D.W. Griffith's Intolerance: Its Genesis and Its Vision

by William M. Drew

Overview

A critical study of the background of D.W. Griffith's film masterpiece, the 1916 epic Intolerance. The most expensive ($2,000,000) film made prior to 1920, Intolerance was critically acclaimed and is now considered a classic.

The book traces the artistic and political influences that shaped the director's vision, discusses the influences of the Progressive movement, and connects the film to the social and political climate of the early 20th century.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780786412099
Publisher:	McFarland & Company, Incorporated Publishers
Publication date:	09/20/2001
Series:	McFarland Classics
Edition description:	ALTERNATE
Pages:	208
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.42(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

William M. Drew has co-directed and lectured for numerous film series at DeAnza College and editor and film reviewer for an entertainment quarterly. His articles on film history have appeared in various journals including Take One and American Classic Screen. He lives in Santa Clara, California.

Table of Contents

	Introduction	ix
1.	The Man and the Art	1
	Early Life	1
	Early Film Industry	3
	Griffith at Biograph	5
	Fame and Controversy	7
	Griffith and the Film Industry	11
2.	Narrative Structure of Intolerance	18
	The Conception of Time	19
	The Modern Story	20
	The Judean Story	22
	The French Story	25
	The Babylonian Story	27
3.	Historical Sources	31
	Griffith's Approach to Research	31
	Sources for the Modern Story	32
	Sources for the Judean Story	35
	Sources for the French Story	36
	Sources for the Babylonian Story	42
4.	Artistic Influences	63
	Music	63
	Painting	65
	Theater	71
	Films	78
	Poetry	81
	Novels	93
5.	Influence of the Progressive Movement	102
	Bryanism	103
	Theodore Roosevelt and Executive Leadership	104
	Wilsonism	106
	Muckraking Journalism	109
	Ross's Sociology of "Criminaloid" Types	110
	Social Gospel Christianity	112
6.	Impact of Intolerance	115
	Audience Reaction	115
	Critical Reception	119
	Effect of World War I	123
	Factionalization and Disintegration of Progressivism	126
	The Conservative Backlash	132
	Foreign Reception	135
7.	Criticism and Legacy	140
	Critical Evaluation	140
	Griffith's Continuity of Vision	145
	Credits for Intolerance	169
	Notes	171
	Bibliography	183
	Index	191

Editorial Reviews

essential”—Library Journal; “thoroughly documented”—Choice; “William M. Drew is someone who meticulously researches everything. Anything he writes I would highly recommend”—Forget The Talkies!; “a paradigm for filmmakers throughout the world...comprehensive”—Journal of Film and Video; “extraordinary...thorough”—Big Reel; “a whole background picture of early films in an entertaining form”—Classic Images; “well researched”—Film Quarterly; “thorough and fully documented”—Film Review Annual; “thoroughly documented and researched”—The Silents Majority On-Line Journal; “in-depth coverage”—Communication Booknotes.

From the Publisher

William M. Drew is someone who meticulously researches everything. Anything he writes I would highly recommend

Forget The Talkies!

thoroughly documented

Choice

essential

Library Journal

Well researched.

Film Quarterly

Thoroughly documented and researched.

Silents Majority On-Line Journal

A paradigm for filmmakers throughout the world...a comprehensive analysis.

Journal of Film and Video

A whole background picture of early films in an entertaining form.

Classic Images

In-depth coverage.

Communication Booknotes

Extraordinary...thorough.

Big Reel

A thorough and fully documented study.

Film Review Annual