned by her family, but Betty hears of the situation and offers shelter to Peggy at Fanshawe.
War breaks out, and injured serviceman start to arrive at Fanshawe. John visits to offer a charitable donation, and starts to tell Betty how he feels about her, but is deflated when Betty explains that running the hospital takes up all of her time and she cannot think of romance. Despite his pacifist inclinations, John finally enlists in the army. At the training camp he becomes fast friends with the cheery working-class Ginger (Teddy Arundell) and the pair admit their trepidation to each other. As the regiment leaves for the front, Betty turns up to wish John goodbye and good luck, and they embrace.
While John fights in the trenches, Peggy suffers a miscarriage. She decides to become a nurse and help Betty at Fanshawe. John comes home on leave and is upset to see Betty handing her locket to Baring as a keepsake. Ginger arrives in Melcombe to visit. As he is out walking, he sees Peggy being harassed by a man and steps in to rescue her. They begin to fall in love, but before Peggy can be honest with Ginger about her past, Ginger and John are recalled to action.
On the battlefield Baring is attacked by Otto, who is killed by Ginger. Ginger is shocked when he finds a picture of Peggy in Otto's pocket. John is moving the badly-wounded Baring to safety when he finds Betty's locket. For a moment he considers leaving Baring to die, but comes to his senses and continues dragging Baring to shelter. A shell explodes nearby, and John is blinded. He is repatriated and sent to Fanshawe to be nursed.
The Armistice is signed. Ginger visits Melcombe again, but refuses to have anything to do with Peggy. Baring reveals that Betty gave him her locket for him to pass on to John, but for one reason or another he forgot about it. John now realises that Betty does not love Baring, but refuses to advance his own suit as he does not want her to feel she has to commit herself to a blind man out of sympathy. Betty is hurt by John's apparent lack of interest. Peggy intercedes, telling John he must be honest with Betty about his love for her. He refuses, but manages to effect a happy reconciliation between Peggy and Ginger.
As society begins to recover from the war, John feels adrift and unsure what to do with his future. He learns of a network of Comrades Clubs set up by ex-serviceman, and finds purpose by setting up a branch in Melcombe. Ginger and Peggy have married, and come down for the grand opening of the club. On the big day, Betty decides that if John will not make the running, she will ask him to marry her. He agrees, and later receives the good news that he can have an operation which will restore his sight.
1919 in film
The year 1919 in film involved some significant events.-Events:*February 5 - Charlie Chaplin, Mary Pickford, Douglas Fairbanks and D.W. Griffith launch United Artists...
British silent film
Silent film
A silent film is a film with no synchronized recorded sound, especially with no spoken dialogue. In silent films for entertainment the dialogue is transmitted through muted gestures, pantomime and title cards...
drama, directed by Maurice Elvey
Maurice Elvey
Maurice Elvey was the most prolific film director in British history. He directed nearly 200 films between 1913 and 1957. During the silent film era he directed as many as twenty films per year....
and starring Lily Elsie
Lily Elsie
Lily Elsie was a popular English actress and singer during the Edwardian era, best known for her starring role in the hit London premiere of Franz Lehár's operetta The Merry Widow....
, Gerald Ames
Gerald Ames
Gerald Ames was a British actor, film director and Olympic fencer. Ames was born in Blackheath in 1880 and first took up acting in 1905...
and Guy Newall
Guy Newall
Guy Newall was a British actor, screenwriter and film director. He was born on the Isle of Wight on 25 May 1885. He began his film career by acting in the 1915 film The Heart of Sister Ann. In 1920 he directed his first film, and went on to direct a further ten including The Chinese Puzzle before...
. The film's action covers the entire span of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, from the months before the outbreak of hostilities to the declaration of peace.
Background
Comradeship was the first feature production by the Stoll Film Company, founded in April 1918 by theatrical manager Oswald StollOswald Stoll
Sir Oswald Stoll was an Australian-born British theatre manager and the co-founder of the Stoll Moss Group theatre company...
. Stoll was a well-known philanthropist who had been instrumental during World War I in setting up a charity to create homes for disabled soldiers, and campaigned to publicise the plight of blinded ex-servicemen. The film's storyline mirrored these interests, and was also one of the first to examine the social impact of the war on Britain in the respect that common cause and experience had caused a sea-change in British society, challenging and eroding traditional class-based assumptions.
Filming on Comradeship began in the summer of 1918 while the war was still in progress, and it was still in production when the Armistice was signed in November. Elvey took the opportunity to incorporate authentic footage of victory celebrations in London and some of his characters in the setting of the city in the immediate aftermath of war, lending these sections of the film a historical documentary feel.
Plot
Pacifist John Armstrong (Ames) runs a drapery store in the small town of Melcombe, helped by his apprentice Peggy (Peggy Carlisle) and German assistant Otto (Dallas Cairns), who are having an affair. Local landowner Lieutenant Baring (Newall) finds Otto a suspicious character, but is angrily assured by John that he is trustworthy. Armstrong is attracted to Baring's cousin Betty (Elsie), who plans to turn their home, Fanshawe Hall, into a wounded soldiers' hospital on the inevitable outbreak of war between Britain and Germany.Otto leaves John a note stating his allegiance to Germany, and fails to return to work after the 1914 August bank holiday. Peggy is distraught as she is carrying his child. She is disowned by her family, but Betty hears of the situation and offers shelter to Peggy at Fanshawe.
War breaks out, and injured serviceman start to arrive at Fanshawe. John visits to offer a charitable donation, and starts to tell Betty how he feels about her, but is deflated when Betty explains that running the hospital takes up all of her time and she cannot think of romance. Despite his pacifist inclinations, John finally enlists in the army. At the training camp he becomes fast friends with the cheery working-class Ginger (Teddy Arundell) and the pair admit their trepidation to each other. As the regiment leaves for the front, Betty turns up to wish John goodbye and good luck, and they embrace.
While John fights in the trenches, Peggy suffers a miscarriage. She decides to become a nurse and help Betty at Fanshawe. John comes home on leave and is upset to see Betty handing her locket to Baring as a keepsake. Ginger arrives in Melcombe to visit. As he is out walking, he sees Peggy being harassed by a man and steps in to rescue her. They begin to fall in love, but before Peggy can be honest with Ginger about her past, Ginger and John are recalled to action.
On the battlefield Baring is attacked by Otto, who is killed by Ginger. Ginger is shocked when he finds a picture of Peggy in Otto's pocket. John is moving the badly-wounded Baring to safety when he finds Betty's locket. For a moment he considers leaving Baring to die, but comes to his senses and continues dragging Baring to shelter. A shell explodes nearby, and John is blinded. He is repatriated and sent to Fanshawe to be nursed.
The Armistice is signed. Ginger visits Melcombe again, but refuses to have anything to do with Peggy. Baring reveals that Betty gave him her locket for him to pass on to John, but for one reason or another he forgot about it. John now realises that Betty does not love Baring, but refuses to advance his own suit as he does not want her to feel she has to commit herself to a blind man out of sympathy. Betty is hurt by John's apparent lack of interest. Peggy intercedes, telling John he must be honest with Betty about his love for her. He refuses, but manages to effect a happy reconciliation between Peggy and Ginger.
As society begins to recover from the war, John feels adrift and unsure what to do with his future. He learns of a network of Comrades Clubs set up by ex-serviceman, and finds purpose by setting up a branch in Melcombe. Ginger and Peggy have married, and come down for the grand opening of the club. On the big day, Betty decides that if John will not make the running, she will ask him to marry her. He agrees, and later receives the good news that he can have an operation which will restore his sight.
Cast
- Lily ElsieLily ElsieLily Elsie was a popular English actress and singer during the Edwardian era, best known for her starring role in the hit London premiere of Franz Lehár's operetta The Merry Widow....
as Betty Mortimer - Gerald AmesGerald AmesGerald Ames was a British actor, film director and Olympic fencer. Ames was born in Blackheath in 1880 and first took up acting in 1905...
as John Armstrong - Guy NewallGuy NewallGuy Newall was a British actor, screenwriter and film director. He was born on the Isle of Wight on 25 May 1885. He began his film career by acting in the 1915 film The Heart of Sister Ann. In 1920 he directed his first film, and went on to direct a further ten including The Chinese Puzzle before...
as Lt. Baring - Teddy ArundellTeddy Arundell-Selected filmography:* Nelson * Mr. Wu * The Elusive Pimpernel * The Amateur Gentleman * The Tavern Knight * Greatheart * The Four Just Men * General John Regan...
as Ginger - Peggy CarlislePeggy Carlisle-Selected filmography:* The Man and the Moment * The Rocks of Valpre * Comradeship * Broken Bottles * Motherland * Hindle Wakes...
as Peggy - Dallas CairnsDallas Cairns-Selected filmography:* Guy Fawkes * The Royal Oak * The York Mystery * Rodney Fails to Qualify * Sally Bishop * Pearl of the South Seas...
as Liebeman - Kate Gurney as Housekeeper
External links
- Comradeship at BFI Film & TV Database