Dawn (1928)

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Director:

Herbert Wilcox

Writers:

Reginald Berkeley (story)
Robert Cullen (scenario)

Release Date:

1 March 1928 (UK)

Genre:

Drama | War

Tagline:

"I hope it will Take its lessons to the End of the Earth" - George Bernard Shaw (original one-sheet poster)

Plot Keywords:

Censored | Neutrality | International | Germany | Capture

Cast

Sybil Thorndike	...	Nurse Edith Cavell
Ada Bodart	...	Herself (as Madame Ada Bodart)
Gordon Craig	...	Philippe Bodart
Marie Ault	...	Mme. Rappard
Mickey Brantford	...	Jacques Rappard
Mary Brough	...	Mme. Pitou
Richard Worth	...	Jean Pitou - Bargekeeper
Colin Bell	...	Widow Deveaux
Dacia Deane	...	Mme. Deveaux's Daughter
Cecil Barry	...	Col. Schultz
Frank Perfitt	...	Gen. von Zauberzweig
Haddon Mason	...	German A.P.M.
Maurice Braddell	...	British Airman
Edward O'Neill	...	Lutheran Priest
Griffith Humphreys	...	President of the Court Martial

Runtime:

UK:90 min | USA:80 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Silent

Company:

Herbert Wilcox Productions

Trivia:

A copy of this film survives at the British Film Institute.

Book-of-the-film

The notorious case of the English nurse Edith Cavell, who was executed by the German invaders of Belgium during the First World War, because she helped retreating allied soldiers to evade capture, was the basis for this film, which was (incredibly) banned in Britain.

As a viewing of the film seems unlikely to all but a privileged minority of archival professionals, the original 'Book-of-the-film' may still be obtained from second-hand booksellers to give some idea of its approach to the subject. It is:

Dawn / by Reginald Berkeley. - London : The London Book Co., 1928] - The Novel Library.

This novelization of the film is 240 pages in length, and includes 8 production stills.