Definitely Watchable Griffith Despite Bizarre Last Half

Rating: 8/10 (29 September 2015)

A spectacular, elaborate production covering the Civil War era of American history, with an unfortunate last half drawn from Thomas Dixon's fictional novel "The Clansman." Made in 1915, the film makes a sincere and documented attempt to recreate several signal events of the period including Lincoln's call for volunteers, battle scenes, Lincoln's assassination, and the signing of the end of the war by Grant and Lee.
Unfortunately, it's hard to believe that the last half of the film is in any way historically accurate with blacks shown taking over government, dispensing justice, and running amok all over the South. It was, in fact, their disenfranchisement and segregation that defines the real legacy of the Civil War.
With intertitles calling the Ku Klux Klan "the organization that saved the South from anarchy," from "towns given over to crazed negroes," the last fifteen minutes play like the cavalry charge to save the pioneers from the Indians. Very excitingly done, with Wagner's "Ride of the Valkeries" in the 1930 version soundtrack, with quick and exciting cross cutting. Griffith, of course had done this before, most notably in "The Battle of Elderbush Gulch" (1913), also with Lillian Gish and Mae Marsh. This type of final chase scene being done hundreds of times from then on, thanks to DWG!
Also of note, many of the 'lead' black characters were really white actors in black face. Mae Marsh was still doing her frenetic jumping jack shtick, apparently these gestures were meant to convey "youthful full of life innocence" since she carried this into "Intolerance" (1916). Lillian Gish, also given to some quick hand flaying gestures, did them her own way, and showed us how expressive she could be with just her face, later perfected in her magnificent performance in "Broken Blossoms" (1919).
The last half tends to drag; it plays like a 1920s western, so I'll give the film an 8,