The Enemy is a 1927 American silent drama film directed by Fred Niblo and starring Lillian Gish, Ralph Forbes and Ralph Emerson. The film was thought to have been lost for years until a copy was discovered at the MGM library, now owned by Turner Entertainment. However, the film is still missing its final reel. Actor Joel McCrea made an early appearance as an extra. Plot Newlywed Carl (Ralph Forbes) goes to war where he endures major suffering. Back home, wife Pauli (Lillian Gish) starves, becomes a prostitute to survive, and their baby dies. Cast Lillian Gish as Pauli Arndt Ralph Forbes as Carl Behrend Ralph Emerson as Bruce Gordon Frank Currier as Professor Arndt George Fawcett as August Bejremd Fritzi Ridgeway as Mitzi Winkelmann Hans Joby as Fritz Winkelmann (credited as John S. Peters) Karl Dane as Jan Polly Moran as Baruska Billy Kent Schaefer as Kurt Louise Emmons (uncredited) Betty Jane Graham as Little girl (uncredited) Joel McCrea as Extra (uncredited) Censorship concern The Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America, formed by the film industry in 1922, regulated the content of films through a list of subjects that were to be avoided. While Lillian Gish portrayed a prostitute in The Enemy, this was acceptable as prostitution was not explicitly barred so long as it was not forced (i.e., white slavery) and aspects of her work were not shown in the film. See also List of American films of 1927 Lillian Gish filmography List of incomplete or partially lost films References External links Stills as silentfilmstillarchive.com 1927 films 1927 drama films 1920s rediscovered films Silent American drama films American silent feature films American black-and-white films Films directed by Fred Niblo Films set on the Austro-Hungarian home front during World War I Films set in Austria Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer films Rediscovered American films 1920s American films Silent war films