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D.W. Griffith's The Birth of a Nation: A History of the Most Controversial Motion Picture of All Time
In this deeply researched and vividly written volume, Melvyn Stokes illuminates the origins, production, reception and continuing history of this ground-breaking, aesthetically brilliant, and yet highly controversial movie.
By going back to the original archives, particularly the NAACP and D. W. Griffith Papers, Stokes explodes many of the myths surrounding The Birth of a Nation (1915). Yet the story that remains is the longest American film of its time, Griffith's film incorporated many new features, including the first full musical score compiled for an American film. It was distributed and advertised by pioneering methods that would quickly become standard. Through the high prices charged for admission and the fact that it was shown, at first, only in "live" theaters with orchestral accompaniment, Birth played a major role in reconfiguring the American movie audience by attracting more middle-class patrons. But if the film was a milestone in the history of cinema, it was also undeniably racist. Stokes shows that the darker side of this classic movie has its origins in the racist ideas of Thomas Dixon, Jr. and Griffith's own Kentuckian background and earlier film career. The book
reveals how, as the years went by, the campaign against the film became increasingly successful. In the 1920s, for example, the NAACP exploited the fact that the new Ku Klux Klan, which used Griffith's film as a recruiting and retention tool, was not just anti-black, but also anti-Catholic and anti-Jewish, as a way to mobilize new allies in opposition to the film.
This crisply written book sheds light on both the film's racism and the aesthetic brilliance of Griffith's filmmaking. It is a must-read for anyone interested in the cinema.
By going back to the original archives, particularly the NAACP and D. W. Griffith Papers, Stokes explodes many of the myths surrounding The Birth of a Nation (1915). Yet the story that remains is the longest American film of its time, Griffith's film incorporated many new features, including the first full musical score compiled for an American film. It was distributed and advertised by pioneering methods that would quickly become standard. Through the high prices charged for admission and the fact that it was shown, at first, only in "live" theaters with orchestral accompaniment, Birth played a major role in reconfiguring the American movie audience by attracting more middle-class patrons. But if the film was a milestone in the history of cinema, it was also undeniably racist. Stokes shows that the darker side of this classic movie has its origins in the racist ideas of Thomas Dixon, Jr. and Griffith's own Kentuckian background and earlier film career. The book
reveals how, as the years went by, the campaign against the film became increasingly successful. In the 1920s, for example, the NAACP exploited the fact that the new Ku Klux Klan, which used Griffith's film as a recruiting and retention tool, was not just anti-black, but also anti-Catholic and anti-Jewish, as a way to mobilize new allies in opposition to the film.
This crisply written book sheds light on both the film's racism and the aesthetic brilliance of Griffith's filmmaking. It is a must-read for anyone interested in the cinema.
432 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2007
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
December 8, 2017
I have seen this movie over 50 times showing it to my students. It is a vile, vicious, racist film. And yet it is a powerful film (even though it is a three hour, black and white, silent film). I warn my students that if we do not have an African American student in the class, they might just cheer out loud for the Ku Klux Klan. Two years ago a student cheered even though her black friend was sitting right next to her. Awkward.
This film is so important for how it reflects early 20th century's understanding of the Civil War, Reconstruction, and African-Americans. This book does an excellent job of untangling this movie. Any serious student of American history should read the book and watch the movie.
This film is so important for how it reflects early 20th century's understanding of the Civil War, Reconstruction, and African-Americans. This book does an excellent job of untangling this movie. Any serious student of American history should read the book and watch the movie.
January 19, 2014
This book attempts to be a full history of the landmark 1915 movie The Birth of a Nation. The beginning can be deadly dull; I wouldn't be at all surprised if many readers bailed out early on. Author Melvyn Stokes gives us a dry synopsis of the movie, followed by a dry synopsis of the novel that inspired the movie, followed by a dry synopsis of the play that was inspired by the novel that inspired the movie. After that, it gets better. There's a chapter on how the NAACP, then an organization that was only a few years old, fought from city to city and state to state to try to get the movie banned, usually unsuccessfully. The most interesting chapter, to me, was the one titled "Griffith's View of History" where the author shows how the prevailing views of the Civil War and Reconstruction changed over time, and how those views shaped, and were shaped by, The Birth of a Nation.
dnf-abandoned
April 25, 2011Read the chapter on the NAACP.
September 2, 2024
There is a lot of history and discussion in the movie, the plays and the books. From Dixon to Griffith a lot transpires in the making to the protests. Biggest take away for me is the question as to whether the new cinematic art over powers the cruel depiction of the Blacks. I really do not accept that reason for any movies from then to now. Movies that show the vicious attacks on anyone be it racism or sex oriented makes me sick to read about let alone watch on movies
December 29, 2021
Important background information to the most infamous movie of all time. "A Birth of A Nation" led to the resurrection of the KKK and cemented white supremacy as a nationwide problem, given the re-assessment of the Civil War and Reconstruction. Stokes exposes the intentional racism and pro-treason views that underlay the project.
February 12, 2024
Incredible
Informative but not dry. It was a fascinating look at how racism was excused in film but also how African Americans fought back.
Informative but not dry. It was a fascinating look at how racism was excused in film but also how African Americans fought back.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews