

Hearts of the World
“A ROMANCE OF THE GREAT WAR”
Synopsis
A group of youth come of age in a peaceful French village. But war intrudes and peace is shattered. The German army invades and occupies, bringing both destruction and torture. The youngsters resist, some successfully, others tragically, until French troops retake the town.
Top Cast
Explore Star Directory →Lillian Gish
The Girl - Marie Stephenson
Robert Harron
The Boy - Douglas Gordon Hamilton
Dorothy Gish
The Little Disturber
Adolph Lestina
The Grandfather
Josephine Crowell
The Mother
Jack Cosgrave
The Father of the Boy
Kate Bruce
The Mother of the Boy
Ben Alexander
The Boy's Littlest Brother
Marion Emmons
The Boy's Other Brother
Francis Marion
The Boy's Other Brother
Robert Anderson
Monsieur Cuckoo
George Fawcett
The Village Carpenter
George Siegmann
Von Strohm
Fay Holderness
The Innkeeper
L. Lowry
A Deaf and Blind Musician
Eugene Pouyet
A Poilu
Anna Mae Walthall
A French Peasant Girl
Yvette Duvoisin
A Refugee
Release History & Theatrical Window
March 11, 1918
Wide Cinema Exhibition
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- D.W. Griffith
- Screenplay & Story
- D.W. Griffith
- Original Score
- Joseph Nurnberger
- Original Title
- Hearts of the World
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- No Language
- Runtime
- 1h 57m
- Production Studios
- War Office Committee, D.W. Griffith Productions, Famous Players-Lasky Corporation
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
D.W. Griffith
D.W. Griffith
Joseph Nurnberger
Billy Bitzer
Rose Smith, James Smith
D.W. Griffith
Department Leadership Roster
D.W. Griffith
Director
D.W. Griffith
Writer
D.W. Griffith
Producer
Rose Smith
Editor
James Smith
Editor
Billy Bitzer
Director of Photography
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
NR: Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.
International Certification Matrix
Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for Hearts of the World.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring Hearts of the World.
War: World War I
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Public Domain
Movies in the public domain in the United States. References: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_films_in_the_public_domain_in_the_United_States archive.org
MGM+ US - War Movies
Curated list of Most Popular on MGM+ (US). Updated frequently. Last updated August 28, 2026.
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D. W. Griffith
David Wark Griffith (January 22, 1875 – July 23, 1948)[1] was an American director, writer, and producer who pioneered modern filmmaking techniques.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Hearts of the World
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is Hearts of the World about?
A group of youth come of age in a peaceful French village. But war intrudes and peace is shattered. The German army invades and occupies, bringing both destruction and torture. The youngsters resist, some successfully, others tragically, until French troops retake the town.
Who directed Hearts of the World?
Hearts of the World was directed by D.W. Griffith.
Who stars in Hearts of the World?
The principal cast of Hearts of the World includes Lillian Gish, Robert Harron, Dorothy Gish, Adolph Lestina, Josephine Crowell.
When was Hearts of the World released and how long is it?
Hearts of the World was released in 1918 with a total runtime of 1h 57m.
Who composed the musical score for Hearts of the World?
The original motion picture soundtrack for Hearts of the World was composed by Joseph Nurnberger.
What is the age rating and content advisory for Hearts of the World?
Hearts of the World holds official age classifications: US: NR (Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.).
