March 17, 2002 Film Series Honors Veterans

In conjunction with the Veterans History Project at the American Folklife Center, the Mary Pickford Theater presents a series of five films commemorating America's fighting forces, beginning Tuesday, March 26, at 7 p.m. with a screening of Mary Pickford in "Johanna Enlists" (Pickford Film Corp., 1918). Pianist Ray Brubacher will provide musical accompaniment. Pickford stars as a backwoods girl who is invigorated by the arrival of an Army regiment on nearby training maneuvers. World War I morale films intended to justify both America's involvement in the conflict and promote the purchase of war bonds will also be screened as part of the evening's program.

Other films in the series include:

Friday, April 19 (6 p.m.): "The Thin Red Line" (Fox, 1998). Terence Malick's vivid adaptation of the James Jones novel of fighting on Guadalcanal starring Sean Penn, John Cusack, and George Clooney.

Tuesday, May 14 (7 p.m.): "Cease Fire!" (Paramount, 1953). An unusual semi-documentary chronicling a tension-filled Army reconnaissance mission in the last hours of the Korean War, filmed on location and using combat personnel.

Thursday, June 6 (6 p.m.): "The Longest Day" (20th Century-Fox, 1962). All-star cast (including John Wayne, Henry Fonda, Robert Mitchum, Richard Burton, and many others) in film that depicts the events leading up to and including the Normandy invasion, told from both the Allied and German perspectives.

Friday, July 26 (7 p.m.): "Platoon" (Orion, 1986). Gripping roman-à-clef from Vietnam veteran Oliver Stone, with raw recruit Charlie Sheen caught between two sergeants with very different approaches to combat. Winner of the Best Picture Oscar.

The Pickford Theater is located on the third floor of the James Madison Memorial Building, 101 Independence Ave., S.E. Reservations can be made by calling the Pickford reservation line at (202) 707-5677 one week before each show. For more information about film programs in the Mary Pickford Theater, visit the Web site at www.loc.gov/pickford.

The mission of the Veterans History Project is to collect the memories, accounts, and documents of war veterans and of those who served in support of them during World War I, World War II, and the Korean, Vietnam, and Persian Gulf wars, and to preserve their stories of experience and service for future generations. For more information and to see how you can participate, visit www.loc.gov/folklife/vets.