Patria (serial)

Last updated
Patria
Patria adv.jpg
Advertisement (1917)
Directed by Leopold Wharton (chapters 1-10)
Theodore Wharton (chapters 1-10)
Jacques Jaccard (chapters 11-15)
Written by J.B. Clymer
Charles W. Goddard
Louis Joseph Vance
Produced by Leopold Wharton
Theodore Wharton
William Randolph Hearst
Starring Irene Castle
Milton Sills
Warner Oland
Cinematography Levi Bacon
John K. Holbrook
Ray June
Lew Tree
Production
company
International Film Service
Distributed by Pathé Exchange
Release date
  • January 14, 1917 (1917-01-14)
Running time
310 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$90,000 approx.
Irene Castle in Patria Irene Castle in Patria.jpg
Irene Castle in Patria

Patria (pronounced PAY-tree-uh, as in patriot) is a 1917 15-chapter American serial film starring Irene Castle, Milton Sills, and Warner Oland, based on the novel The Last of the Fighting Channings by Louis Joseph Vance. Patria was an independent film serial funded by William Randolph Hearst in the lead-up to the United States' entry into World War I. The film in its original form contained anti-Japanese propaganda and was investigated by a Senate committee. The Argentine title for the film was La Heroina de Nueva York. At least several fragments of the film survive.

Contents

Plot

Spies from Japan conspire to steal the Channing "preparedness" fortune and invade the United States, beginning in New York, then allying themselves with Mexicans across the border. They are stopped by the efforts of munitions factory heiress Patria Channing and U.S. Secret Service agent Donald Parr.

Cast

Production

Patria was financed with "about" $90,000 from William Randolph Hearst. The plot implied that the United States might soon be at war with Japan, despite Japan being an ally of the United States at the time. The original plot involved a Japanese spy ring operating in the United States and seeking gold and munitions. President Woodrow Wilson asked Hearst to modify the serial and remove anti-Japanese material. As a result, Warner Oland's character name in title cards was changed to "Manuel Morales," and the character was shown more frequently dressed in a suit, though the Japanese characters retained their kimono in early episodes. The action was also moved across the border to Mexico beginning in Episode 11, though as is sometimes erroneously stated, Pancho Villa did not appear in the film, Baron Huroki and a new character, General Nogi, continued on as adversaries to Patria and Captain Parr until Huroki's defeat and suicide in Episode 15.

The serial was based on the novel The Last of the Fighting Channings by Louis Joseph Vance. [1] Jacques Jaccard directed scenes in California while Leopold Wharton and Theodore Wharton directed from Ithaca, New York. [1] Following the serial's release, Edgar Wallace was commissioned to write a 15-part "novel" for The News of the World newspaper, which published the first weekly instalment on 9 December 1917.

Senate hearing

The production was investigated by a Senate committee as German propaganda after World War I. A German propagandist, whose articles had appeared in Hearst newspapers, had written a letter to Franz von Papen explaining the scheme to use a motion picture to deprecate Japan. Captain G. C. Lester of US Military Intelligence, testified that "Patria exploited the very idea which was set forth generally in (the propagandist) Fox's statement." [2]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fu Manchu</span> Fictional villain based on Asian stereotypes

Dr. Fu Manchu is a supervillain who was introduced in a series of novels by the English author Sax Rohmer beginning shortly before World War I and continuing for another forty years. The character featured in cinema, television, radio, comic strips and comic books for over 90 years, and he has also become an archetype of the evil criminal genius and mad scientist, while lending his name to the Fu Manchu moustache.

<i>The Katzenjammer Kids</i> 1897-2006 American comic strip

The Katzenjammer Kids is an American comic strip created by Rudolph Dirks in 1897 and later drawn by Harold Knerr for 35 years. It debuted December 12, 1897, in the American Humorist, the Sunday supplement of William Randolph Hearst's New York Journal. The comic strip was turned into a stage play in 1903. It inspired several animated cartoons and was one of 20 strips included in the Comic Strip Classics series of U.S. commemorative postage stamps.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William Randolph Hearst</span> American newspaper publisher (1863–1951)

William Randolph Hearst Sr. was an American businessman, newspaper publisher, and politician known for developing the nation's largest newspaper chain and media company, Hearst Communications. His flamboyant methods of yellow journalism influenced the nation's popular media by emphasizing sensationalism and human interest stories. Hearst entered the publishing business in 1887 with Mitchell Trubitt after being given control of The San Francisco Examiner by his wealthy father, Senator George Hearst.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pancho Villa</span> Mexican revolutionary general and politician (1878–1923)

Francisco "Pancho" Villa was a general in the Mexican Revolution. He was a key figure in the revolutionary movement that forced out President Porfirio Díaz and brought Francisco I. Madero to power in 1911. When Madero was ousted by a coup led by General Victoriano Huerta in February 1913, he joined the anti-Huerta forces in the Constitutionalist Army led by Venustiano Carranza. After the defeat and exile of Huerta in July 1914, Villa broke with Carranza. Villa dominated the meeting of revolutionary generals that excluded Carranza and helped create a coalition government. Emiliano Zapata and Villa became formal allies in this period. Like Zapata, Villa was strongly in favor of land reform, but did not implement it when he had power. At the height of his power and popularity in late 1914 and early 1915, the U.S. considered recognizing Villa as Mexico's legitimate authority.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leo Carrillo</span> American actor, vaudevillian, political cartoonist, and conservationist (1881–1961)

Leopoldo Antonio Carrillo was an American actor, vaudevillian, political cartoonist, and conservationist. He was best known for playing Pancho in the television series The Cisco Kid (1950–1956) and in several films.

<i>The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle</i> 1939 film by H. C. Potter

The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle is a 1939 American biographical musical comedy directed by H.C. Potter. The film stars Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, Edna May Oliver, and Walter Brennan. The film is based on the stories My Husband and My Memories of Vernon Castle, by Irene Castle. The movie was adapted by Oscar Hammerstein II, Dorothy Yost and Richard Sherman. This was Astaire and Rogers' ninth and last film together with RKO. Their final pairing was The Barkleys of Broadway (1949) at MGM.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pancho Villa Expedition</span> 1916 U.S. military operation against revolutionary forces in northern Mexico

The Pancho Villa Expedition—now known officially in the United States as the Mexican Expedition, but originally referred to as the "Punitive Expedition, U.S. Army"—was a military operation conducted by the United States Army against the paramilitary forces of Mexican revolutionary Francisco "Pancho" Villa from March 14, 1916, to February 7, 1917, during the Mexican Revolution of 1910–1920.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Warner Oland</span> Swedish-American actor (1879–1938)

Warner Oland was a Swedish-American actor. His career included time on Broadway and numerous film appearances. He is most remembered for playing several Chinese and Chinese-American characters: Dr. Fu Manchu, Henry Chang in Shanghai Express, and, most notably, Honolulu Police detective Lieutenant Charlie Chan in 16 films.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Will H. Bradley</span>

William Henry Bradley was an American Art Nouveau illustrator, artist and film director. Nicknamed the "Dean of American Designers" by The Saturday Evening Post, he was the highest-paid American artist of the early 20th century.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Louis Joseph Vance</span> American novelist

Louis Joseph Vance was an American novelist, screenwriter and film producer. He created the popular character Michael Lanyard, a criminal-turned-detective known as The Lone Wolf.

<i>Captain America</i> (serial) 1944 Republic black-and-white serial film

Captain America is a 1944 Republic black-and-white 15-chapter serial film loosely based on the Timely Comics character Captain America. It was the last Republic serial made about a superhero. It also has the distinction of being the most expensive serial that Republic ever made. It stands as the first theatrical release connected to a Marvel character; the next theatrical release featuring a Marvel hero would not occur for more than 40 years. It was the last live-action rendition of a Marvel character in any medium until Spider-Man appeared in the Spidey Super Stories segment of the children's television series The Electric Company in 1974.

<i>The New Adventures of J. Rufus Wallingford</i> 1915–1916 film serial

The New Adventures of J. Rufus Wallingford is a 1915–1916 American silent film serial produced by the Wharton Studio in Ithaca, New York, and starring Burr McIntosh and Max Figman. The serial is based on the character J. Rufus Wallingford, originating from the series of stories by George Randolph Chester.

<i>The Perils of Pauline</i> (1914 serial) 1914 film

The Perils of Pauline is a 1914 American melodrama film serial produced by William Randolph Hearst and released by the Eclectic film company, shown in bi-weekly installments, featuring Pearl White as the title character, an ambitious young heiress with an independent nature and a desire for adventure.

<i>The Masked Rider</i> (1919 film) 1919 film

The Masked Rider ) is a 1919 American silent Western film serial directed by Aubrey M. Kennedy. Scenes were filmed in Mission San Jose in San Antonio, Castroville and Bandera, Texas, and in Coahuíla, Mexico. The serial was long thought to be lost in entirety.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">3rd Flying Training Squadron</span> Military unit

The 3rd Flying Training Squadron is part of the 71st Operations Group under the 71st Flying Training Wing. It operates the T-1A Jayhawk aircraft conducting advanced phase tanker/transport flight training.

<i>Beatrice Fairfax</i> 1916 American film

Beatrice Fairfax is an American silent film serial directed and produced by Leopold Wharton and Theodore Wharton. First released on August 7, 1916, the series consists of 15 weekly episodes and features the character of "Beatrice Fairfax". The character was inspired by the popular newspaper advice column Ask Beatrice Fairfax, which had been the world's first column of its kind when launched in 1898.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mexican Border War (1910–1919)</span> Mexican-American military engagements

The Mexican Border War, or the Border Campaign, refers to the military engagements which took place in the Mexican–American border region of North America during the Mexican Revolution. The period of the war encompassed World War I, and the German Empire attempted to have Mexico attack the United States, as well as engaging in hostilities against American forces there itself.

The Bad Man is a 1923 American silent Western film with prominently featured satirical and comedic elements. The film was directed by Edwin Carewe, who produced it for his own motion picture company and adapted the scenario from the play of the same name by Porter Emerson Browne. The play had opened at Broadway's Comedy Theatre in August 1920, and ran for a very successful 342 performances, closing in June 1921. The film version, from Edwin Carewe Productions, was released by Associated First National Pictures on October 8, 1923. The title role was played by the star of the play's Broadway and touring productions, Holbrook Blinn, and the other leading parts filled by Jack Mulhall, Walter McGrail and Enid Bennett.

<i>The Eagles Eye</i> 1918 film

The Eagle's Eye is a 1918 American serial film consisting of 20 episodes that dramatizes German espionage in the United States during World War I. The stories are based on the experiences of William J. Flynn during his career as chief of the United States Secret Service from 1912–1917.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Serial film</span> Series of short subject films

A serial film,film serial, movie serial, or chapter play, is a motion picture form popular during the first half of the 20th century, consisting of a series of short subjects exhibited in consecutive order at one theater, generally advancing weekly, until the series is completed. Usually, each serial involves a single set of characters, protagonistic and antagonistic, involved in a single story, which has been edited into chapters after the fashion of serial fiction and the episodes cannot be shown out of order or as a single or a random collection of short subjects.

References

  1. 1 2 "Patria (1916)". Silent Era: The Progressive Silent Film List-. Retrieved 2008-10-13.
  2. Stedman, Raymond William (1971). "2. The Perils of Success" . Serials: Suspense and Drama By Installment. University of Oklahoma Press. p.  40. ISBN   978-0-8061-0927-5.