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The Birth of a Nation

The Birth of a Nation

Drama · History · War · 1915

Two families, abolitionist Northerners the Stonemans and Southern landowners the Camerons, intertwine. When Confederate colonel Ben Cameron is captured in battle, nurse Elsie Stoneman petitions for his pardon. In Reconstruction-era South Carolina, Cameron founds the Ku Klux Klan, battling Elsie's congressman father and his African-American protégé, Silas Lynch.

Movie details

The Birth of a Nation

“The Fiery Cross of the Ku Klux Klan!”

1915 Drama · History · War 3h 13m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

5.9 / 10

Community rating

Two families, abolitionist Northerners the Stonemans and Southern landowners the Camerons, intertwine. When Confederate colonel Ben Cameron is captured in battle, nurse Elsie Stoneman petitions for his pardon. In Reconstruction-era South Carolina, Cameron founds the Ku Klux Klan, battling Elsie's congressman father and his African-American protégé, Silas Lynch.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over The Birth of a Nation?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

D.W. Griffith

Written by

Frank E. Woods · D.W. Griffith

Lillian Gish

Lillian Gish

Stoneman's Daughter Elsie

Mae Marsh

Mae Marsh

Flora Cameron

Henry B. Walthall

Henry B. Walthall

Col. Ben Cameron

Miriam Cooper

Miriam Cooper

Margaret Cameron

Mary Alden

Mary Alden

Stoneman's Housekeeper Lydia

Ralph Lewis

Ralph Lewis

Leader of the House Hon. Austin Stoneman

George Siegmann

George Siegmann

Lieut. Governor Silas Lynch

Court is in session

Put The Birth of a Nation on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Prestige Tourist

“Ambition earns the room.”

The film reaches for consequence and scale, accepting the risk of seriousness instead of shrinking from it.

The prosecution The Popcorn Loyalist

“Importance has entered the chat.”

The production keeps announcing its significance, as though awards-season posture were proof of insight.