The Birth of a Nation

(1915)

140 minutes.

Silent film with public domain music track from a 1930's re-issue

Directed by D. W. Griffith

Cast: Lillian Gish, Henry B. Walthall, Mae Marsh, Meriam Cooper, Walter Long, George Siegmann and Robert Harron

Historical Drama / War

Landmark first American feature film - originally titled 'The Klansman '

Two brothers, Phil and Ted Stoneman, visit their friends in Piedmont, South Carolina : the family Cameron.  This friendship is affected by the Civil War, as the Stonemans and the Camerons must join up opposite armies.  The consequences of the War in their lives are shown in connection to major historical events, like the development of the Civil War itself, Lincoln’s assassination, and the birth of the Ku Klux Klan.

The Birth of a Nation - Trailer

The Birth of a Nation - Part 1

The Birth of a Nation - Part 2