9 January, Rome: The Italian film industry is attempting to recover from the damage caused by the war and increased competition from the many American films. To this end two Italian lawyers, Gioacchino Mecheri and Giuseppe Barattolo, have formed a new organization, the Union Cinematografica Italiana (or UCI), bringing together all the leading Italian producers. Unfortunately, the two organizers had a falling out after only a few months. Mecheri, the head of Tiber, has taken over first Celio and then Itala, while Barattolo, managing director of Caesar, has gained control of Cines, then Ambrosio and finally Film d'Arte Italiana (FAI). Each of these rival "holding companies" has been given substantial financial backing from banks and each has big plans for the future. It will be interesting to see if they succeed in giving a much needed boost to Italian production. 31 January, Czechoslovakia: Gustav Machaty has directed his first short film at the age of 18. He wrote the burlesque-style scenario for Teddy Wants to Smoke in collaboration with Jean S. Kolar. 26 February, Paris: The Cinema Director's Union has decided to ban the screening of all German and Austrian films for a period of 15 years. 15 March, Paris: Marcel L'Herbier's first film for Gaumont, Rose-France, has been receiving severe criticism. The journal La Cinématographie française describes it as "feeble, limp, long-winded and maudlin." 24 March, Paris: Release here of The Turn in the Road, American King Vidor's first full-length film, produced by the Brentwood Film Co. which was created for its production. 31 March, Paris: The press has been enthusiastically praising Abel Gance after the showing of J'accuse, a tragedy of modern times in three episodes, financed by Charles Pathé and by the cinematographic department of the French Army. This immense work, Gance's biggest budget film to date, begun prior to the Armistice, is an anti-war indictment. A patriotic film, where the love of France is lyrically extolled, J'accuse is also a poignant melodrama. It begins in happiness and peace, but step by step Gance leads the audience into a bloody drama: war in all its horror. The director shows the separation of two people who love each other, villages in ruin, the charge of soldiers in the mud under fire. The hero, the poet Jean Diaz played by Romauld Joubé, returns from the Front to see his dying mother. Diaz, delirious, protests, "I accuse!" Then he sees a crowd of mothers mourning and in despair. The vision is even more strongly repeated in the last part: this time Diaz the visionary, "the Christ of the trenches," as Gance names him, resurrects the war dead in the film's most powerful scene. Here corpses leave their tombs and march toward the villages to find out if their deaths served a purpose. Those who benefitted from the war by getting rich flee terrified. Jean Diaz dies amidst the general madness. The sober and pacifist film has shocked chauvinists, who have accused Gance of defeatism and anti-militarism. But the critics have been unanimous in declaring J'accuse a masterpiece. Gance calls it "a human cry against the bellicose din of armies." One discerns the influence of the American school, notably Thomas Ince. The photography by Léonce Burel is admirable as is Gance's editing, helped by the poet Blaise Centrars. 17 April, Hollywood: A new movie production company has been established in the USA: The United Artists Corporation, whose management has been entrusted to Hiram Abrams, a former member of the board at Paramount. The firm originated with four of the great names in Hollywood who are active partners -- Mary Pickford, Douglas Fairbanks, Charles Chaplin and D. W. Griffith. They knew it was their personalities that had made the major film companies rich. Although they had retained considerable control over their productions, they were still subject to the will of distributors, who also took a large slice of the profits. Therefore, toward the end of 1918, the four decided to found their own company. In their opinion, it was the only way to oppose the all-powerful producers, who had monopolist ambitions. At the time, there were rumors of large mergers and salary reductions. Pickford, Fairbanks, Chaplin and Griffith met at Fairbanks' home in Beverly Hills in January. At their side as a particularly well-considered man, William Gibbs McAdoo, the son-in-law of President Wilson, who is former Secretary of the Treasury, and President of the Federal Railway Board. United Artists, on this occasion, could be established as a distribution company, with the five personalities owning shares. Assured of sizable financial support, the company, still in its infancy, is seeking to reorganize itself. McAdoo has given up his place to Hiram Abrams, but the three stars and Griffith remain United Artists' greatest asset. 17 April, Germany: The engineers Hans Vogt, Joe Engl and Joseph Massolle are patenting their sound-recording system, the Tri-Ergon, that makes use of Lee DeForest's electrode tubes. 20 April, Paris: Charlie Chaplin's Shoulder Arms is screening at the Gaumont-Palace and 10 other movie theaters. April, Berlin: Halbblut (The Half-Breed), the first film directed by 28-year-old Fritz Lang, is now screening. Until now, Lang has been writing film scenarios for Decla, but dissatisfied with the treatment given to his scripts he decided to turn to directing them himself. 11 May, New York: Release of The New Moon, a film about a princess who protects Russian women from savage Bolsheviks, starring Norma Talmadge and directed by Chester Withey. 12 May, Paris: Intolerance, considered the major work by D. W. Griffith, has finally reached Parisian screens. The film, made in the US nearly three years ago, was the time banned by the French military censors. The reason given was the the representation of French history was seriously one-sided and bigoted, in particular the dramatizing of the Saint Bartholomew Day massacre. In a period of the Sacred Union, the picturalization of the murder of the Huguenots by Catholics would have opened old wounds. However, since the Armistice was signed, Griffith's greatness has become universally recognized, and the French authorities have relented. Nevertheless, many scenes have still been cut from Intolerance. In an article today from the journal Paris-Midi, the young film critic Louis Delluc rails against the arbitrary cuts, which he claims have distorted the director's work and have rendered the film more or less incomprehensible. 18 May, Hollywood: With the opening of Daddy Long Legs, a delightful new feature produced by her own company, and with the creation of United Artists just a few weeks ago, it's been a good year for Mary Pickford. By far the most important female star in Hollywood, Miss Pickford has become increasingly involved in the production of her films. She has looked forward to gaining full independence and, late last year, accepted a lucrative new offer from First National that Zukor at Paramount was unable (or unwilling!) to match. Thus, she started off in 1919 starring in a characteristically charming, real "Little Mary" role as the orphan who finds happiness with her benefactor in Daddy Long Legs, from Jean Webster's novel. Marshall Neilan directed, with Charles Rosher as cameraman in this first film for the Mary Pickford Corporation. At the same time, Mary has been one of the prime movers in the formation of UA, a new style of distribution company for the indpendents. 26 May, Los Angeles: Release of Thin Ice, the second Corinne Griffith/Alice Terry feature, directed by Thomas R. Mills for Vitagraph. Charles Kent, Jack McLean and Walter Miller appear in supporting roles. 28 May, Berlin: Release of Anders als die Andern (Different from the Others). This silent film by director Richard Oswald is reportedly the first representation of male homosexuality ("the third sex") in a feature-length film, and the first screen depiction of a gay bar (with gay males and butch females). The two ill-fated lovers are prominent pianist Paul Korner (Conrad Veidt) and his young music student, Kurt (Fritz Schulz). The film has a tragic ending (suicide for Korner) due to the effects of blackmail (threats of exposure), jail time for violating anti-homosexuality statutes, and the social stigma of being outed. The film will be banned by the Nazis and all prints will be ordered destroyed, although one incomplete print did surface later in the Ukraine. 1 June, New York: The latest Griffith film, True Heart Susie, is the story of a naïve country girl, too shy to find herself a husband. In the starring role, Lillian Gish confirms her exceptional talent. She personifies a sort of Cinderella, wearing a shapeless long dress, an apron and a ridiculous little hat. Rarely has there been a more convincing and simple presence. Her skillful acting makes the sentimental story genuinely moving, and the character grows in stature from a funny, happy adolescent to become a dignified woman.     And, a little more than two weeks ago, Gish had an even greater triumph in Broken Blossoms, another admirable melodrama directed by Griffith. In this, she played a little girl battered to death by her alcoholic father. Richard Barthelmess plays Cheng Huan, a Chinese shopkeeper who takes pity on her and falls in love with her. Griffith seems to be the young actress' Pygmalion, and she has never left him since their joint debut with An Unseen Enemy in 1912 at Biograph. (View a trailer for Broken Blossoms from the University of New Orleans web site.) 15 June, Paris: Pierre Henry, a friend of Louis Delluc's, has started up a bi-monthly magazine Ciné pour tous. 15 June, Paris: A cinema bank with a capital of 3 million francs has been created to rebuild the movie theaters that were destroyed by the war. 20 June, France: André Antoine is filming an adaptation of Emile Zola's novel La Terre (The Earth). He is assisted by Julien Duvivier. 26 June, France: The mayor of Lyon, Edouard Herriot, is bringing into force the decree ordering that all cinematographs, including fairground shows, are to use inflammable film. 28 June, Versailles: The only cameraman to enter the Gallery of Mirrors to film the signing of the Peace Treaty was corporal André A. Danton, the Armed Services attaché. He placed his camera eight metres from the table and caught the historical occasion of 360 metres on film. 1 July, Los Angeles: The 17-year-old Mary Miles Minter has signed a contract with Adolph Zukor. The head of Paramount intends to build her up as a rival to Mary Pickford. 1 July, Los Angeles: Charlie Chaplin has started work on his first full-length film, The Kid, with a 4-year-old Jackie Coogan. 1 August, Budapest: With the fall of the Communes and the subsequent repression of its partisans, many actors and filmmakers are emigrating, among them Sándor Korda and Mihaly Kertesz. 18 August, Nice: Germaine Dulac is directing Eve Francis in La Fête espagnole (Spanish Holiday). Louis Dulluc wrote the scenario for this Nalpas independent production. 27 August, Moscow: The decree regarding "the attachment of the photographic and cinematographic industries to the people's commissariat for the education of the public" has today been signed in the Kremlin. In other words this is the beginning of the nationalization of the Russian film industry. From now on, the government of the Federal Republic of Soviet Russia can claim the right to "requisition materials and apparatus used in photo-ciné from large firms and small businesses" to control and regulate the photographic industry, including both stills and moving images. One can question the consequences of this decree while the civil war is raging and counter-revolutionary troops are preparing to march on St. Petersburg. Yet, because conditions for filming have deteriorated rapidly (equipment has been scarce) in the last few years, this initiative needed to be taken. It also confirms Lenin's growing interest in the intellectual and cultural virtues of the cinema. 1 September, Moscow: The State School of Cinematography has opened here to train film directors, actors, cameramen and lighting technicians. It is believed to be the first such institution founded anywhere. 1 September, New York: The world's largest movie theater, the newly constructed Capitol in New York City, has finally opened its doors with the showing of the first United Artists picture His Majesty, the American. A tumultuous reception for both the theater and the film has meant a well-publicized beginning for the fledgling company. Douglas Fairbanks, whose public popularity is growing steadily, produced and starred in this Ruritanian comedy-romance. The likeable and lively Fairbanks plays a New York man-about-town who is heir to the throne of a small European kingdom. Arriving there to take up his new position, he used his All-American know-how (and his renowned gymnastics) to overcome political conspirators and win the hand of the princess, played by Marjorie Daw. The picture was directed by Joseph Henabery, who portrayed Lincoln in D. W. Griffith The Birth of a Nation, and who has already directed Fairbanks in a couple of previous pictures (The Man from Painted Post, 1917 & Say! Young Fellow, 1918). As usual, Doug smiles throughout, as well he might, because His Majesty, the American, made for about $300,000 is sure to recoup more than a modest profit. United Artists hopes that there will soon be films from the three other founders of the company, but presently only Fairbanks is free from previous contractual commitments. In any case, a luxurious new theatre and a new movie studio bode well for the American film industry. 7 September, California: Release of Back Stage, directed by Fatty Arbuckle and starring himself, Molly Malone and Buster Keaton. 14 September, New York: An unlikely candidate for stardom, character actor Lon Chaney has attracted attention in Paramount's The Miracle Man. He has caused a sensation with the grotesque make-up he devised for his role as "The Frog," a partially paralyzed beggar. The 36-year-old Chaney has a curious past. The son of deaf-mute parents, he developed his pantomimic skills as a youngster, mimicking all the day's events for his bed-ridden mother. Her served his apprenticeship in touring stock companies and joined Universal in 1912 as a utility player. Seven years later, he has grabbed his chance with both hands. 20 September, France: Jacques de Baroncelli is filming The Secret of Lone Star, with the American star Fanny Ward, Rex MacDougall and Gabriel Signoret. With this type of film, Delac and Vandal from Film d'Art are hoping to gain a bigger slice of the American movie market. 30 September, Paris: Bernard Grasset has edited Cinéma et Cie, a collection of articles by Louis Delluc from Le Film. It is the first book of a critical nature to be published about the French cinema. 30 September, Hollywood: Charlie Chaplin and Douglas Fairbanks, partners in the new United Artists Company, are planning a film in South America. They hope to work on location in Santiago, Chile for several months. 18 October, New York: Marcus Loew, who has been at the head of an extensive cinema circuit since 1912, has now set up Loew's Incorporated, with a capital of $27 million. Negotiations are under way for the new outfit to take control of Metro Pictures. 25 October, Nice: René Navarre has created a production company for "ciné-romans," popular films adapted from the serialized novels published simultaneously in all the main daily papers. The first film is already planned from a story by Gaston Leroux. 8 November, Stockholm: Mauritz Stiller's latest comedy, titled Erotikon, is proving highly popular. The film, starring Karin Molander, draws its inspiration from a play by Hungarian writer Ferenc Herczeg. 23 November, New York: James M. Barrie's The Admirable Chrichton, has been adapted by Cecil B. De Mille as Male and Female, with Gloria Swanson as the spoiled rich girl who is part of a group shipwrecked on a deserted island, and Thomas Meighan as her former butler and the only one in the group who has any survival skills. There is a wild dream sequence, in which the two imagine themselves in ancient Babylon, allowing De Mille's true showmanship impulses to surface, but most of the 115 minute film plays upon the relationships between the aristocrats and their servants. De Mille's technique is often stodgier than his vision, and that is the case with much of this film, but the story strikes a universal and enduring chord, with moments of real humor amid the romantic melodrama. -- Douglas Pratt, dvdlaser.com 25 November, Milan: The beautiful Italian star, Francesca Bertini has been signed to a contract by Richard A. Rowland, a producer and president of Metro Pictures, for a series of films to be made in Italy for the American market. If they are a success Francesca will be leaving for Hollywood. 1 December, Prague: Sixteen-year-old Anny Ondra has made her silver screen debut in The Woman with Small Feet, directed by Jean S. Kolar from a scenario by Gustav Machaty. 7 December, New York: The latest production from Carl Laemmle's Universal studios, Blind Husbands, has just opened at the Capitol Theater. Originally previewed and screened to the press under writer-director Erich von Stroheim's own title, , The Pinnacle, advance word on the picture was that it was a very special release from Universal, a studio better known for cheaply made Westerns and action movies, rather than intelligent drama. The film marks the directing debut for the Austrian-born Stroheim, previously known as an actor in such films as The Unbeliever, The Hun Within and The Heart of Humanity, with Stroheim often playing a brute, which has earned him the soubriquet, "The man you love to hate!" The new film revolves around an American couple on holiday in the Dolomites, and the efforts of an Austrian officer (Stroheim) to seduce the young wife. Remarkably subtle and sophisticated in its treatment of characters and relationships, this exceptional work is, quite simply, a masterpiece. 15 December, Hollywood: Gloria Swanson, divorced from Wallace Beery, has married Herbert Somborn. Her last two films, made with Cecil B. De Mille, are After the Rain, the Sunshine and Male and Female. 15 December, Nice: Having come here to make Ecco Homo, Abel Gance has given up the idea and is working on the scenario of La Rose du rail. But his companion, Ida Danis, who had a relapse of Spanish influenza, is now suffering from galloping consumption. 27 December, Stockholm: Svenska Biografteatern has merged with Skandia. The new trust is to be known as the Svensk Filmindustri. 31 December, Seoul: The premiere has taken place of the first film to be made in Korea. Directed by Do-San Kim, Erichok Koutou is 3,280 metres in length. 31 December, USA: The Famous Players-Lasky have released the first issue of Paramount Magazine, a filmed news weekly.