Tell It to the Marines (1926)

US 103m, B&W, Silent
Director: George W. Hill; Cast: Lon Chaney, William Haines, Eleanor Boardman

Tell It to the Marines is the story of a hard-boiled drill Sergeant who makes a Marine out of Private George Robert “Skeet” Burns whose only interest is to get a free train ride from Uncle Sam. Chaney’s performance as Sergeant O’Hara was one of his most conventional in a career that is largely remembered for his portrayal of “monsters”. Made in cooperation with the U.S. Marine Corps, Chaney’s convincing performance earned him the title of Honorary Marine, the first film star to receive that honour (Klaus Ming April 2017).