J. Stuart Blackton's The Battle Cry of Peace, W.W.I
- Artist/Author/Producer: J. Stuart Blackton
- Confronting Bodies: U.S. Government
- Dates of action: April, 1917
- Location: United States
- Description of the Art Work
- The silent film drama,The Battle Cry of Peace, was promoted as to be
both a peace and preparedness film.
The plot was based upon (a "fleet of a hostile European power
suddenly attacked the United States, and bombarded New York. Invading
forces were landed and soon took possession of the city amid scenes of
carnage and horror. The leading characters of the play were all killed."
Censorship, Princeton 1991 pg. 172
- Description of incident
- Blackton (the film's producer) stated that the aim of the picture was to
arouse in the heart of every American citizen a sense of his strict
accountability to his government in a time of need-and to bring to the
notice of the greatest number of people in the shortest possible time
the fact that there was a way to insure that peace for which all
Americans so earnestly prayed. He held that as a nation we must have the
power to enforce and to insure peace." Censorship, Princeton, 1991 pg.
172
As the United States moved from a peace mode to war preparations the
film had to undergo major renovations. "In April 1917,...it was announced
that all prints of The Battle Cry for Peace had (to be) recalled by
Vitigraph and were to be reedited and retitled, so that the picture would
stimulate recruiting. Certain of the original titles were deleted because
it was felt they might be construed as arguments against war...In
Pittsburgh the proprietor of a motion picture theater was arrested in the
Spring of 1917 and had for court action under $5,000 bail on a charge of
high misdemeanor, after distributing handbills advertising that picture.
The authorities held that the handbills alone were calculated to prevent
enlistment." Censorship, Princeton, 1991 pg. 172
- Results of incident
- The Battle Cry for Peace, was only one of many films censored during this
time. Although many of these films were acceptable prewar, the United
States Government maintained strict enforcement over any films that could
be interpreted as challenges to the war efforts.
Source: Censorship, Princeton, 1991 Pg. 172