The Birth of a Nation (David W. Griffith Corp., 1915). Window Card (13.75" X 21").. ...

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The Birth of a Nation (David W. Griffith Corp., 1915). Window Card (13.75" X 21").
D. W. Griffith's epic tale of the struggles of the South during the Civil War, and the later Reconstruction period, is considered a landmark of cinema history. Originally released as The Clansman, it was and still is considered quite controversial, with its benevolent treatment of the Ku Klux Klan, racist attitudes towards African-Americans, and the depiction of slavery as a benign necessity. Starring Lillian Gish, Mae Marsh, Henry B. Walthall, and Miriam Cooper, the story of The Birth of a Nation revolves around two families: the Northern Stonemans and the Confederate Camerons, and their battle for survival during the War. Once Reconstruction begins, their struggles are with the former slaves, who are depicted as crazed and aggressive members of society, out to corrupt elections, paving the way for "justified" retaliation by the KKK. The mind-set of the director and film unfortunately reflect the prevailing White attitudes of the day, but Griffith was not deaf to the many protests, and, partly as a response to criticism, soon began work on his next high-budget epic: Intolerance. This exceedingly rare window card had edge wear with small tears which have been addressed through restoration, a light stain in the top border, a rounded corner in the bottom right corner, and small crease on the the right border. Fine- on Cardstock.

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