Review of Broken Blossoms or The Yellow Man and the Girl (1919) by Kristen T — 13 Jul 2009

Very much a product of its time, "Broken Blossoms" is my favorite Griffith film. The theme is less about interracial romance than it is selfless love. Richard Barthelmess is wholly believable as the young Buddhist priest who comes to England as a missionary intent to share his faith with the downtrodden of London.

The hardships and oppression that he endures are only brightened by the lovely girl who lives and suffers nearby. Inexorably her suffering and his meet, and the transcendent love that results wins in the end, even if it isn't in the way that we moderns are used to seeing it.

And I wonder--is this the baddest that we've seen Donald Crisp?--"They'll hang yer!!".