Friendly Enemies is a 1925 American silent comedy thriller film directed by George Melford and starring Joe Weber, Lew Fields and Virginia Brown Faire. It is based on a 1918 play of the same title, and was part of a cluster of World War I-themed films released during the mid-1920s.[1][2] It was remade as a sound film Friendly Enemies in 1942.
| Friendly Enemies | |
|---|---|
 Still with Lew Fields | |
| Directed by | George Melford |
| Written by | Alfred A. Cohn Josephine Quirk |
| Based on | Friendly Enemies by Aaron Hoffman and Samuel Shipman |
| Produced by | David Belasco |
| Starring | Joe Weber Lew Fields Virginia Brown Faire |
| Cinematography | Charles G. Clarke |
Production company | Belasco Productions |
| Distributed by | Producers Distributing Corporation |
Release date |
|
Running time | 70 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | Silent (English intertitles) |
Plot
editTwo German immigrants have grown prosperous in the United States. However, when World War I breaks out Carl Pfeiffer remains sympathetic to the German Empire, even after America has entered the war. While his friend is steadfastly loyal to America, Pfeiffer provides funds and assistance to a German espionage ring. He unwittingly helps them plan to sabotage a troopship on which his own son is travelling to Europe to fight the Western Front. Pfeiffer has a dramatic change of heart and with the help of his friend and the American intelligence services he thwarts the plan and rounds up the enemy spy ring.
Cast
edit- Joe Weber as Henry Block
- Lew Fields as Carl Pfeiffer
- Eugenie Besserer as Mrs. Marie Pfeiffer
- Virginia Brown Faire as June Block
- Jack Mulhall as William Pfeiffer
- Fred Kelsey as Adolph
- Stuart Holmes as Miller
- Lucille Lee Stewart as Hilda Schwartz
- Nora Hayden as Nora
- Jules Hanft as Frederick Schnitzler
Preservation
editWith no prints of Friendly Enemies located in any film archives, it is a lost film.[3]
References
edit- ^ Solomon, Aubrey. The Fox Film Corporation, 1915-1935: A History and Filmography. McFarland, 2011. p. 83. ISBN 978-0-7864-6286-5.
- ^ Progressive Silent Film List: Friendly Enemies at silentera.com. Retrieved November 19, 2022.
- ^ Library of Congress American Silent Feature Film Survival Database: Friendly Enemies Library of Congress Retrieved November 19, 2022.
Bibliography
edit- Parish, James Robert & Pitts, Michael R. The Great Spy Pictures. Scarecrow Press, 1974. ISBN 0-8108-0655-X.
External links
edit- Friendly Enemies at IMDb
- Stills at silenthollywood.com
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