Vintage original 8 x 10 in. US single-weight glossy photograph from the 1930's WWI-themed war documentary, THE DEAD MARCH, released in 1937 by Imperial Distributing Corporation and directed by Bud Pollard.

The image depicts the film's characters, which include an Italian Unknown Soldier (Al Ritchie), a German Unknown Soldier (Solo Doudauz), an Unknown American Soldier (Howard Negley), an Unknown British Soldier (Don Black), and an Unknown French Soldier (Al Ragali), risen from their graves to explain the ideals which sent them to war. Trimmed to just over 9.5 x 8 in., it is in fine condition as shown.

A combination of footage from World War I and re-enactments by actors playing The Unknown Soldier from each participating country marks this documentary that takes an anti-war point of view. Contemporary sources note that Boake Carter was a radio commentator. Another narrator was supposed to be used if the film was released in England because Carter often verbally attacked the country. According to the Variety review, the film was to be released in New York during the American Legion convention there in late Sept. 1937.

 

Scenes of World War I from the British War Museum and the library of Fox Movietone News are included in the film, among them the sinking of the Austrian ship, the St. Stephan, by an Italian torpedo, and a speech by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Also included is film of Japan's military invasion of Manchuria, Italy's conquest of Ethiopia, Bolivia's war with Paraguay, and the Spanish Civil War. During part of the film, actors playing unknown dead soldiers from Germany, France, Italy, Great Britain and the United States are shown rising from their graves to explain the ideals which sent them to war.