A sometimes difficult movie to watch

Rating: 7/10 (27 May 2010)

I have seen this movie several times, and I find it a difficult one to rate. On the one hand, it gets high marks for craftsmanship, storytelling, acting (given the conventions of the era), and certainly it's place of importance in cinematic history cannot be debated. Even the just too precious Mae Marsh is less irritating than usual. On the other hand, there is it's subject matter, which is race relations during the Civil War and Recontruction. It would be hard to imagine a more blatantly biased presentation. I still cannot watch the second half without wincing at times. Every time I see Elsie and her Klansman proudly leading the parade of the Klu Klux Klan, I want to scream, "Lillian, how could you?" Fortunately, all ends well with a resurrected white South and the blessings of Christ, himself. Oh, my. Nevertheless, I give it a begrudging 7.