When the Great War began in 1914, the United States remained neutral for nearly three years. England was especially wearing down from the European conflict and wanted desparately to have the economic muscle as well as the armed services of the U. S. behind them. Before the U. S. entered the war in April 1917, the British government, through its Department of Information, commissioned D. W. Griffith to direct a movie to show how brutal and lustful the German soldiers and its officers were. The end result was March 1918's "Hearts of the World," released almost a year after America's war declaration but not quite yet in its forwarding troops to the front lines.
"Hearts of the World" turns out then to serve as a motivational film justifying why the U. S. declared war on the Central Powers. The plot involves a small French village caught in the middle of the Western Front lines. A romance develops between Bobby Harron (the Boy) and Lillian Gish (the Girl) in the town before the war. When the Germans invade France, Bobby joins the Allies while Lillian remains in her village. A series of events leads to a Griffith-type intercutting exciting conclusion where the two are being attacked by the Germans while the Allies are attempting to take the village.
While most of the movie was filmed in the crumbling sets of the earlier Griffith film "Intolerance" in Los Angeles (the director suffered large loses from the 1916 film and wasn't financially able to dismantle the sets), the battle sequences took place in Surrey, England, far from the actual fighting. Griffith had gained permission to film some scenes near the front trenches early on the production. While scouting for locations in France, a German artillery barrage surprised Griffith and his team. He and his assistant were able to scramble into a trench's bunker, but the two soldiers escorting the pair were killed as well several soldiers standing nearby were injured from the blasts.
While in England, Griffith was introduced to King George V and Queen Mary as well as several of London's higher-ups, who played extras in the film. Included was playwright Noel Coward, seen at the two-minute mark as an extra pushing a wheelbarrow.
"Hearts of the World" turns out then to serve as a motivational film justifying why the U. S. declared war on the Central Powers. The plot involves a small French village caught in the middle of the Western Front lines. A romance develops between Bobby Harron (the Boy) and Lillian Gish (the Girl) in the town before the war. When the Germans invade France, Bobby joins the Allies while Lillian remains in her village. A series of events leads to a Griffith-type intercutting exciting conclusion where the two are being attacked by the Germans while the Allies are attempting to take the village.
While most of the movie was filmed in the crumbling sets of the earlier Griffith film "Intolerance" in Los Angeles (the director suffered large loses from the 1916 film and wasn't financially able to dismantle the sets), the battle sequences took place in Surrey, England, far from the actual fighting. Griffith had gained permission to film some scenes near the front trenches early on the production. While scouting for locations in France, a German artillery barrage surprised Griffith and his team. He and his assistant were able to scramble into a trench's bunker, but the two soldiers escorting the pair were killed as well several soldiers standing nearby were injured from the blasts.
While in England, Griffith was introduced to King George V and Queen Mary as well as several of London's higher-ups, who played extras in the film. Included was playwright Noel Coward, seen at the two-minute mark as an extra pushing a wheelbarrow.