Arms And The Girl (1917) Billie Burke & and 50 similar items

Vintage original 8 x 10 in. US lobby card from the classic teens WWI Russian spy-themed silent film drama, ARMS AND THE GIRL, released in 1917 by Paramount Pictures and directed by Joseph Kaufman. The image features an interior shot of stranded American Ruth Sherwood (Billie Burke) as she says goodbye to fellow American Wilfred Ferrers (Thomas Meighan) as he leaves to fight for his newly-adopted country. The tagline in the lower right reads: "Goodbye--and be careful." It is dated "1917" in the lower left corner. It is unrestored in fine- condition. Produced by Famous Players-Lasky and based upon the play by Robert M. Baker and Grant Stewart (which starred Fay Bainter), the cast includes Billie Burke, Thomas Meighan, Louise Bates, J. Malcolm Dunn, Arthur Bauer, William David, George S. Trimble, Harry Lee, and May De Lacy. Plot: During August 1914, Ruth Sherwood (Burke), an American traveling through Belgium with her parents, is left behind in Beaupre and tries to send a message to her fiance in Paris. She is compelled to seek shelter at the Hotel Tete d'Or as there are no more trains that day. Here, she meets another American, Wilfred Ferrers (Meighan). Ruth's passport is stolen by Olga Karnovitch (Bates), a Russian spy, who leaves her Russian passport in Ruth's hands. The town is invaded by Germans who are headed towards Paris, and they make the inn their headquarters. Ferrers is discovered destroying the Russian passport and is ordered to be shot at once. Ruth comes to his assistance by claiming that he is her fiance. The German officer is skeptical, and he orders that they be married at once. The ceremony is held beneath the upheld swords of the Germans, and an embarrassing night follows as the couple retire to their room. Ferrers overcomes the sentinel at their door, dons his uniform, and forces the General (Trimble) at the point of a gun to give them a pass to get through the German lines into France. In the meantime, Jack Martin (David), Ruth's fiance, arrives, but she says that he is her chauffeur. Ferrers gives Jack the pass, but Ruth refuses to leave Ferrers, having fallen in love with her "husband." The Germans receive orders to move on and as Ferrers enters the inn to urge Ruth to depart at once, he is shot by the outraged General. Ruth borrows a smock from the innkeeper and with Ferrers makes her escape across the border into France.