September 16, 1918 - The Unbeliever

Today Mary goes to the movies with her sister, Kathleen to see The Unbeliever, a propaganda film in which a privileged American soldier serves in France, sustains severe injuries and falls in love.  Mary writes: "It was one wonderful picture and it more than impressed.  It made me think of you and I Frank and oh how I wished I could be over there with you."

The Unbeliever included the role of the sinister Lt. Kurt von Schnieditz, played by Austrian born Erich von Stroheim, who later became well known and colorful actor and director.  Stroheim played an extra in D.W. Griffith's controversial The Birth of a Nation in 1915 and later as "A Hun" in Griffith's World War I propaganda epic, Hearts of the World before moving on to directing and other acting roles.

The Unbeliever has been preserved and is archived at the Library of Congress, also available on YouTube.

There is also a documentary about Erich von Stroheim on YouTube.