# Birth of a Nation, The (1915)

### reviewed by
Brian Koller

    The Birth of a Nation (1915)

    Grade: 59

"The Birth of a Nation" is considered to be the first great silent film, the one film that transformed cinema from mere entertainment to an art form. In an era when even feature films were under an hour in length, the 190 minute running time was unheard of. Most films were one or two reel shorts, and were base comedies, romances or action films. The ambition, scope and political messages of "The Birth of a Nation" created a sensation, and the film grossed $18 million, far more than any film of its era.

It is necessary to consider the film's strong political messages before its quality can be analyzed. Obviously, "The Birth of a Nation" is racist. Black men, portrayed by white men in blackface, are generally depicted as beasts: lawless, abusive and lusting after white women. Director D.W. Griffith tries to balance this characterization by blaming this behaviour on white "scalawag" carpetbaggers, and by having a few "good" black characters. These "good" blacks are former slaves still loyal to their former white masters. The Ku Klux Klan, a murderous, racist vigilante organization, are presented as heroes for restoring "order" and white minority rule. Scenes suggesting that blacks should be shipped to Liberia were deleted from the film after protests.

The film was released in 1915, during a time when WWI was raging in Europe, and the U.S. was attempting to stay out of it. Many of the dialogue cards for "The Birth of a Nation" deplore war and its waste. Woodrow Wilson was President at the time, and excerpts from a racist history book that he had written are quoted in the film.

Abraham Lincoln is depicted heroically in the film. This is curious given the pro-South, anti-war, Jim Crow sympathies of the film. Griffith's first talkie would be "Abraham Lincoln", a warm tribute to the Civil War President. Lincoln's assassination is blamed for the excesses of reconstruction.

"The Birth of a Nation" is mostly the story of two families. Not content to stick to the plot, Griffith inserts scenes presenting historical moments, such as Grant's surrender and Lincoln's assassination. Griffith takes pains to re-create the architecture of Ford Theater and the Appomattox Courthouse (and is proud to tell us so), which is ironic given his polemic interpretation of American history.

"The Birth of a Nation" is typically described as a flawed but great film. While the film undeniably has great historical importance, this is not relevant to its grade, which should be based only on its quality. From a critical standpoint, "The Birth of a Nation" has many problems.

The characters are simplistic. Besides the depiction of blacks, the three main female characters are lovely simpletons, the subject of lust from blacks and heroic rescue from whites. The white male heroes are a stereotype of chivalry and bravery. We are left with reconstructionist congressman Austin Stoneman (Ralph Lewis) as the only character with some depth.

The action scenes are many. There are Civil War battles, lynchings, black mobs, and Ku Klux Klan rescue missions. Admittedly, these scenes add excitement to the film, but they are sometimes muddled and sometimes lack credibility due to the extreme characterizations. One scene has a white man taking on, and defeating, a dozen black men.

"The Birth of a Nation" remains an historically important film, but it is not a great film. Its major theme, the effect of the Civil War and reconstruction on wealthy white Southern families, is much better realized a generation later in "Gone With a Wind".

kollers@mpsi.net http://members.tripod.com/~Brian_Koller/movies.html

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