Review of Way Down East (1920) by Ted W — 12 Jan 2013

D.W. Griffith's Way Down East is the story about the young and petite Anna Moore (Lillian Gish), a country girl, who goes to the big city, a new world full of temptations. In this case the rich womanizer Lennox Sanderson, who trick Anna into a fake wedding, and she even gets pregnant. And what's worse is that her baby dies. After this incident, she gets a job as a servant to the Bartlett's. The son in the house, falls for Anne's virgin look, but she refuses him constantly. Also, Lennox is also a good friend of the Bartlett and constant reminds Anna to go away. But she refuses.

Way Down East features once again a marvelous performance by Lillian Gish. You might argue that her acting limits are crying and not crying. But What's makes her so great, because she does it so passionately. There is also a great scene where Gish is floating on an ice floe heading for a big water fall. What a thrilling scene. Thumbs Up.