Barbed Wire | 1927 | War, Romance

Title: Barbed Wire | 1927 | War, Romance Director: Rowland V. Lee Studio: Paramount Famous Lasky Corporation Starring: Pola Negri, Clive Brook, Claude Gillingwater, Einar Hanson, Gustav von Seyffertitz Based on: The Woman of Knockaloe by Hall Caine Release Date: September 10, 1927 Runtime: 72 Format: Silent, black-and-white, 35mm, 1.33:1, English intertitles, 7 reels Country: United States Language: Silent Genres: War, Romance, Drama --- Chapters: 00:00:00 Harvest and mobilization 00:14:00 Prison camp on the farm 00:28:00 Mona and Oskar grow close 00:45:00 Assault, trial, and backlash 01:00:00 Armistice and homecoming --- Summary: In rural Normandy at the outset of World War I, French farmgirl Mona Moreau is left to help her father manage their land when her brother goes to war. The French authorities convert the farm into a prisoner-of-war camp, forcing Mona and her father into uneasy proximity with German captives. Despite initial hostility, Mona forms a bond with the dignified prisoner Oskar Muller. Their relationship draws the ire of villagers and soldiers, culminating in conflict, a courtroom defense, and a test of compassion as the Armistice reshapes loyalties. The film balances intimate romance with the social pressures of wartime, emphasizing reconciliation over vengeance. --- Background: Barbed Wire adapts Hall Caine’s 1923 novel The Woman of Knockaloe, shifting the story’s setting from an Isle of Man internment camp to Normandy. The screenplay by Jules Furthman and Rowland V. Lee softens the novel’s tragic ending into a conciliatory resolution. Swedish filmmaker Mauritz Stiller began the production but was replaced early by Rowland V. Lee; the film was produced for Paramount Famous Lasky Corporation, with Erich Pommer involved on the production side, and photographed by Bert Glennon. --- Trivia: The film premiered in New York on August 6, 1927, before its wider U.S. release on September 10, 1927. Cinematographer Bert Glennon later became known for major collaborations in the sound era, bringing a polished visual style to this late silent feature. Surviving prints vary in length, with widely reported running times ranging from about 67 to 72 minutes, reflecting differing sources and editions. The adaptation relocates the story from the Isle of Man to France and changes the novel’s tragic conclusion to a more hopeful ending. The film has screened at modern silent film festivals, reflecting ongoing interest in its pacifist themes and Pola Negri’s performance. --- Public Domain / Rights: Original Release: September 10, 1927 Original Studio / Distributor: Paramount Famous Lasky Corporation / Paramount Pictures Copyright Status: Public Domain Renewal: No --- Hashtags: BarbedWire 1927 SilentFilm PolaNegri CliveBrook Paramount RowlandVLee HallCaine PublicDomain WarRomance Source page: https: //commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Barbed_Wire_(1927).webm Direct media URL: https: //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d6/Barbed_Wire_%281927%29.webm