Review of The Birth of a Nation (1915) by Bryce I — 13 Feb 2012

I was never one to find D.W. Griffith's Masterpiece particularly racist. It does have it's racist moments, but in a time when white men were the only actors ever shown on the screen, the fact that they were preforming in black face is not an example of racism. The fact that a director was trying to tell a story of an American Civil war, does not mean it is a racist gesture. And the fact that the Klu Klux Klan were considered heroes in an actual time and place is of course controversial, but it does not depict racism throughout a film. I can not take away any points from this film because of it's racist gestures. D.W. Griffith knew what he was doing, and even the president knew the risks of showing a film like this in a mainstream theater. Yet I love films that cause controversy. Everyone has a personal opinion. That is why I would like to share mine.

My main focus on this review is to a quote that was given right after the intermission, and right before the second part of the film was shown. The quote was given by David Ward Griffith himself and reads "This is a historical presentation of the Civil War and Reconstruction Period, and is not meant to reflect on any race or people of today". It is true that the film depicted black men as villains, and sexually aggressive towards women. It is true that that happened, and the acting, as well as the dialogue that the black men were referred to using was a little unorthodox. But from the filmmakers' point of view, they never feared censorship. They never meant to insult anyone, and they were just trying to show a story in the most professional way they could. But I also do not believe that the film's controversy is overreacted. Not only does the film traffic in grotesquely demeaning stereotypes, but it falsifies history in order to serve those stereotypes, making the African-American characters into crude villains and the racist whites into heroes. I personally see the film as a true depiction of the stereotypes that were given to blacks and whites at the time of it's release, and even today when they are stronger than before. When the film was shown at the White House back in 1915, even the president agreed. He said quote "the film was like writing history with lightning. And my only regret is that it is all so terribly true".

When we look at the film technically, there is no end to it's achievements. Even it's premise was breathtaking at the time. There was no such way for a film that ran three hours long, to build up a plot and then end with an exciting climax. Not to mention a few brilliantly and carefully staged battle sequences, and dramatizing history alongside fiction. Believe it or not, this was the first film to use any of those techniques. Yet every film that followed, including every film today, follows that exact same cliched premise. It's camera techniques even stand alone as legendary today. It's pioneered techniques are used everywhere in film. Every film that followed it, from 1916 - 2012 has used all those techniques. Yet only a few out of thousands have succeeded in overpowering David Ward Griffith's classic methods.

Whether or not you consider this film racist, there is no possible way to ignore what it is. Without a movie like this, I'd say that almost all of the films that you love today would not exist. If it is your opinion, yes... it is racist. Yes... the film is controversial and may have been a money grabber from the beginning. But almost 100 years later, people are still talking about it. There are people ready to jump and defend a movie that is so heavily considered racist, that to agree with it's status makes you a racist person too. I am not a racist person. I agree with everyone's rights no matter what color or race they are a part of. I do agree that this film has it's racist moments. Yet I am more aware of what I believe. It is a great film. It is an entertaining film. It is one of the greatest films of all time, and will remain that until nobody appreciates cinema anymore. On a subject like this, nobody can ever be right. It only matters on what your opinion of it is... And that is why I love controversial films so much!