Synopsis: The first half of the film begins
before the Civil War, explaining the introduction of slavery to
America before jumping into battle. Two families, the northern
Stonemans and the Southern Camerons, are introduced. The story is
told through these two families and often their servants,
epitomizing the worst racial stereotypes. As the nation is torn
apart by war, the slaves and their abolitionist supporters are seen
as the destructive force behind it all.
In its explicitly caricaturist presentation of the
KKK as heroes and Southern blacks as villains and violent rapists
and threats to the social order, it appealed to white Americans who
subscribed to the mythic, romantic view (similar to Sir Walter Scott
historical romances) of the Old Plantation South. Many viewers were
thrilled by the love affair between Northern and Southern characters
and the climactic rescue scene. The film also thematically explored
two great American issues: inter-racial sex and marriage, and the
empowerment of blacks. Ironically, although the film was advertised
as authentic and accurate, the film's major black roles in the film
-- including the Senator's mulatto mistress, the mulatto politican
brought to power in the South, and faithful freed slaves -- were
stereotypically played and filled by white actors - in
blackface.
Its pioneering technical work, often the work of
Griffith's under-rated cameraman Billy Bitzer, includes many
techniques that are now standard features of films, but first used
in this film. Griffith brought all of his experience and techniques
to this film from his earliest short films at Biograph, including
the following: " the use of ornate title cards " special
use of subtitles graphically verbalizing imagery " its own
original musical score written for an orchestra " the
introduction of night photography (using magnesium flares) "
the use of outdoor natural landscapes as backgrounds " the
definitive usage of the still-shot " elaborate costuming to
achieve historical authenticity and accuracy " many scenes
innovatively filmed from many different and multiple angles "
the technique of the camera "iris" effect (expanding or
contracting circular masks to either reveal and open up a scene, or
close down and conceal a part of an image) " the use of
parallel action and editing in a sequence (Gus' attempted rape of
Flora, and the KKK rescues of Elsie from Lynch and of Ben's sister
Margaret) " extensive use of color tinting for dramatic or
psychological effect in sequences " moving, traveling or
"panning" camera tracking shots " the effective use
of total-screen close-ups to reveal intimate expressions "
beautifully crafted, intimate family exchanges " the use of
vignettes seen in "balloons" or "iris-shots" in
one portion of a darkened screen " the use of fade-outs and
cameo-profiles (a medium closeup in front of a blurry background)
" the use of lap dissolves to blend or switch from one image to
another " high-angle shots and the abundant use of panoramic
long shots " the dramatization of history in a moving story -
an example of an early spectacle or epic film with historical
costuming and many historical references (e.g., Mathew Brady's Civil
War photographs) " impressive, splendidly-staged battle scenes
with hundreds of extras (made to appear as thousands) "
extensive cross-cutting between two scenes to create a
montage-effect and generate excitement and suspense (e.g., the scene
of the gathering of the Klan) " expert story-telling, with the
cumulative building of the film to a dramatic climax
