D.W. Griffith

About

David Llewelyn Wark Griffith was a premier pioneering American film director. He is best known as the director of the controversial and groundbreaking 1915 film The Birth of a Nation and the subsequent film Intolerance (1916). Griffith's film The Birth of a Nation made pioneering use of advanced camera and narrative techniques, and its immense popularity set the stage for the dominance of the feature-length film. It also proved extremely controversial at the time and ever since for its negative depiction of Black Americans and their supporters, and its positive portrayal of slavery and the Ku Klux Klan. Griffith responded to his critics with his next film, Intolerance, intended to show the dangers of prejudiced thought and behavior. The film was not the financial success that its predecessor had been, but was received warmly by critics. Several of his later films were also successful,...

Known for

The Birth of a NationMovie • 1915Intolerance: Love's Struggle Throughout the AgesMovie • 1916Broken Blossoms or The Yellow Man and the GirlMovie • 1919The King of KingsMovie • 1927San FranciscoMovie • 1936Orphans of the StormMovie • 1921The Musketeers of Pig AlleyMovie • 1912The Sealed RoomMovie • 1909Death's MarathonMovie • 1913Way Down EastMovie • 1920Abraham LincolnMovie • 1930The Battle at Elderbush GulchMovie • 1913The Avenging ConscienceMovie • 1914Hearts of the WorldMovie • 1918The New York HatMovie • 1912The House with Closed ShuttersMovie • 1910Edgar Allen PoeMovie • 1909True Heart SusieMovie • 1919A Corner in WheatMovie • 1909Judith of BethuliaMovie • 1914The MassacreMovie • 1912The Lonely VillaMovie • 1909The Lonedale OperatorMovie • 1911A Trap for Santa ClausMovie • 1909