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In the early 20th century, the rise of Germany and the decline of the Ottoman Empire disturbed the long-standing balance of power in Europe, at the same time that unresolved territorial disputes and shifting alliances created rivalries and an arms race between the great powers. Growing tensions reached a breaking point on June 28, 1914, when the heir to Austro-Hungarian throne was assassinated by an young Bosnian Serb revolutionary, who intended to free Bosnia and Herzegovina from Austro-Hungarian rule. Austria-Hungary blamed Serbia, as the assassination team was helped by a Serbian secret nationalist group, and declared war on the following month. Russia immediately mobilised its troops in Serbia's defense, promtping Germany, who had an alliance with Austria-Hungary, to declare war on both Russia and its ally, France. The United Kingdom subsequently marched against Germany, leading to widespread conflict.   (from left to right) Drawing by Achille Beltrame published in the Italian...

Theatrical release poster Directed by Roy Del Ruth, Private Number (1936) tells the story of Ellen Neal (Loretta Young), a beautiful and upstanding girl who is hired as a maid in the house of the affluent Winfield family by their demonically creepy butler, Thomas Wroxton (Basil Rathbone). Wroxton is immediately smitten with her, but she rebuffs his every advance, much to his irritation. When the Winfields' son Richard (Robert Taylor) arrives home from college, he quickly falls in love with Ellen, despite her lower social status. Although she initially refuses to go out with him on the grounds that they are not social equals, Ellen becomes romantically involved with Dick during the family's vacation in Maine. On her 18th birthday, Dick and Ellen secretly marry and she falls pregnant by him shortly before he returns to college. After his plans to marry Ellen himself fall through, Wroxton informs her in-laws, Perry and Maggie Winfield (Paul Harvey and Majorie Gates...

Theatrical release poster Directed by Michael Curtiz, We're No Angels (1955) tells the story of three convicts — Joseph (Humphrey Bogart), Albert (Aldo Ray) and Jules (Peter Ustinov) — who escape from prison on Devil's Island just before Christmas 1895 and arrive at a nearby French colonial town. They stumble upon a store managed by Felix Ducotel (Leo G. Carroll) and his wife Amelie (Joan Bennett) and offer to fix their leaky roof as a way to hide from the police until a boat comes to take them to Paris. As they work, they plan to rob and kill the family, but eavesdropping reveals that the Ducotels are experiencing financial setbacks. Moreover, their charming daughter Isabelle (Gloria Talbot) is having trouble with her faithless fiancé Paul (John Baer) and his ruthless uncle Andre Trochard (Basil Rathbone). Reasoning that "cutting their throats might spoil their Christmas," the three felons decide to help the Ducotels get their store back on track. Touc...