Count Ferdinand, a submarine commander and secret pacifist refuses to torpedo a defenseless passenger ship during wartime. His submarine is sunk in the following fracas. In the spirit world, Christ commends the captain, and returns to earth in the commander's body to promote His message of peace.
Production
Ince's massive sets and hand-tinted sequences were unprecedented spectacle.
Direction
Three directors, one film — somehow coherent despite the chaos.
Costume
Christ's robes legitimately glow via early color processing.
Director
Reginald Barker
Kate Bruce
A Mother
J. Frank Burke
Luther Rolf - The Peace Advocate
Claire Du Brey
George Fisher
The Christ
Charles K. French
The Prime Minister
Thomas H. Ince
Himself - in Prologue
Herschel Mayall
The King of Wredpryd
Howard Hickman
Count Ferdinand
Enid Markey
Katheryn Haldemann
John Gilbert
Extra (uncredited)
Alice Terry
Extra (uncredited)
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Released while America debated entering WWI, this was Thomas Ince's $1 million gamble on anti-war sentiment — it backfired when the US joined the war months later.
The 'Hand of God' intertitle was originally illustrated with actual hands from Ince's production crew, photographed and tinted. Divine intervention, union labor.
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