Review of The Birth of a Nation (1915) by Richard L — 11 Jan 2015
An awful, awful film watching experience. There is no question that this is an important movie in film history, but it is a horrifyingly racist offering. The first part, about the Civil War, is somewhat measured and despite the director and screenwriters' obvious sympathies for the South, there are moments of grace, appreciation for Abraham Lincoln, and deploring war. The second half, though, about Reconstruction, is simply racist. It features the worst stereotyping of black people (depicted by mostly white people in black face) and elevates the KKK as heroes.
Technically and artistically the film is beautiful to behold, but how can one separate the content from the merit of the filmmaking when the filmmaker is pointedly being racist? It doesn't matter how well this movie was shot when it is so harmful to an entire race of people and to history. Whatever nuance is in the first half of the movie becomes pure hatred in the second half.
Not recommended.
This review of The Birth of a Nation (1915) was written by Richard L on 11 Jan 2015.
The Birth of a Nation has generally received mixed reviews.
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