The Girl who Stayed at Home

Directed by D.W. Griffith •

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The Girl Who Stayed at Home (D.W. Griffith, March 1919) screenplay Stanner E.V. Taylor, camera Billy Bitzer with Carol Dempster, Richard Barthelmess, Bobby Harron, Kate Bruce and Clarine Seymour for D.W. Griffith Productions, distribution Famous Players-Lasky Corporation, Artcraft Pictures Corporation ¹.

‘On a June day, gold with spring and blossoms, in an old chateau in the pleasant valley of the Marne, Monsieur France sits dreaming. It is his boast that he is the only citizen of the Confederate States of America who has never surrendered. At the end of the Civil War he escapes to his father’s home in France rather than submit to the Yankees. ‘We see a French castle from the outside and from the inside. Monsieur France sits in a stylish room and looks up at ‘The flag of the Confederacy’ hanging above the door. He thinks (mental POV 00:01:39 – 00:02:34) of the fight in the Civil War and at that time, as a young man he says to a Union soldier: ‘I shall never surrender! I shall go to a foreign land.’ ‘For a small price he purchases the run-down home of his forefathers, and lives in this foreign land – the sole citizen of the Confederate States of America.’ And he remembers how, as a young man, after he had settled in the house, he has his staff put up the Confederate Flag above the door.

‘With the passing of a generation he is again alone, save for his one grandchild, a young blossom from the old stock’. The granddaughter comes in and runs into her grandfather’s arms and then sits on his lap. ‘Her New York chum at the Paris school visits Madamoiselle Atoline while touring Europe with her family.’ Two cars’s arrive at the castle and the guests are welcomed warmly by Monsieur France. Atoline’s girlfriend gets a hand kiss and the gentlemen shake hands. ‘Mr. Ralph Grey (Richard Barthelmess) is the chum’s elder brother.’ Edward Grey, the girlfriend’s father points to the Confederate Flag, which Mr. France says: ‘I am not an American, I am a citizen of the Confederate States.’ Mr. Grey thinks that’s rather funny.

‘That evening’, ‘The Count de Brissac, her favorite suitor’ passes by. ‘In the spring moonlight Mademoiselle Atoline displays her amateur talents – the fad of the hour.’ In the garden is a whole group of ladies and gentlemen in nice clothes. A string band plays while Atoline performs a rather clumsy dance. Ralph Grey watches breathlessly. ‘Mr. Grey and the Count the Brissac are impressed.’ ‘Later that same evening’ the Count and Atoline walk through the garden. Ralph Grey also approaches and he caresses a flower (00:07:48), apparently he is a little in love. When he sits on a bench with Atoline, the Count gives a high-flown story that does not make much of an impression on Atoline. It is striking that there is not a single flower to be seen around the bench (00:07:59). ‘Following the long-understood family plans Mademoiselle consents to a betrothal. ‘A short time later the young American…’ sits with Atoline on a similar bench that is now surrounded by a sea of flowers (00:08:51). Ralph holds a rose and points to it (00:08:53), saying: ‘I know a French rose – how well it would bloom in America! You – you are that rose.’ But Atoline, Miss Dempster, watches as love is declared to her, with the blank look we are used to from her. Suddenly Ralph kisses her on the cheek and she is terrified. That was not the intention. ‘To one of her training, her betrothal is as sacred as marriage and love for another a temptation that must be conquered.’ She says goodbye to Grey with a cool hand. ‘The tragedy of youth.’ Ralph Grey is disappointed, and is making a fuss by throwing himself on the ground in despair. Atoline sees him lying there, runs to him and says: ‘Did I encourage you? I am very sorry.’ And, ‘as thousands have promised before, so does she: If ever I need a true friend, I will let you know.’ The departure.’ The automobiles drive leave the castle.

‘In the spring of 1914 Mlle Atoline returns the visit of the American friends.’ She is welcomed into the Grey family home. And then arrives ‘the younger brother, just out of college – familiarly known as Jim, The Oily Peril = Heart-breaker.’ ‘Note the killing slough’ (Beware the deadly swamp: Watch this guy. He looks smooth, but he introduces moral decay and emotional ruin and leaves women devastated). Jim / James quite pushy introduces himself to Atoline and when she steps back he stands close to her. Ralph runs towards Atoline, but is pushed aside by Jim when he speaks to her, after which he pushes towards Atoline again. ‘The very next day’ Jim and Atoline walk through the park and sit on a bench. And then there appears a man, ‘The pride of the Turnverein – half drunk and half German.’ He sits down right next to Atoline. Jim says: ‘If they start a war and America gets in…’ Turnverein behaves rudely and says: ‘Americans fight, eh! Put up your fists and show me!’ He challenges Jim to fight him, but Jim is reluctant and tries to avoid Turnverein. Turnverein thinks he’s a wimp and leaves. Jim returns to Atoline with a shattered sense of honor and says: ‘Just a couple more words and he’d have had me started.’ Now Ralph Grey appears, sits next to Atoline and gets all her attention. ‘The day of Mademoiselle Atoline’s return home’ she says goodbye to Ralph: ‘Remember my promise, if you ever need me, I will come.’

‘Now comes the day that shall live as long as history … August 3rd, 1914 … and her betrothed goes with the legions of France.’ Atoline has a flower in her hands and puts it in the buttonhole of the uniform of the Count de Brissac (00:16:45) and he kisses her goodbye. Ralph Grey is lost in thought and thinks about Atoline: ‘Memories that will not die.’ ‘So also in Germany, one Johann August Kant, of the same family as that Immanel Kant, who once said Europe should be a chain of republics … for which he was censored by the King of Prussia.’ Johann says goodbye to his mother, receives a locket from her with her photo and kisses her deeply. Mother is left sad and worried. ‘Also the Turnverein gentleman is called to service in Germany’ but he tears up his call, he is safe in the USA.

‘In due time America enters the war.’ Father Edward Grey reads that in the newspaper: ‘The elder Grey is against America’s participation’ and crumples the newspaper. ‘This country in war! Civilization set back a hundred years!’ But Ralph disagrees and thinks of Atoline (mental POV 00:19:16). ‘The elder son angers the father by declaring his intention to enlist.’ And Jim is also very surprised, but after thinking about it for a moment decides: ‘Brother’s right father. I think perhaps I want to fight too.’ ‘Oh, Sit Down!’ Jim nods politely. ‘Now appears little Cutie Beautiful, so named by the management of the Broadway café, where she entertains.’ She is walking around in her room and is ‘rehearsing the latest song: Papa, there’s another picture in Mamma’s frame.’ She dances and sings to the music of the gramophone. Clarine Seymour immediately makes a much more lively and expressive impression than the flat Carol Dempster. The maid puts on Cutie’s shoes, while she continues to play the music. Jim telephones to Cutie Beatiful and slumps in a chair (00:21:30) while she lies in an embryonic position in her chair. While calling (relational cross-cut 00:21:41, both are curled up in a chair). Later in the film we see Jim lying in an similar embryonic position on the battlefield, while Cutie is curled up in a chair sobbing (cross-cut at 00:51:14). (In ‘Hearts of the World is a similar relational cross-cut: the image of the Boy lying on the battlefield in a wet bomb crater is linked at 01:28:59 to the image of the Girl lying in a similar embryonic position in her warm bed and looking at the photo of her fiancé (both lie in an embryonic position, but in completely different circumstances. The similarity of the shots is determined by the attitude, the relationship between the shots by their love bond, but otherwise there are only differences: wet, cold and unsafe versus dry, warm and safe.) Jim says: ‘I want to fight but Dad won’t let me.’ Cutie doesn’t think that’s a good idea. Jim says: ‘How about a little stepping tonight?’ Cutie thinks that is a better plan and she gives Jim kisses over the phone, which are answered by Jim.

‘Bright lights.’ Jim and Cutie are in a cafe, where they also dance very closely and he suddenly kisses her. ‘Afterwards’ he takes her back home, where he refuses to leave. She says: ‘It’s late, you have to go.’ She hands him his hat and he pretends to leave, but immediately closes the door and stays, much to her annoyance. ‘Oily is a grafter (a swindler) … he has to be bribed to leave.’ She gives him a kiss on the mouth and he leaves satisfied. ‘While brother Ralph steals away to duty.’ Ralph walks past his sleeping father in the bedroom and encounters his mother. ‘After several stops on the way’ Jim comes home drunk, where he bumps into Ralph: ‘I am going to war.’ Jim shakes Ralph’s hand and Ralph leaves. Jim says: _‘We’_re a fighting family … my brother is gone to war.

‘Cutie Beautiful meets an old friend’ who is already waiting for her in the cafe. Meanwhile, Ralph is already in the training camp exercising. While father is hoeing in the garden ‘Mademoiselle Atoline brings the glad news of America taking part in the war’. ‘Now comes the draft.’ Jim shows his father the newspaper: ‘Father look what happened.’ Father considers how he can prevent Jim from being drafted. ‘Father, with interests in ship building, declares his son essential.’ We see the launching of a ship. The friend comes to visit Cutie at home and brings a box of chocolates. ‘Playing with fire.’ She puts a chocolate in his mouth. ‘Cutie loves jewels, but …’ The lover has brought a gift, a necklace that she loves and that he hangs on her (00:28:07). But he wants something in return, and she dislikes that and she avoids him. He tries to grab her (00:28:20), but she angrily resists. ‘A heavyweight job, juggling time cards. An important task, sorting time clock cards. An investigating officer sees how the essential task is performed by Jim: ‘Oh, I’m essential all right … just ask them … they’ll tell you.’

The French castle has now been transformed into a field hospital. The wounded lie in bed and stagger around. ‘Among the wounded ‘Mademoiselle Atoline’s betrothed’ is brought into one of the luxurious bedrooms. Monsieur France warns Atoline not to be shocked too much. She sits down by his bed and gives him a kiss. ‘Dim words.’ She reads him from the Bible.

Jim reads a decision from the Ministry of War: ‘He is put in Class 1-A.’ He lets his father read it and he immediately responds. They appear before ‘The Local Exemption Board’, but don’t stand a chance. Then at ‘The District Board.’ ‘Your influence won’t go here. Uncle Sam doesn’t care who you are … that boy has got to fight!’ Edward Grey answers: ‘I will carry this to Washington.’ Jim is now fed up and walks to the chairman of the committee and says: ‘Say, I want to fight … but Father won’t let me.’ The chairman answers: ‘I wouldn’t worry … You’ll fight all right!’ ‘It is carried to Provost Marshall Crowder … (chief of military police), to General March, to Secretary of War Baker … and he meets the same consideration as his butler’s son … ending in the training camp where he belongs.’ ‘Where this…’ we see the boy in a group doing gymnastic exercises ‘and this’ more exercises ‘and this’ walking on all fours ‘produce this result next morning’: Jim is as stiff as a board and has pain in all muscles. ‘Service.’ Atoline is adjusting uniforms behind the sewing machine and finds a uniform with bullet holes and blood. Her fingers are covered in blood and she is very worried thinking about the fallen soldier.

‘Oily after training.’ He has become a completely different man, walks upright and is self-confident. He remembers the humiliating experience in the park with Turnverein (mental POV 00:35:06) when he couldn’t defend himself. ‘The farewell dinner.’ Jim arrives at Cutie’s room in his military uniform, where the table is already set. Cutie thinks the military training has done Jim good. Jim says: ‘That’s chest … compliments of Uncle Sam!’ Over dinner Jim says: ‘Say, I was all wrong! If I get through alive and come back I’ll be a different man.’ And Cutie with a loving look in her eyes says ‘You’re so sincere … you make me…’ Cutie is crying. She has to confess: ‘I flirted with two men.’ But Jim doesn’t mind at all: ‘Look at me … thirty-one janes …’ Cutie plays with the necklace she got from the persistent elderly lover (mental POV 00:37:14). ‘A man…’ And she rips off the necklace and throws it on the ground. ‘Believe me, I’ll be so straight!’ and Jim says: ‘I will trust you.’ Just you, forever!’ says Cutie and she kisses Jim fervently.

‘One of the very best of the two million rings the American boys bought before leaving for France.’ Jim holds Cutie’s hand and they both look at the ring. On ‘The final parting moment’ they kiss each other fervently and Cutie can’t let go. ‘They had it that bad’: she clings to him. Mademoiselle Atoline’s seriously injured fiancée is still in the hospital in the castle. ‘So vilts the flower of France.’ Atoline holds a rose near her weakened fiancé and puts it in his hand (00:40:28). He brings the rose to his nose, but then drops the rose. Then she helps him bring the rose to his nose. But from 00:40:45 we see in close-up how the rose loses its petals one by one and the Count de Brissac dies. Carol Dempster is unable to show sadness, so Griffith had to use an insert with a neutral studio background to save the edit.

Cutie writes a letter to Jim: ‘… and don’t flirts with french Janes’ and she kisses Jim’s photo with love. Monsieur France and the father of the Count de Brisac visit his grave and Monsieur France prays: ‘Twice the country of my heart broken! Oh, God is there no help? Who will save us?’ Atoline is standing before the old shrine. We see ‘America’s legions in France…’ marching in column. Jim walks between them and is followed by us in a backward tracking shot (00:42:45). ‘The trenches in France’ look neatly swept. Jim is reading Cutie’s letter and laughs. There are coming ‘reinforcements from a depot replacement division.’ (A depot division was a holding and training pool in France. Soldiers arrived from the U.S., got their final training and when the frontline suffered losses, individual men were pulled from this pool to fill the gaps left by the wounded or dead). New men walk into the trenches and Jim sees thereby his brother Ralph sitting next to him and he casually asks for a light.’ Ralph sees Jim and is very happy to see him again. Meanwhile, Cutie is praying: ‘Oh bring him back to me … and … and … please don’t let any French jane get him!’ ‘A different prayer.’ In the German trench Johann August Kant is looking at the locket with a photo of his mother (extreme close-up 00:44:26). And he prays: ‘God, save us from our enemies … save us from ourselves.’ Johann’s mother is mourning anxiously at home. Meanwhile, the battle continues and Jim sees Turnverein in German uniform and helmet in a bomb crater. He is reminded of the confrontation with Turnverein in the park (mental POV 00:45:02) and takes revenge by fighting him. The two fight to the death in the bomb crater, where explosives also detonate. The fight continues in clouds of smoke. Finally, Jim has Turnverein by the throat and nearly strangles him. ‘Look at me … see … who is it!’ Jim chases the German away with his bayonet. Jim’s colleagues’s say: ‘Stop that noise! Start a new battle for one punk prisoner!’ ‘Oily slides into a night patrol.’ Oily crawls across the pitch-black battlefield. ‘The accidental meeting. His search rewarded.’ He sees ‘Turnverein’ standing in the trench.

‘The brothers’ company lost beyond their objective.’ (They have gone beyond their objective and lost contact with their fellow’s, which is dangerous because they are then left without cover and provisions in enemy territory). Jim and Ralph run across the battlefield and dive into a trench. Further on, a German machine gun post is dug in. They climb out of the trench and run into the open field and dive back into a trench. ‘Surrounded, the little company refuses to surrender. ‘Oily braves death to slide back to the main line for help.’ He crawls across the battlefield. Meanwhile, the obtrusive lover visits Cutie again. He offers her a brilliant ring, which she accepts, looks at (extreme close-up 00:49:07) and, remembering how Jim offered her a ring before he left (mental POV 00:49:18), gives it back with a clear gesture, along with the box for the necklace. The lover doesn’t understand it and wants to sit next to her, but she tells him it’s time, he has to leave: ‘This way out!’ But he doesn’t get up, even when she opens the door. And in the end she has to forcibly remove him from her room. When the man has disappeared, she kisses Jim’s photo. Jim crawls across the field, injures himself on barbed wire and ends up in a bomb crater. Cutie reads Jim’s letter and kisses it, after which she kisses his portrait and hugs it and lies on the handrail of the chair, sobbing. In the same position, but mirrored, Jim lies in the bomb crater (relational cross-cut 00:51:14 same position, but in very different circumstances). Jim feels a hand as he lies there, which turns out to be that of a dead soldier. He reacts in panic. Ralph climbs into an abandoned machine gun nest and is reminded of how he sat in the park with Atoline (mental POV 00:51:50). At ‘the end of the tortuous three days journey… the supply of water and food gives out, but still they refuse to surrender.’ Ralph lies with an exhausted fellow soldier in the machine gun nest and Jim crawls through no man’s land and manages to reach ‘the main line’. Fellow soldiers catch him in the trench, after which Jim reports to the commander.

Mademoiselle and grandfather are the last to leave the chateau before the German advance. They leave by automobile via a road with fleeing people, on foot, with carts and with horse and cart. We follow the car in backward tracking shots (from 00:53:15). A grenade hits right in front of their car, the car leaves the road, hits a tree and overturns. Atoline and her grandfather manage to get up after some time and walk ‘Back to the chateau’ where grenades are also hitting. They flee to the basement, where they take shelter. Ralph and his exhausted colleague lie in the machine gun nest, while ‘the Germans’, after an order from Johannes Kant, climb out of their trench and cross the battlefield. Ralph takes the machine gun and shoots at the rushing Germans. Kant is hit and falls down. ‘The little American Company still resists.’ Ralph feels the effects of the lack of water and thinks of Atoline (mental POV 00:56:15). ‘Food and drink for the lost company.’ A plane is loaded with water and food. The Germans have now arrived in the village and at the castle. ‘The Germans occupy the chateau.’ They move in with a whole horde. A German soldier carries a wounded German, it turns out to be Kant, into the cellar and lays him in the straw. Atoline gives grandfather a cup of wine to drink and she decides to give the dying German soldier who is begging for ‘Wasser, Wasser!’ also a cup of wine. ‘Mercy – the woman’s part.’ The soldier thanks her and groans ‘Mutter, Mutter.’ Atoline, who was previously filled with hatred, now thaws and loosens Kant’s clothes. He appears to have a bleeding abdominal wound. Planes drop water and food for the isolated soldiers and Ralph gives his buddy a drink.

Cutie is knitting to the beat of the music while she taps along with her feet. The record that is being played is entitled: ‘When You Come Back (Victor Talking Machine Co).’ ‘The upper part of her is sad – but the feet still rag-time. On the battlefield that we see in a menacing 2:1 aspect ratio (00:59:30, 00:59:41) limited by black vignettes above and below, the American guns are roaring. A grenade also hits the castle, causing Atoline to dive backwards into the straw in the cellar (acoustic coupling 00:59:52). ‘Americans begin the great advance.’ Jim is ready in the trench and suddenly the entire company comes out of the trenches and crosses the battlefield. Another grenade hits the castle and a German soldier runs into the cellar. He sees Atoline there, immediately yanks her towards him and throws her back again. Atoline looks witheringly at him. ‘Angered by her taunt, he orders her with the other refugees into Germany.’ Meanwhile, the American advance continues unabated. The German soldier shakes Atoline and tries to overpower her. The wounded Kant calls him to order: ‘Fight men – not women.’ But the aggressive German doesn’t give a damn about that and drags Atoline back up and starts pulling down her clothes. Now Kant pulls out his gun and shoots the German, who is now really fighting with Atoline, down. Atoline regains her composure and falls into her grandfather’s arms. The American soldiers rush across the battlefield and kill an occasional German. Kant gives Atoline the locket with his mother’s photo (extreme close-up 01:03:45): ‘Mademoiselle, these to my mother’, after which Kant dies.

‘The Americans’ arrive at the castle and rush into the cellar. Atoline and grandfather thank the soldiers and leave the castle. While they are standing in front of the castle, a company of American soldiers passes by. Grandfather takes the Confederate Flag from his bag, but then realizes that the Stars and Stripes is the official American flag (mental POV 01:05:27). ‘The old Reb surrenders at last.’ He takes his hat off to the American flag that passes by.

Johann Kant’s mother receives the message that he has been killed and looks at the locket with her photo. ‘The great question.’ (Was it worth it, Why did so many have to die? The justification of sacrifice). Atoline and Ralph stand ‘Before the old shrine, sacred in their memories.’ Atoline is reminded of the rose she offered her fiancé on his deathbed and which lost its petals (mental POV 01:06:46). ‘His (Ralph’s) love asks to wipe away the tears – a little part of the young love that will sooth the wounds of the world.’ Atoline falls into Ralph’s arms and they kiss.

Cutie is sewing by gramophone music ‘Two hours before he …’ But there’s Jim already. ‘Ahead of time! How dare you?’ They fall into each other’s arms and kiss deeply. The gramophone record is over, but they don’t notice it. The parents of Ralph and Jim read in the newspaper that Lieutenant Ralph Grey and private James Grey are listed among those recommended for the Distinguished Service Cross. That makes them proud: ‘I told you so! We come from Fighting Stock!’ The end.

Mental POV:

Monsieur France looks up at ‘The flag of the Confederacy’ hanging above the door. He thinks (mental POV 00:01:39 – 00:02:34) of the fight in the Civil War and how he at that time, as a young man said to a Union soldier: ‘I shall never surrender!
‘The elder Grey is against America’s participation’. ‘This country in war! Civilization set back a hundred years!’ But Ralph disagrees and thinks of Atoline (mental POV 00:19:16).
After training Oily has become a completely different man, walks upright and is self-confident. He remembers the humiliating experience in the park with Turnverein (mental POV 00:35:06), when he couldn’t defend himself.
Cutie remembers how she got the necklace from the persistent elderly lover (mental POV 00:37:14). ‘A man…’
Jim sees Turnverein in German uniform and helmet in a bomb crater. He is reminded of the confrontation with Turnverein in the park (mental POV 00:45:02) and takes revenge by fighting him.
The obtrusive lover visits Cutie again. He offers her a brilliant ring, which she accepts. But remembering how Jim offered her a ring before he left (mental POV 00:49:18), she gives the ring back with a clear gesture, along with the box for the necklace.
Ralph feels the effects of the lack of water and thinks of Atoline (mental POV 00:56:15).
Grandfather takes the Confederate Flag from his bag, but then realizes that the Stars and Stripes is the official American flag (mental POV 01:05:27). ‘The old Reb surrenders at last.’ He takes his hat off to the American flag that passes by.
Atoline is reminded of the rose she offered her fiancé on his deathbed and which lost its petals (mental POV 01:06:46).

Relational cross-cut:

Jim telephones to Cutie Beatiful and slumps in a chair (00:21:30) while she lies in an embryonic position in her chair. While calling (relational cross-cut 00:21:41, both are curled up in a chair). Later in the film we see Jim lying in a similar embryonic position on the battlefield, while Cutie is curled up in a chair sobbing (cross-cut at 00:51:14).

(In ‘Hearts of the World is a similar relational cross-cut: the image of the Boy lying on the battlefield in a wet bomb crater is linked at 01:28:59 to the image of the Girl lying in a similar embryonic position in her warm bed and looking at the photo of her fiancé (both lie in an embryonic position, but in completely different circumstances. The similarity of the shots is determined by the attitude, the relationship between the shots by their love bond, but otherwise there are only differences: wet, cold and unsafe versus dry, warm and safe.)

Tracking shot:

We see ‘America’s legions in France…’ marching in column. Jim walks between them and is followed by us in a backward tracking shot (00:42:45).

Mademoiselle and grandfather are the last to leave the chateau. We follow their car in backward tracking shots (from 00:53:15).

Close-up:

In the German trench Johann August Kant is looking at the locket with a photo of his mother (extreme close-up 00:44:26).

The obtrusive lover offers Cutie a brilliant ring, which she accepts and looks at (in extreme close-up 00:49:07).

Kant gives Atoline the locket with his mother’s photo (extreme close-up 01:03:45).

Acoustic coupling:

A grenade hits the castle, causing Atoline to dive backwards into the straw in the cellar (00:59:52).

Vignette:

On the battlefield that we see in a menacing 2:1 aspect ratio (00:59:30, 00:59:41) limited by black vignettes above and below, the American guns are roaring.

Flowers as sign of love:

‘Later that same evening’ the Count and Atoline walk through the garden. Ralph Grey also approaches and he caresses a flower (00:07:48), apparently he is in love.
Atoline, is not really in love with the Count: It is striking that there is not a single flower to be seen around the bench where they sit (00:07:59). A short time later the young American sits with Atoline on a similar bench which is now surrounded by a sea of flowers (00:08:51). Ralph holds a rose and points to it (00:08:53), saying: ‘I know a French rose – how well it would bloom in America! You – you are that rose.’ Clearly the flowers indicate feelings of love.
The day that her betrothed goes with the legions of France Atoline has a flower in her hands and puts it in the buttonhole of his uniform (00:16:45) and he kisses her goodbye.
Mademoiselle Atoline’s seriously injured fiancée is still in the hospital in the castle. ‘So vilts the flower of France.’ Atoline holds a rose near her weakened fiancé and puts it in his hand (00:40:28). He brings the rose to his nose, but then drops the rose. She helps him bring the rose to his nose. But from 00:40:45 we see in close-up how the rose loses its petals one by one and the Count de Brissac dies.

Violence against women: The lover has brought a gift, a necklace that she loves and that he hangs on her (00:28:07). But he wants something in return, and she dislikes that and she avoids him. He tries to grab her (00:28:20), but she angrily resists.

A German soldier runs into the cellar. He sees Atoline there, immediately yanks her towards him and throws her back again. Atoline looks witheringly at him. ‘Angered by her taunt, he orders her with the other refugees into Germany.’ The German soldier shakes Atoline and tries to overpower her. Then the aggressive German drags Atoline back up and starts pulling down her clothes. Kant pulls out his gun and shoots the German, who is now really fighting with Atoline, down. Atoline regains her composure and falls into her grandfather’s arms.

Artcraft Pictures Corporation was founded in August 1916 to distribute Mary Pickford films. The was purchased by Famous Players-Lasky in May 1917 and became a distribution mark of Paramount Pictures Corporation in January 1918 ².