Vintage original 8 x 10 in. US single-weight on-set "gag" photograph from the classic teens WWI-themed silent film war drama, THE LITTLE AMERICAN, released in 1917 by Artcraft Pictures Corporation and directed by Cecil B. DeMille. 
 
The image features a posed "gag shot" in which the film's director, Cecil B. DeMille, looks confused by what's on the page as the film's technical director, Ian Hay, looks at the viewer in exasperation (al la Oliver Hardy!) while Jeanie Macpherson, the film's screenwriter, watches them. It is in good condition only.
 
*"The Little American is a 1917 American silent romantic war drama film directed by Cecil B. DeMille. The film stars Mary Pickford (who also served as producer) as an American woman who is in love with both a German soldier and a French soldier during World War I. A print of the film is housed at the UCLA Film and Television Archive and has been released on DVD.
 
Although the United States had entered World War I and declared war on Germany earlier in 1917, the Chicago Board of Censors initially blocked exhibition of the film in that city, calling it anti-German and suggesting that showing it could start a riot.[4] Artcraft challenged the Board in state court and, after a jury trial, the refusal of the board to issue a permit despite a court order, and the denial of a second appeal by the board, won the right to show the film in Chicago."
*(source: Wikipedia)
 
*"Jack Holt is introduced in a pre-story comedy bit in which he looks in several directions through his binoculars but sees only a coy Mary Pickford flirting with her eyes. Mary's character, during her introduction as "the Little American," salutes in front of an American flag. According to records kept by Cecil B. DeMille and currently housed in the DeMille Collection at Brigham Young University, the film cost $166,949.16 to produced (including Mary Pickford's salary of $86,666.66) and earned gross film rentals of $446,236.88 Cecil B. DeMille in his autobiography stated that Ramon Novarro, Wallace Beery and Sam Wood acted in this film. Other modern sources credit DeMille as film editor and list Gordon Griffith as appearing in the film. Some sources list Colleen Moore as appearing in the film. This is incorrect. The un-named role for which Moore has been credited, is actually played by Lila Lee. Some sources list Artcraft as the producing company. The film was shot at the Lasky studio in Hollywood. According to the Library of Congress American Silent Feature Film Survival Database, this film is extant."
*(source: AFI Catalog of Feature Films)
 
3RB