Crashing Through to Berlin
Brief Synopsis
Cast & Crew
Jack Cohn
Carl Laemmle
Carl Laemmle
Windsor Mckay
F. H. Mckean
U. K. Whipple
Film Details
Synopsis
This documentary chronicles the main events of World War I, starting with the funeral of Francis Ferdinand, the Archduke of Austria, and his consort in 1914. Following scenes of the German invasion and occupation of Belgium, the entrance of the Allied armies, comprising Russian, French, English, Italian, Canadian, and American troops, is shown. War footage includes scenes from the battles of Louvain, the Marne, and Verdun, Alpine warfare in Italy, the Allied campaigns in Egypt, Mesopotamia and Palestine, and the battles at Catigny and Chateau-Thierry in France. In addition, the sinking of the Aztec and the Lusitania are depicted through the use of animation. Both German and Allied troops, as lead by Paul von Hindenburg of Germany, Sir Sam Hughes of England, General Gerard Mathieu Leman of Belgium, General Carlo Cadorna, Commander-in-Chief of the Italian army, and General John Pershing are featured, along with shots of Kaiser Wilhelm, the Crown Prince Wilhelm, King Albert, and Woodrow Wilson. Also seen is footage of shipbuilding in the United States and of the exploits of the Allied aviators.
Crew
Film Details
Quotes
Trivia
Notes
This film was compiled from footage originally released through Universal's weekly Screen Magazine and Current Events, a series of animated and newsreel shorts. On August 11, 1918, Carl Laemmle screened the film in New York for the U.S. Committee on Public Information, which approved its release with a few deletions. The copyright submission credits S. H. Mackean as scenarist, but as the film was composed mainly of documentary footage, the F. H. McKean "titles by" credit as listed in Wid's is probably more accurate. Some sources list the film at six reels.
