The Birth of Patriotism

Carelessness on the part of Johnny Roberts and the growing drudgery of married life causes an estrangement between Johnny and his wife Mary. The final break comes when Johnny, sick with a fever, returns home to be accused of drunkenness by Mary. Johnny leaves his wife to seek solace in Anne, the innkeeper's daughter, and the two live happily together until the outbreak of the war. When England is threatened, Johnny enlists and is sent to the front. In the meantime, Mary, with her little baby, seeks Anne out to ask for some of her husband's money to take care of the child. A mutual understanding springs up between the two women and upon Johnny's arrival home, the self-sacrificing Anne disappears and Johnny returns to his wife and child.

Directed by Eugenie Magnus Ingleton, The Birth of Patriotism leans on a strong ensemble — Irene Hunt, Ann Forrest, Leo Pierson — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about drama titles of 1917.