Birth of Racism.

Rating: 6/10 (6 May 2015)

Birth of a Nation (1915): Dir: D.W. Griffith / Cast: Lillian Gish, Mae Marsh, Henry B. Waltthal, Miriam Cooper, Ralph Lewis: First successful feature length film and a huge controversial rise due to racial themes. Three brothers go off to war and two are killed while the oldest is injured. Being a Guerilla soldier has him sentenced to death but his family pleads with President Abraham Lincoln who grants his freedom. Ku Klux Klan is established after a woman jumps to her death upon fleeing from a black slave. Recently blacks were given separate ballots for voting. Set in the South in 1860 delivers a powerful film hindered greatly with its presentation of a triumphant Klan as hero figures. D.W. Griffith became known as the father of cinema after telling a story through a series of shots. Tremendous production and appealing performances headed by Lillian Gish as a nurse. Gish would go on to be a familiar face yet always being associated with this. Mae Marsh plays the suicide victim whose understanding of race has been corrupted by warped political views. Henry B. Waltthall plays the soldier who begins the Klan. He seeks revenge on who he perceives as the enemy without thought upon his own sin. Miriam Cooper and Ralph Lewis are also featured in supporting roles. First feature film with Griffith starting it all, but the big issue is that it is hindered by racism. Score: 6 / 10