The Greatest Thing in Life
Encyclopedia
The Greatest Thing in Life is a 1918 drama film
about World War I
, directed by D. W. Griffith
and starring Lillian Gish
, Robert Harron
, and David Butler. The film is considered to be a lost film
, as no prints are known to exist. This film was released later in the same year as Griffith's more famous World War I film, Hearts of the World
, which also stars Lillian Gish and Robert Harron. The Greatest Thing in Life was renowned for two main aspects: the groundbreaking portrait photography style of Henrik Sartov, and a "new and daring" interracial kiss between a white officer and a black soldier (both male).
was invited by the British government to film on actual World War I
battlefields. Griffith had originally intended to make only a single picture with the material, but came back with over 86,000 feet and decided to turn it into three. The chief production was Hearts of the World
, with The Great Love and The Greatest Thing in Life made with the leftover battlefield footage. Some of the footage was filmed on the Marne River
in Château-Thierry, France
. There is some speculation, however, as to whether some of the shots originated in Salisbury Plain
, in the United Kingdom
, or was footage purchased by Griffith from Franz Kleinschmidt.
Drama film
A drama film is a film genre that depends mostly on in-depth development of realistic characters dealing with emotional themes. Dramatic themes such as alcoholism, drug addiction, infidelity, moral dilemmas, racial prejudice, religious intolerance, poverty, class divisions, violence against women...
about 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...
, directed by D. W. Griffith
D. W. Griffith
David Llewelyn Wark Griffith was a premier pioneering American film director. He is best known as the director of the controversial and groundbreaking 1915 film The Birth of a Nation and the subsequent film Intolerance .Griffith's film The Birth of a Nation made pioneering use of advanced camera...
and starring Lillian Gish
Lillian Gish
Lillian Diana Gish was an American stage, screen and television actress whose film acting career spanned 75 years, from 1912 to 1987....
, Robert Harron
Robert Harron
Robert "Bobby" Harron was an American motion picture actor of the early silent film era. Although he acted in scores of films, he is possibly best remembered for his roles in the D.W. Griffith directed films Intolerance and The Birth of a Nation...
, and David Butler. The film is considered to be a lost film
Lost film
A lost film is a feature film or short film that is no longer known to exist in studio archives, private collections or public archives such as the Library of Congress, where at least one copy of all American films are deposited and catalogued for copyright reasons...
, as no prints are known to exist. This film was released later in the same year as Griffith's more famous World War I film, Hearts of the World
Hearts of the World
Hearts of the World is a silent film directed by D.W. Griffith, a wartime propaganda classic that was filmed on location in Britain and near the Western Front, made at the request of the British Government to change the neutral mindset of the American public.-Plot:Two families live next to one...
, which also stars Lillian Gish and Robert Harron. The Greatest Thing in Life was renowned for two main aspects: the groundbreaking portrait photography style of Henrik Sartov, and a "new and daring" interracial kiss between a white officer and a black soldier (both male).
Cast
- Robert HarronRobert HarronRobert "Bobby" Harron was an American motion picture actor of the early silent film era. Although he acted in scores of films, he is possibly best remembered for his roles in the D.W. Griffith directed films Intolerance and The Birth of a Nation...
- Edward Livingston - Lillian GishLillian GishLillian Diana Gish was an American stage, screen and television actress whose film acting career spanned 75 years, from 1912 to 1987....
- Jeannette Peret - David Butler - Mr. Le Bebe
- Peaches JacksonPeaches JacksonPeaches Jackson was an American film actress. Her sister, Mary Ann Jackson also became a child actor, and appeared in many Little Rascals short films for Hal Roach...
- Miss Peaches - Adolph Lestina - Leo Peret
- Elmo LincolnElmo LincolnElmo Lincoln was an American film actor.Born Otto Elmo Linkenhelt, the barrel-chested actor is best known in his silent movie role as the first Tarzan in 1918's Tarzan of the Apes as an adult --...
- The American soldier - Edward Peil Sr.Edward Peil Sr.Edward Peil Sr. was an American film actor. He appeared in over 370 films between 1913 and 1951. He was born in Racine, Wisconsin, and died in Hollywood, California.-Selected filmography:...
- The German officer - Kate BruceKate BruceKate Bruce was an American actress of the silent era. She appeared in 289 films between 1908 and 1931.She was born in Columbus, Indiana and died in New York, New York.-Selected filmography:* The Golden Louis...
- Jeannette's aunt - ZaSu PittsZaSu PittsZaSu Pitts was an American actress who starred in many silent dramas and comedies, transitioning to comedy sound films.-Early life:ZaSu Pitts was born in Parsons, Kansas to Rulandus and Nellie Pitts; she was the third of four children...
- (scenes deleted) - Ernest Butterworth - (uncredited)
- Carol DempsterCarol DempsterCarol Dempster was an American film actress of the silent film era.-Biography:Born in Duluth, Minnesota, Dempster got her start in films as a protégé of legendary film director D.W. Griffith alongside other Griffith actresses of the mid-1910s Lillian and Dorothy Gish and Mae Marsh...
- Dancer (uncredited) - Fred MalatestaFred MalatestaFred Malatesta was an American film actor. He appeared in 118 films between 1915 and 1941.He was born in Naples, Italy and died in Burbank, California.-Selected filmography:* The Legion of Death...
- (uncredited) - Lucille YoungLucille YoungLucille Young was a French actress of the early silent film era.Young was born Lucia Medina in Lyon, France, appearing in vaudeville on American stage prior to moving to Hollywood to pursue a career in the pioneering days of early film making...
- (uncredited)
Background
After attaining significant fame as a director of war pictures, D. W. GriffithD. W. Griffith
David Llewelyn Wark Griffith was a premier pioneering American film director. He is best known as the director of the controversial and groundbreaking 1915 film The Birth of a Nation and the subsequent film Intolerance .Griffith's film The Birth of a Nation made pioneering use of advanced camera...
was invited by the British government to film on actual 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...
battlefields. Griffith had originally intended to make only a single picture with the material, but came back with over 86,000 feet and decided to turn it into three. The chief production was Hearts of the World
Hearts of the World
Hearts of the World is a silent film directed by D.W. Griffith, a wartime propaganda classic that was filmed on location in Britain and near the Western Front, made at the request of the British Government to change the neutral mindset of the American public.-Plot:Two families live next to one...
, with The Great Love and The Greatest Thing in Life made with the leftover battlefield footage. Some of the footage was filmed on the Marne River
Marne River
The Marne is a river in France, a right tributary of the Seine in the area east and southeast of Paris. It is long. The river gave its name to the départements of Haute-Marne, Marne, Seine-et-Marne, and Val-de-Marne....
in Château-Thierry, France
Château-Thierry
Château-Thierry is a commune in northern France about east-northeast of Paris. It is a sub-prefecture of the Aisne department in Picardy.-History:...
. There is some speculation, however, as to whether some of the shots originated in Salisbury Plain
Salisbury Plain
Salisbury Plain is a chalk plateau in central southern England covering . It is part of the Southern England Chalk Formation and largely lies within the county of Wiltshire, with a little in Hampshire. The plain is famous for its rich archaeology, including Stonehenge, one of England's best known...
, in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, or was footage purchased by Griffith from Franz Kleinschmidt.