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OPEN CLASSIC CINEMA · 938

Hearts of the World

1918117 minUnited States
DramaWar
Video edition
Wikimedia Commons
Original language
No spoken dialogue. Intertitles: English.
This copy runs
113:49
Subtitles
No subtitle track in this language

Languages and subtitles

No subtitle track in this language

Wikimedia Commons · D. W. Griffith · Public domain

Synopsis

Two young people in a French village prepare to marry as war approaches. Shelling and military occupation separate them, destroy their families and turn familiar streets into dangerous territory. Their effort to reunite unfolds amid the fighting, with the girl's former romantic rival becoming an ally in a struggle that reaches beyond the original courtship.

Cast

DirectorsD. W. Griffith

Historical context

Griffith made the film with British wartime support. Its romantic melodrama was also designed to mobilize sympathy against Germany, and its hostile portrayal of the enemy should be understood as part of that propaganda purpose.

Sources and availability

General references identify the work and its copy. A reference beside an editorial section is linked to the claims checked in that section.

Wikipedia — film referenceWikidata — film identity and credits

Work catalogued as public domain in the United States.

The public-domain references concern the original films in the United States. Rights can differ for other countries, editions, restorations, music or translations. Sources are listed on each film page.

Availability checked on September 12, 2026.

Photograph credit

Photographs cropped, resized and optimized as WebP, displayed in monochrome.

  • Lillian Gish — Bain News Service; Uploaded by Calliopejen ; Edited by jjron . · Public domain
  • Dorothy Gish — Bain News Service, publisher.; This image is available from the United States Library of Congress 's Prints and Photographs division under the digital ID ggbain.32540 . This tag does not indicate the copyright status of the attached work. A normal copyright tag is still required. See Commons:Licensing . · Public domain
  • Ben Alexander — http://www.younghollywoodhof.com Transferred from en.wikipedia to Commons by User:Motopark using CommonsHelper . · Public domain
  • Robert Harron — Fred Hartsook (1876–1930). · Public domain

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