Hearts of the World

Plot

Set in a peaceful French village before World War I, 'Hearts of the World' follows the intertwined lives of young lovers who grow up together in idyllic circumstances. The story centers on The Boy (Robert Harron) and The Girl (Lillian Gish), whose budding romance is interrupted when war breaks out and the men are called to serve. As the German army invades and occupies their village, bringing destruction and suffering, the young people must endure separation, hardship, and the brutality of occupation. The Girl and her family face torture and persecution at the hands of the cruel German commandant, while The Boy fights on the front lines. The villagers resist their oppressors through acts of bravery and sacrifice, some successful and others tragic, until French troops finally arrive to liberate their town and reunite the lovers.

Historical Background

'Hearts of the World' was created during a pivotal moment in world history - the final year of World War I, when the United States had recently joined the Allied forces. The film emerged from a unique collaboration between Hollywood and the British government, representing one of the earliest examples of cinema being used as an instrument of international policy and propaganda. When production began in 1917, the outcome of the war remained uncertain, and the British government desperately needed American military and financial support. The film's release in March 1918 came just months before the war's end, capturing the patriotic fervor and anxiety of the period. It reflected contemporary attitudes about the war as a clear moral struggle between good and evil, with the Germans portrayed as brutal oppressors and the French as innocent victims. The film's enormous success demonstrated cinema's growing power to shape public opinion and influence international affairs. It also represented the transition of film from mere entertainment to a serious art form capable of addressing complex social and political issues.

Making Of

The production of 'Hearts of the World' was one of the most ambitious and dangerous undertakings in early cinema history. Griffith, having already established his reputation with 'The Birth of a Nation' and 'Intolerance,' was approached by the British government in 1917 to create a propaganda film that would help bring America into WWI. The director took his commission seriously, insisting on authenticity at every turn. He traveled to Europe with his cast and crew, including Lillian and Dorothy Gish, filming in actual war-torn villages in France. The production faced numerous challenges: the constant threat of enemy fire, outbreaks of disease among the cast, and the emotional toll of witnessing real warfare. Griffith reportedly came under shell fire while filming and had to be rescued. The Gish sisters both became seriously ill during the European shoot, with Lillian developing life-threatening pneumonia. Despite these hardships, or perhaps because of them, the film achieved a remarkable level of authenticity that audiences of the time found deeply moving. The relationship between Griffith and Lillian Gish also deepened during this perilous production, though their romantic involvement would end a few years later.

Visual Style

The cinematography of 'Hearts of the World' represented a significant advancement in visual storytelling, combining Griffith's innovative studio techniques with groundbreaking location photography. Billy Bitzer, Griffith's longtime cinematographer, employed a range of techniques including deep focus, tracking shots, and carefully composed close-ups that heightened the emotional impact of key scenes. The contrast between the idyllic pre-war village scenes, shot with soft, romantic lighting, and the harsh, documentary-style war footage created a powerful visual narrative. Griffith's decision to film near actual battlefields resulted in some of the most authentic combat footage ever captured in narrative cinema up to that time. The cinematography particularly excelled in its treatment of Lillian Gish, using innovative lighting techniques to emphasize her ethereal beauty and emotional vulnerability. The film also featured impressive night photography and carefully staged crowd scenes that conveyed the scale of both village life and military operations. The visual style influenced countless subsequent war films, establishing conventions for contrasting peaceful domestic scenes with the chaos of warfare that would become standard in the genre.

Innovations

'Hearts of the World' featured several technical innovations that pushed the boundaries of early cinema. Griffith's use of authentic location footage shot near active battlefields represented a breakthrough in documentary-style filmmaking within narrative cinema. The production employed portable cameras and faster film stocks that allowed for more mobile photography in difficult conditions. The film's editing techniques, particularly the cross-cutting between the home front and battle scenes, created a sense of simultaneous action that heightened dramatic tension. Griffith also experimented with multiple camera angles and perspectives during the battle sequences, giving audiences a more immersive experience of warfare. The film's special effects, while primitive by modern standards, were innovative for their time, including carefully staged explosions and miniature work for large-scale battle scenes. The production also pioneered new techniques in makeup and costume design to realistically depict the physical toll of war on soldiers. Perhaps most significantly, the film demonstrated how narrative cinema could effectively incorporate documentary footage, blurring the line between fiction and reality in ways that would influence both feature filmmaking and documentary practice for decades to come.

Music

As a silent film, 'Hearts of the World' would have been accompanied by live musical performances during its theatrical run. The original score was composed by Victor Herbert, one of the most prominent American composers of the era, who created a lush, romantic orchestral score that emphasized the film's emotional peaks and valleys. Herbert's composition included leitmotifs for the main characters and contrasting themes for the peaceful village scenes versus the violent war sequences. The score also incorporated popular patriotic songs of the period, including 'La Marseillaise' during the French liberation scenes. For major theatrical engagements, full orchestras performed the score, while smaller theaters used organists or pianists with cue sheets provided by the production company. The music was specifically designed to enhance the film's propaganda elements, with stirring martial themes accompanying the French soldiers and dissonant, ominous music underscoring the German occupation. The original score has been largely lost, though some fragments survive in archival collections, and modern restorations typically feature newly composed scores inspired by Herbert's original work.

Memorable Scenes

• The idyllic opening sequence showing the young lovers in the peaceful French village before the war, with its soft lighting and romantic atmosphere establishing the world that will be destroyed.
• The dramatic German invasion scene, with soldiers marching through the village streets and the terrified reactions of the villagers, effectively conveying the sudden shock of occupation.
• Lillian Gish's emotional breakdown scene as she receives news of her lover's supposed death, considered one of the most powerful performances of the silent era.
• The torture sequence where the German commandant interrogates the French villagers, notable for its restrained but powerful depiction of brutality.
• The final liberation scene with French troops entering the village and the emotional reunion of the lovers, providing cathartic resolution to the narrative.

What Critics Said

Contemporary critics overwhelmingly praised 'Hearts of the World' as Griffith's masterpiece since 'Intolerance.' The New York Times called it 'the most powerful and moving war picture ever produced' and praised Griffith's 'genius for capturing human emotion on screen.' Variety hailed it as 'a triumph of cinematic art' and particularly singled out Lillian Gish's performance as 'the finest acting ever seen in motion pictures.' The film's patriotic message resonated strongly with critics, who viewed it as a significant contribution to the war effort. Modern critics have a more complex relationship with the film, acknowledging its technical achievements and emotional power while criticizing its blatant propaganda elements and one-dimensional characterization of the German antagonists. Film historian Kevin Brownlow has called it 'Griffith's most technically accomplished film' while noting that its historical value as propaganda overshadows its artistic merits. The film is now studied primarily as an example of early war propaganda and for its innovative use of location filming during actual wartime conditions.

What Audiences Thought

Audiences in 1918 responded to 'Hearts of the World' with extraordinary enthusiasm, making it one of the biggest box office hits of the decade. The film played to packed theaters across America and Europe, with many viewers reportedly weeping openly during screening. Its emotional impact was so profound that it was credited with increasing enlistment numbers and war bond sales. Contemporary accounts describe audiences rising to their feet and cheering during the liberation scenes. The film's success was particularly notable given that it was released while the war was still ongoing, making its content immediate and relevant to viewers. Veterans and families with loved ones at the front found the film's depiction of warfare particularly moving. The character of 'The Little Disturber' played by Dorothy Gish became a cultural phenomenon, with audiences demanding more of her comic relief in Griffith's subsequent films. The film's popularity extended internationally, though it was predictably banned in Germany and Austria. Even decades after its release, veterans of WWI continued to cite 'Hearts of the World' as the most authentic depiction of their wartime experiences.

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