the foundation of all things to come...

Rating: Null/10 (10 July 2000)

D.W Griffith at the peak of his career and boy, does it show. All his trademarks are melted into one, great kettle. Panoramas, close-ups, cross-cutting, iris-openings etc. The first part is the best one, a fascinating story about the Camerons and the Stonemans before,during and after the Civil War, sheer entertainment with beautiful camerawork. The second part is a little bit harder to enjoy, due to the controversy. The Negros are here described as dumb and lazy, and Ku Klux Klan as heroes. But the last 15 minutes is Griffiths "tour de force", a race against time, cross-cutting between three scenes: Elsie Stoneman being almost raped by the vicious Silas, the Camerons being trapped in a cabin, attacked by Negros and Ku Klux Klan racing to the rescue. It still leaves you breathless, nearly 90 years later. The acting is, as so often in silent movies, sometimes laughable, but one has to remember that melodrama was the hottest thing back then and melodrama really depends on the actors ability to stir up emotions. Much has been said about Lillian Gish (here as Elsie Stoneman, beautiful as ever), but I would say that Mae Marsh is far better as Little Girl Cameron. Just see how easily she swifts from one mood to another, from sheer panic to giggling laughter. Overall, the cast does a great job. The most impressing thing, however, is Griffiths ability to handle the mass scenes. It´s a great shame to Griffith seems to be so underrated these days, he is just as importent for the development of cinema as Homeros is for the development of European litterature. Orson Welles called him "the greatest of all motion picture directors" and I have to agree on that. Personally, I still regard Intolerance as Griffiths greatest achivement, but this is really the foundation of all things to come, you may as well call it "the birth of cinema". The copy with colour tints and full orchestral score is a must, try to avoid other copies.