Shot on WashU’s campus, the 110-year old film “The Maid of McMillan” was among 25 films the Library of Congress added to the National Film Registry in January.
Perhaps the earliest student film still in existence, the movie centers on the budding romance between a campus jock and the maid of the McMillan women’s dormitory.
In 2020, WashU Libraries’ Film & Media Archive, in collaboration with University Archives, received a National Film Preservation Foundation basic preservation grant to preserve “The Maid of McMillan.”
“‘Maid of McMillan’ is a charming film. Like many student productions, it offers a view of college life from the perspective of young adulthood — campus romance, athletic competition, graduation,” said John Powers, an assistant professor of film and media studies in Arts & Sciences. “But, of course, it was filmed in 1916, providing us with a rare glimpse into the lives of American college students over 100 years ago. WashU should be very proud that ‘Maid of McMillan’ is now in the National Film Registry.”
In total, 25 films were added to the registry, including “White Christmas” (1954), “High Society” (1956), “The Karate Kid” (1984), “The Truman Show” (1998) and “The Grand Budapest Hotel” (2014).
Watch the movie and learn more about its history from WashU Libraries.
