War Brides
Cast & Crew
Herbert Brenon
Alla Nazimova
Charles Hutchinson
Charles Bryant
William Bailey
Richard Barthelmess
Film Details
Synopsis
In an imaginary kingdom, four brothers are drafted and go to war, leaving behind their mother, their sister Amelia, and Joan, the wife of the eldest. News arrives of a great battle in which all four brothers were killed, and Joan is prevented from taking her own life only by her responsibility to her unborn child. When the government decides that unmarried women should be compelled to marry departing soldiers to provide a fresh supply of manpower in future years, Joan becomes an activist against the edict and is sent to jail. During the king's visit to her town, Joan escapes from prison and leads a contingent of women to meet the king, vowing that she shall not bear her child unless the king promises an end to war. The king tells the women that there will always be war, and Joan forthwith shoots herself. The women raise her body on their hands and continue their struggle.
Director
Herbert Brenon
Cast
Alla Nazimova
Charles Hutchinson
Charles Bryant
William Bailey
Richard Barthelmess
Nila Mac
Gertrude Berkeley
Alex K. Shannon
Robert Whitworth
Ned Burton
Theodora Warfield
Charles Chailles
Crew
Film Details
Quotes
Trivia
Notes
Wentworth's playlet became popular in vaudeville. Several cities and states banned or threatened to ban the film because of its alleged pacifism, and in 1917 Selznick had the film re-edited to give it an anti-German bias. This was Nazimova's first film appearance. Exteriors for the film were shot at Lake Waramang, CT.
