Crashing Through to Berlin

Relying exclusively on newsreel footage, Crashing Through to Berlin endeavored to pack the four-year history of WWI into four short reels. The scenes were arranged chronologically, with most of the footage devoted to America’s comparatively brief involvement in the conflict. Certain muddled elements of the story were clarified with the use of animated maps and word-heavy subtitles. Not surprisingly, those titles expressed unabashed hostility toward the Germans — so much so that even Variety felt that this vitriol could have been toned down. Even so, Variety advised local exhibitors to demonstrate their “patriotism” by booking the film.