How a 1916 silent epic used four parallel timelines to fight back against critics
In short: Released in 1916, D.W. Griffith’s Intolerance was a massive, ambitious response to the intense backlash against his previous work. By weaving together four distinct historical eras, Griffith attempted to illustrate the persistent nature of human prejudice, creating a complex cinematic structure that remains a landmark in film history.
D.W. Griffith, a pioneer director who refined essential techniques like the close-up and cross-cutting, created Intolerance as a direct rebuttal to the controversy surrounding his 1915 film, The Birth of a Nation. While critics condemned his earlier work for its overt racism and glorification of the Ku Klux Klan, Griffith refused to apologize. Instead, he framed this new, sprawling epic as a defense against those he perceived as being intolerant themselves.
The film is defined by its intricate plot, which intercuts four separate stories spanning approximately 2,500 years. These segments include a modern melodrama about labor conflicts and crime, the crucifixion of Jesus, the 1572 St. Bartholomew's Day massacre in France, and the fall of Babylon in 539 BC. To link these disparate narratives, Griffith utilized a recurring image of a mother rocking a cradle, symbolizing the passage of time and the continuity of human generations.
Technically, the film was a marvel for its era, featuring vast sets and over 50 transitions between its parallel storylines. Griffith’s approach to characterization was equally distinct; he often omitted names for his leads, such as The Boy and The Dear One, intending for them to serve as universal archetypes rather than specific individuals. This stylistic choice, while ambitious, also highlighted the sentimentalism that critics frequently noted in his work.
Though it was not an apology, the film’s legacy is profound. It influenced European cinema and was among the first selections for the United States National Film Registry in 1989. By experimenting with length and complex editing, Griffith solidified his reputation as a director who fundamentally changed how movies were made, even as his personal and professional choices remained subjects of intense debate.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Intolerance | Silent film, Epic, Social commentary | Britannica
- Also: Intolerance (film)
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