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Broken Blossoms
1919
This strangely beautiful silent film from D.W. Griffith is also one of his more grim efforts; an indictment of child abuse and the violence of western society. An ideological Asian (Richard Barthelemess) travels to the west in hopes of spreading the Buddha's message of peace to the round-eyed "sons of turmoil and strife." .. Read more
| Starring | Lillian Gish, Donald Crisp, Richard Barthelmess, Arthur Howard |
|---|---|
| Director | D.W. Griffith |
| Genres | Drama |
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Broken Blossoms
This strangely beautiful silent film from D.W. Griffith is also one of his more grim efforts; an indictment of child abuse and the violence of western society. An ideological Asian (Richard Barthelemess) travels to the west in hopes of spreading the Buddha's message of peace to the round-eyed "sons of turmoil and strife." Instead he winds up a disillusioned, opium-smoking shopkeeper in London's squalid Limehouse District. Down the street, a poor waif (Lillian Gish) suffers horrific abuse at the hands of her boxer father (Donald Crisp). When fortune delivers the battered girl into the Asian's tender care, a strange and beautiful love blossoms between them, a love far too fragile to survive their brutal environment. Griffith directed with his unique blend of poetry and realism, and Miss Gish delivers a typically first-rate performance as the girl; the result is a work of art that's both eloquent and crushing. The film was originally presented with color tinting and a musical score composed by Griffith, both of which may vary in different video and film versions.
| Starring | Lillian Gish, Donald Crisp, Richard Barthelmess, Arthur Howard, Norman Selby, George Beranger, Ernest Butterworth, Fred Hamer, Wilbur Higby, Ed Piel |
|---|---|
| Director | D.W. Griffith |
| Studio | EUREKA ENTERTAINMENT |
| Run time | DVD: 1 hr 28 mins |
| Certificate | |
| Genres | Drama |
| Language | DVD: English |
| Released | DVD: 16 Oct 2000 Production year: 1919 |
| Format | DVD |
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Critics' reviews (2)
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Five years after directing his last feature, DW Griffith — the father of narrative film — was invited by Twickenham Studios to remake his 1919 classic about doomed love in London's Limehouse. When he dropped out, Emlyn Williams hurriedly produced a script based on the Griffith original, and German exile John Brahm was hired to direct. The result is better than might be expected, with Brahm emulating the visual delicacy of the silent version. However, the dialogue is excruciating in places, Dolly Haas is no Lillian Gish, and Williams can't match Richard Barthelmess as the kindly Chinaman.
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Victorian-style melodrama presented by Griffith with all the stops out; sometimes striking, but very dated even on its first appearance.
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Most helpful member's review
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7 out of 7 people found this review helpful
Griffith the racist???
Set in an imaginary Limehouse around the turn of the last century the film tells of the tragic love of a young Chinaman for the white daughter of a bullying white boxer. The movie is somewhat heavy handed and seems rather plodding as you might expect from a static camera even though long takes are not too much in evidence.
A word of warning. After 'Birth of a Nation' Griffith was accused of racism. This film may also strike some as racist owing to its use of the words 'yellow man' and 'chink' but as the Chinaman is the hero and the white man the villain maybe Griffith was just echoing the usage of his time. -
Most recent members' review
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7 out of 7 people found this review helpful
Griffith the racist???
Set in an imaginary Limehouse around the turn of the last century the film tells of the tragic love of a young Chinaman for the white daughter of a bullying white boxer. The movie is somewhat heavy handed and seems rather plodding as you might expect from a static camera even though long takes are not too much in evidence.
A word of warning. After 'Birth of a Nation' Griffith was accused of racism. This film may also strike some as racist owing to its use of the words 'yellow man' and 'chink' but as the Chinaman is the hero and the white man the villain maybe Griffith was just echoing the usage of his time. -
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This strangely beautiful silent film from D.W. Griffith is also one of his more grim efforts; an indictment of child abuse and the violence of western society. An ideological Asian (Richard ... -