151 of 1001 Movies: Broken Blossoms (1919)

I've got to say I enjoyed D.W Griffith's Broken Blossoms a lot more than The Birth of a Nation. It's still very difficult to get over the white guy who is playing a Chinese man in his movie. He doesn't use people of the actual race he is conveying in the movies. As you'll remember with The Birth of a Nation he portrays the Klu Klux Klan restoring order to the south after slaves take over in the movie. While this view was popular in the time that movie was made, it definitely wouldn't have went over as a hit in box offices now. It's a difficult movie to watch, and while Broken Blossoms thankfully doesn't go the bad route it did, it still was awkward.

Summary:  In this silent movie, Cheng Huan moves to London from China to spread the message of Buddha. Once there though he finds a very brutal city though that leaves him a bit down trodden. Lucy also resides in the city and herself being beat down among the harsh brutality of it. Her father, an alcoholic prize winning boxer, beats her and treats her as a servant. When Lucy meets Cheng though they both find hope, but the fact that he is Chinese and she is white though could cause a stir if anyone was to find out.

111 of 1001 Movies: The Birth of a Nation (1915)

The Birth of a Nation is an early epic film that is a silent 3 hour film that chronicles America after the end of the Civil War, and shows racism in a terrifying way. D.W. Griffith shows a very terrifying portrayal of the Klu Klux Klan being the victors over African Americans in the movie as they are showed as being the bad guys for trying to take over whites after the end of Civil War, and the supposed loss of protection from Abraham Lincoln. The movie has ended up being banned from many places, and is a tough watch to get through.

The Civil War causes not only national division, but division among family after the way leaves everyone on different sides, even lovers. As the Civil War escalates it leaves some injured, and others looking for political gain in the rubbish. After the death of Lincoln the South finds themselves losing a means to stand okay in their loss, and panic. As one man, Lynch, see his opportunity to build a place that is mostly ruled by African Americans, the Klu Klux Klan plot to stop him.