Reasons I wish I didn't finally watch "The Birth of a Nation"

1.) I knew it. I knew that if I watch The Birth of a Nation Lillian Gish would be ruined forever. She used to be an angel, a sparkling beacon of hope for the human race--this is not hyperbole. BUT, she was a lead actress in the film that led to the reemergence of the KKK in 1915. SO in the words of Brian Ferry, tainted love, oh, tainted love.

2.) Woodrow Wilson let me down big time. I used to affectionately refer to him as Woody. I accepted that he was kinda racist. I blamed it on his Southern upbringing, on the times, on undiagnosed mental illness, but just read the above title card to see how much of a delusional white supremacist he really was. Tainted love.

3.) I lost a lot of my respect for D.W. Griffith. He was kind of a genius auteur, which is why I used to love him, a lot, but now I can't see past his blatant bigotry. The guy died still claiming that this film was not intentionally racist. Ridiculous. More tainted love.

4.) I don't know if I can watch D.W.'s other films anymore. Is a life without Broken Blossoms a life worth living? Ya, I guess so, kinda. Hmmm.

Orphans of the Storm, starring Lillian and Dorothy Gish

The beauty shot.

"Shh. . . this is a silent movie"

An actress caught acting. . . crazy.

Now this is the quintessential Lillian Gish face. None of the others compare. You can also find this face in any scene with the abusive father in Broken Blossoms, and all scenes in Way Down East that involve babies or snow. This face is why I love Lillian Gish.

Dorothy doesn't really do it for me, she's alright but her faces pale in comparison to her sister's.

While watching this film I paused on the first shot of Lillian in the film. I asked my brother what he thought of her. He said "She looks like a cat."