Overall Rating Awesome: 44% Worth A Look: 20% Average: 8% Pretty Bad: 8% Total Crap: 20% 1 review, 19 user ratings

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Birth of a Nation, The

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by Teen Movie Critic

"Should be watched simply for what Griffith dared to do."

A movie milestone, this was the film that raised cinema from a cheap thrill to an art form.

D.W. Griffith's masterpiece details the lives of two families during the Civil War and Reconstruction Era. The drama revolves around the love between Southerner, Ben Cameron (Henry B. Walthall) and Northerner Elsie Stoneman (famed silent screen actress, Lilian Gish), and the hardships of the South both during and after the Civil War.

Still a masterpiece and a controversy after nearly 80 years, Griffith's handling of the production is both ignorant and brilliant at the same time. Although considerered a sensation when first released, it is to this day considered one of the largest pieces of work produced by a racist. The obvious racism towards blacks and the white-washing of the Ku Klux Klan have carried this movie's controversial depiction of race, a still "hot" subject, into modern times.

Despite the racism, the power of the story has not been lost on filmgoers. In a more accurate portrayal of the times, this movie points out that the North was not exactly "saintly" in its treatment toward the defeated South-an aspect of the times many revisionist historians neglect.

There are plenty of memorable scenes, including the charge by Walthall's men against overwhelming odds and the infamous ride of the KKK.

If for no other reason, it should be watched simply for what Griffith dared to do at the time and for his influence on the countless filmakers who have dared ever since.

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link directly to this review at http://efilmcritic.com/review.php?movie=2026&reviewer=48
originally posted: 12/18/99 06:45:58

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User Comments

6/04/08 PAUL SHORTT AN OUTRAGEOUSLY RACIST CINEMATIC EPIC 1 stars

5/21/04 Sean Scanlan First cinema movie 5 stars

4/20/04 tatum Ground breaking? Yup. Racist as all hell? Yup. 3 stars

3/28/04 john repulsive message aside it's great! way ahead of its time in everything but the politics! 5 stars

3/23/04 Trannon Goble Filmmaker's schooling 5 stars

5/15/03 Yahaira Waste of time 2 stars

1/17/03 Madelina probably the most absurd and time wasting film I have ever seen! 1 stars

12/30/02 silentbuff Henry Walthall evokes the true gentleman of the south, shows the truth of reconstuction 5 stars

12/10/02 Doug Good movie, in terms of story and filmmaking techniques 4 stars

11/23/02 Buddha Of course it's racist, have you even seen it? Or does your white hood get in the way? 2 stars

1/25/02 CureForTheIgnorant for all you idiots that see this film as rasict.With out this film there would be no cinema 5 stars

6/21/01 Dana I never knew the KKK was so nice! quite shocking 4 stars

2/26/01 Louie snoooozzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz 4 stars

2/06/01 Jon Cinematically amazing. Historically crap. 4 stars

9/13/00 Amy I stayed for half the film, so as you can telled I wasn't thrilled about it. 3 stars

5/29/00 Alice Tubbs Physchopatic minds and ignorant assumptions motivated by fear and bigotry. 1 stars

3/31/00 Elizabeth Thorarajoo A racists film playing on stereotypes 1 stars

2/17/00 michelle smith it was okay 4 stars

6/28/99 Steve Bashakus The story of the birth of the KKK - they call this a classic, I call it fucking bullshit! 1 stars

IF YOU'VE SEEN THIS FILM, RATE IT!
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USA 08-Feb-1915 UK N/A Australia 08-Feb-1915

Directed by D.W. Griffith Written by Thomas F. Dixon, Jr. D.W. Griffith Cast Lillian Gish Mae Marsh Henry B. Walthall Ralph Lewis (I) George Siegmann

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