DALE HAWES

   David Wark Griffith is better known as D. W. Griffith and he is arguably the most important person in the entire history of the motion picture industry. He shot the first motion picture ever to be made in Hollywood, California entitled, "In Old California" (1910). He later gave the world the first full length feature film, "Judith of Bethulia" (1914). He had to fight for the length. No one wanted to make a movie that long back then. Lillian Gish recalled that the executives at the U.S. Biograph Company though a movie that long would hurt the audience's eyes. Griffith won the fight and as it turns out, audiences didn't mind at all. But his next film, "The Birth of a Nation" (1915) was 12 reels long (or 3 hours long) and despite it's length, it was the most financially successful film of all time. It was hailed as a masterpiece and a work of genius by audiences, critics and industry insiders alike. At the time the film was proposed American films were very cheaply made, compared to their European counterparts, particularly the Italians. Sets were just painted on a canvas instead of built on the stage, as well as, bad makeup on actors. All these traits really mark that period of time. But Griffith changed all that. He had great sets, great costumes and many locations all dressed in the period of early 1860's. By standards of the day, this film cost a fortune to make but it was well worth it. After the incredible success of this movie, feature length motion pictures would become the norm. Birth of a Nation was the worlds first "Blockbuster".

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   Even before, Birth of a Nation, Griffith was considered a genius filmmaker. It was said, "There's D.W. Griffith and then there's everyone else." He didn't actually invent ALL the tools of filmmaking we use today but the ones he didn't invent, he certainly perfected. He also pioneered aspects of editing. Some of his trademarks include, the hero's race to the rescue, the extremely long and menacing close-up, the flashback, the iris shot, cross-cutting and others.

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   Griffith started his career working as a playwright for the live theater. Then he moved to acting. Next he wanted to act in motion pictures so he started working at the Mutoscope Biograph Company as a background extra in 1908. As he worked his way up he met the cinematographer Billy Blitz who helped him understand film. He quickly went from extra to actor to director. As a director he jumped to a few companies throughout his career and always fighting with film executives to realize his vision. So he teamed up with Charlie Chaplin, Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks to create United Artists in 1909. They all felt films should be made by the terms of the directors and actors rather than executives. U.A. did well until M.G.M. acquired it in 1981.  

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   He would never again see the success that he did with The Birth of a Nation. Nevertheless, he saw a fair number of great success. They include; Broken Blossom (1919), "Way Down East" (1920), "Orphans of the Storm" (1921) {and his last} "The Struggle" (1931)

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   In 1948, D. W.  Griffith was discovered dead in the lobby of the Knickerbocker Hotel in Hollywood California.

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   Griffith's film, "Birth of a Nation", looks at the Civil War through the eyes of the defeated south and it documents the start of Ku Klux Klan and portrays them as the hero. Because of this, today Griffith is considered a racist by some. However I actually believe this is a mistaken theory because; For one, the story wasn't his, the film was based on an extremely popular play at the time. Two, he was telling story from the point of view of people who were actually there. He knew the subject because he was born in Kentucky in 1885. His father was a cornel for the confederates so he heard many first hand accounts growing up. Slavery was a wrong that had to be corrected but the way the south was treated after President Lincoln was killed was wrong too.  And three, it was an all together different time. People weren't as hypersensitive about race and heritage issues back then, as they are today. And finally, his next film, "Intolerance" (1916) seems to disproved the raciest theory. But I admit, I'm speculating. But the truth is anybody wanting to know more about the Civil War should put their own prejudices aside and watch the film because it was produced only 50 years after the actual event. Remember, only con artists and thief's censor and those who forget their history are damned to repeat it.

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   I wrote this article because honest information on Griffith is increasing hard to find. He's being erased from the history books because of the prejudges views of a later time. And yet every filmmaker on earth is standing on the shoulders of someone who is standing on the shoulders of D. W. Griffith. Charley Chaplin once called Griffith, "The teacher of all of us." This man gave America and the world a great industry and he should be remembered fondly.  Furthermore, all aspiring filmmakers would be wise to study D. W. Griffith and his techniques. 

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-D. Hawes