The Reawakening | 1920 | Documentary, Short

Title: The Reawakening | 1920 | Documentary, Short Studio: Ford Motor Company Runtime: 10 Format: Silent, black-and-white, 1.33:1 Country: United States Language: Silent Genres: Documentary, Short --- Summary: A one-reel documentary produced by Ford Motor Company, The Reawakening depicts the post–World War I rehabilitation of wounded American soldiers. Filmed exercises, massage therapy, and occupational training illustrate the era’s approach to restoring physical function and helping veterans transition back to civilian work, with sequences shot at Fort Sheridan, Illinois. --- Background: The film was created within Ford Motor Company’s prolific non-theatrical and theatrical short-subject program, which supplied weekly educational reels to thousands of venues. After the Armistice, Ford engaged the Goldwyn Distribution Corporation to circulate the Ford Educational Weekly, helping titles like The Reawakening reach a mass audience during 1919–1920. --- Trivia: The National Archives lists this title in the Ford Motor Company Collection as “Reawakening [Rehabilitating Disabled Veterans],” ca. 1920, with related entries for a 1919 “Training Disabled Veterans” version. Location shooting took place at Fort Sheridan, Illinois, a major U.S. Army installation used for medical and vocational rehabilitation following World War I. The surviving description indicates a one-reel runtime of approximately 10 minutes, typical of Ford’s educational releases of the period. Ford’s educational films were widely circulated; by late 1919–1920 the series appeared weekly on thousands of screens, aided by Goldwyn Distribution’s involvement. The National Archives highlighted The Reawakening in a 2012 online program contextualizing veterans’ rehabilitation films across eras. Technical notes for this title list a 1.33:1 aspect ratio and silent presentation with English intertitles. --- Hashtags: TheReawakening 1920 SilentFilm Documentary FordMotorCompany WWI Veterans PublicDomain