Directed by D.W. Griffith
Written by Thomas Dixon Jr., Frank E. Woods and D.W. Griffith from Dixon’s novel
1915/US
David W. Griffith Co.; Epoch Producing Corporation
IMDb page
Repeat viewing/YouTube
One of 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die
intertitle: [in the little cabin] The former enemies of North and South are united again in common defence of their Aryan birthright.
Having returned from vacation I am resuming my project to review all the pre-1934 films from the 1001 Movie list that I have not yet reviewed here. Unfortunately, the next one up was a film I was hoping not to watch again before I died.
The story concerns the Stonemans, a family from the North, and the Camerons, a family from the South. Human interest is provided by the romances between Elsie Stoneman (Lillian Gish) and Ben Cameron (Henry Walthall) and between Margaret Cameron (Miriam Cooper) and Phil Stoneman (Elmer Clifton). Another main character is Ben’s little sister Flora (Mae Marsh). Relations between the two families are strained by the Civil War.
The content is repugnant, made more so by the blackface used on many of the African-American characters denigrated in this movie. Lillian Gish is exquisite as always. Mae Marsh, the original manic pixie dream girl, irritated the hell out of me as usual. The importance of the film for its pioneering cinema techniques is undeniable. But to be subjected to this obnoxious drivel for 3+ hours is like torture.
I would’ve skipped it. You’ve already seen it. There’s no need to watch it again.
If I was teaching a film class and felt DW Griffith was necessary, I would have a special screening of Birth of a Nation for anybody who could stomach it. And then I would show Judith of Bethuliah in the classroom
Your comment takes the best approach.
I’m so looking forward to watching Les Vampires as a palate cleanser.
I recently read a book called “The Movies Book” (very original…) that lists the 100 or so most important movies. The editors of that book decided to skip Birth of a Nation and instead celebrate “Intolerance” as the birth of the feature movie. I would agree that “Intolerance” is a more palatable movie (if very boring), but I also think it is wrong to cancel something because we do not like it. “Birth of a Nation” is the birth of the feature movie and it is importantly technical. It was also a very popular movie at the time, probably the biggest box office success of Griffith. Simply ignoring it is just not right.
From my point of view it is important to watch it to understand that those sentiments did (and still do) exists and watching it, we have to take a position on it. Ignoring it because we do not like it is the kind of mechanism that is now making the world fall apart. I also hated watching it, the nonsense is just obscene, but I do feel I learnt something of the time and the people in 1915. It is a painful lesson and I, for one, do not need to watch it again, like, ever.
I must admit that many of the action sequences are really beautiful and that it is an acjeivement. But that doesn’t make it enjoyable to watch.
Your comment about ignoring it … Maybe you should have directed that comment at someone who suggested such a thing.
Bea has seen it. I said I would make it available but wouldn’t require anyone to watch it in a film class.
Ignoring it was not suggested.
I’ve seen it several times. I discussed it in history class when I was a teaching assistant. Nobody suggested ignoring it.
Me? I’m getting a little tired of strawman arguments everywhere I look.