Vintage original 41 x 81 in. US three-sheet poster from the teens WWI-themed silent film war drama, THE LOST BATTALION, released in 1919 by W.H. Productions and directed by Burton L. King.
 
The image features artwork depicting American soldiers with their rifles at-the-ready, which is juxtaposed by an image of their wives and sweethearts positioned above them, all of which is complimented by a jet-black background. Printed on two panels, this three-sheet is a stone lithograph, which produces very fine details and beautiful, rich colors. It is unrestored and folded as originally issued in near-fine condition with scattered water stains that do not bleed through to the front.
 
*"The Lost Battalion is a 1919 American silent war film about units of the 77th Infantry Division (the "Lost Battalion") penetrating deep into the Argonne Forest of France during World War I. Directed by Burton L. King, it features Major Charles W. Whittlesey and a number of the actual soldiers from the 77th, who portrayed themselves in the film. In addition to the real-life participants, the cast includes actors Jack McLean, Gaston Glass, and Helen Ferguson."
*(source: Wikipedia)
 
Released July 2, 1919 in North America, the film was remade in 2001 by Russell Mulcahy. Some of the real-life participants in the original 1919 version include: Robert Alexander, George G. McMurtry, Charles W. Whittlesey, William J. Cullen, Arthur F. McKeogh, Augustus Kaiser, Jack Hershkowitz, Philip Cepaglia, Herman J. Bergasse, J.J. Munson, Abraham Krotoshinisky, and Lieutenant Jordan.
 
*"The men of the 308th Infantry Regiment, part of Major General Robert Alexander's 77th Infantry Division, have been drafted from diverse ethnic, economic, and social groups in New York City. After training in Yaphank and in France, the 463 men advance under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Charles W. Whittlesey into the "Pocket" of the Argonne Forest, to help break down the supposedly impregnable German defense. Cut-off from Allied troops and supplies, and surrounded by the enemy, the battalion, nicknamed "The Lost Battalion," withstands six days without food or water. When the German commander asks for their surrender, Whittlesey replies, "Tell them to go to hell!" The Chinese rivals fight bravely side-by-side, while the "burglar" dies heroically. After their rescue, the survivors are given a parade in New York and are reunited with their families and sweethearts."
*(source: TCM.com)
 
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