"Broken Blossoms" *** (out of ****)D.W. Griffith's "Broken Blossoms" (1919) is believed, by many, to be the greatest silent film ever made. I don't know if I'd go that far in my praise for the film. There is a lot of stiff competition for that title. I'm a big fan of King Vidor's "The Crowd". And his "The Big Parade" is also considered a classic. Then you have Erich von Stroheim's "Greed" and "The Wedding March". The original "Ben-Hur" (1927) is also one of my favorites. This is to say nothing of the great silent comedies by Chaplin, Keaton, Lloyd and Langdon.
But there is no denying "Broken Blossoms" is an important film. One which all film lovers and film students should watch. And not just as a lesson in film history but for pleasure.
D.W. Griffith has not been discussed on this blog yet. He is unquestionably the most important figure in the development of cinema. Sadly today he and his films are forgotten. But, even though young film fans may not realize it, everything they see in the movies today was originally conceived by Griffith. He is credited for introducing such cinematic devices as the "close-up", "crosscutting", the "iris" shot and "flashbacks". All of which you see in "Broken Blossoms".
Because of this young film fans my not even realize just how unique it is to see these devices in one of his films. We are so use to seeing them in modern films we may forget these devices weren't always around. They weren't invent by the air. Someone had to conceive these ideas. In some ways this works in Griffith's favor. It makes his work seem "modern". His edits and camera moves have a fluid quality. Everything flows nicely. Nothing, except maybe at times, the acting, feels forced or staged.
Griffith originally wanted to become a playwright but when that didn't work out for him he was hired by the Edison Company as an actor. After a few years he signed a contract with Biograph Studios where he was given a chance to direct. In 1908 he made his debut in the director's seat with the short "The Adventures of Dollie". And the rest as they say is history.
He worked until the sound era, with his last directing credit being given for the film "Footlight Varieties" (1951) for his segment titled "Confidence". Griffith died in 1948, so it was merely archive footage. His last film as an actual director was 1931 with "The Struggle". Because of simply how old many of his films are many are not remembered today, though a good number of them have been put on DVD thanks to Kino, along with "Broken Blossoms". Of his films, which more than 400 exist, only a handful are seen today and generally accepted as great films. They include "Birth Of A Nation", "Intolerance", "Way Down East" and "Battle of the Sexes". Griffith filmed two versions of "Sexes", one in 1914 with Lillian Gish and one in 1928 with Jean Hersholt, the Academy of Arts & Motion Pictures even named an honorary award after him due to his humanitarian work.
With "Birth Of A Nation" (1915) Griffith was forever damned. At the time of its released the film was seen as racist, even the NAACP tried to get the film banned. Audiences today might not think so, but clearly the black community had power back then. We tend to view the world as a "white man's world" but we see the effects and power the NAACP had even then. Griffith would have to defend himself every day after the release of that picture. To his dying day he claimed he was not a racist and the film was never meant to be interpreted as such.
With the public backlash against him Griffith tried to defend himself through two of his films. His "Intolerance" was his next major work and tried to spread peace and understanding. And "Broken Blossoms" was a film which some describe as the first film to deal with an interracial romance between an Asian man and a white woman. Though in this film the Asian man is actually played by a white man.
Richard Barthelmass plays Chen Huan (who is referred to throughout the movie as the "yellow man". For a film which is suppose to be about racial tolerance didn't Griffith know this term was socially insensitive? He is even called "chink" by some characters!). Chen is about to make a voyage from China to England where he hopes to spread the message of Buddha. Chen believes the white man acts like a barbarian. They are prone to violence. When he arrives in London his spirits are broken. He has not accomplished what he has set out to do.
This is countered with the story of Lucy (Lillian Gish). An orphan who was left at the doorstep of a boxer, Battling Burrows (Donald Crisp). He is unkind to the girl and beats her daily with a whip. This leads me to wonder why would such a man accept a baby in the first place? Why would he want the responsibility?
From a distance Chen admires Lucy but never works up enough courage to speak to her. After Lucy receives yet another beating from Burrows, she accidentally spills some food on his hand, she wanders along aimlessly and finds herself in Chen's store, where he tries to nurse her back to health. But when Burrows finds out where Lucy is, he plots revenge.
In "Broken Blossoms" Griffith really lays on the sentimentality. For me it was a bit too much, too forced. Lucy is said to lead such an unhappy life that she never sees reason to smile. At the demand of Burrows, she is forced to smile. What does she do? She takes two fingers applies them to her face and pushes her lips back, creating a smile. This is suppose to break our hearts. The poor girl can't even smile! Then Griffith has a scene where Burrows is sitting by the table (they only have one chair) as Lucy stands and watches him eat. She only gets to eat after he is done. Again our hearts are suppose to be split in two by this point.
But that is the way Griffith worked. His films are melodramas. But sometimes it feels he doesn't have enough confidence within the story alone to tug at our heart. He doesn't need to go to these extremes. I hate to sound critical of Griffith's work, who am I to do so? Griffith is clearly a cinematic genius, but these types of attempts at drama are what make the film seem dated.
By the time "Broken Blossoms" was released Lillian Gish was already a star. She was born in 1893 and acted in her first film in 1912 ("An Enemy Unseen") her sister, Dorothy, also has a part in it. For as important Griffith is to cinema as a director, I would argue Gish is as important to actresses. Her career practically expands the beginning of cinema as an art form. The Gish sisters are legends, just like the Talmadge sisters, one of whom, Nathalie, was married to Buster Keaton.
Lillian Gish went on to greater fame and importance than Dorothy and watching her here you can tell she was a great actress. She has a way about her which invites the audience in. She grows on us and gains our sympathy. This is why I don't think Griffith needed to put in such overly sentimental scenes. Gish had the ability to make us care for her regardless.
Gish was nominated for an Oscar only once in her long career, her final film was in 1987, "The Whales of August". Her nomination came in 1947 for the film "Duel in the Sun" where she lost to Anne Baxter for "The Razor's Edge". She was given an honorary award in 1971. Outside of her work with Griffith she may also be known for her performance in Charles Laughton's "The Night of the Hunter" with Robert Mitchum.
In the 1920s, Gish was starting to have a hard time finding success. She left Griffith for a contract with MGM, but with stars like Greta Garbo and Clara Bow, audiences wanted more sex appeal on-screen. Gish, while a good actress and in her own way pretty, couldn't compete with Garbo. Not many could in Gish's defense.
"Broken Blossoms" could serve as a good introduction into Griffith's work. It lacks the controversy of "Birth Of A Nation", which may turn off viewers. With "Broken Blossoms" hopefully the viewer will focus on Griffith's craft and advance ways in movie making. If you enjoy this, then please go on and check out his other films.
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