Lilac Time | 1928 | Romance, War, Drama

Title: Lilac Time | 1928 | Romance, War, Drama Director: George Fitzmaurice Studio: First National Pictures Starring: Colleen Moore, Gary Cooper, Eugenie Besserer, Burr McIntosh, Kathryn McGuire Based on: Play by Jane Cowl and Jane Murfin Release Date: October 18, 1928 Runtime: 100 Format: Silent with synchronized music and sound effects ; black-and-white; 35mm Country: United States Language: Silent Genres: Romance, War, Drama --- Chapters: 00:00:00 Squadron Billeted at the Farm 00:18:00 First Encounters in the Lilacs 00:40:00 Courtship Amid Wartime Routines 01:02:00 Mission and Aerial Combat 01:24:00 Aftermath and Reunion --- Summary: During World War I, a Royal Flying Corps squadron is quartered beside a French farmhouse where Jeannine, a young villager, lives with her mother. The arrival of Captain Philip Blythe leads to a tender romance that grows amid the strains of daily sorties and the uncertainty of war. As the squadron faces perilous missions, promises made in the lilac garden are tested by loss, separation, and the hope of return. The film blends intimate melodrama with large-scale aerial action to explore love, sacrifice, and resilience. --- Background: Produced by First National Pictures and directed by George Fitzmaurice, Lilac Time was photographed silent and released with a synchronized Vitaphone musical score and effects, reflecting the industry’s transition from silent cinema to sound. The screenplay adapts the successful 1917 stage play by Jane Cowl and Jane Murfin. Colleen Moore, then one of Hollywood’s top stars, was paired with rising leading man Gary Cooper. Noted stunt pilot Dick Grace coordinated and performed demanding flight sequences, contributing to the film’s reputation for realistic aerial action. --- Trivia: The film premiered in New York on August 3, 1928, and went into general U.S. release on October 18, 1928. Its popular theme song, Jeannine, I Dream of Lilac Time, composed by Nathaniel Shilkret with lyrics by L. Wolfe Gilbert, became a hit beyond the film. Lilac Time was released with synchronized score and sound effects via Vitaphone but contains no spoken dialogue. Aerial material shot for Lilac Time was later reused in the 1930 aviation drama The Dawn Patrol. The production’s flight scenes were staged with multiple Waco biplanes, and crash stunts were executed under the supervision of Dick Grace. --- Public Domain / Rights: Original Release: October 18, 1928 Original Studio / Distributor: First National Pictures / Warner Bros. Copyright Status: Public Domain --- Hashtags: LilacTime 1928 PublicDomain SilentFilm GaryCooper ColleenMoore FirstNational Vitaphone WWI AviationMovies Source page: https: //commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lilac_Time_(1928).webm Direct media URL: https: //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/14/Lilac_Time_%281928%29.webm