Intolerance

D.W. Griffith's 1916 follow-up to Birth of a Nation serves up a diatribe against prejudice that spans centuries and continents in a quartet of stories from different epochs that form an intertwined narrative even more ambitious than its influential (and controversial) antecedent. Populated by characters with names such as “Boy” (Robert Harron), “Dear One” (Mae Marsh), and “Musketeer of the Slums” (Walter Long), Intolerance begins with the modern story of a young couple in hard times caught up with gangsters, as the husband is being sent to the gallows for a murder he didn't commit. The thread then weaves back to the St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre—a vicious act of religious persecution in 16th-century France—then moves on to the story of Christ, and finally unspools a lavish tale involving enlightened royalty, scheming priests, and a poor Mountain Girl (Constance Talmadge) in ancient Babylon. This last sequence is the most spectacular, with monumental staging, live elephants, and a dynamic camera that at one point swoops through the entire set. An image of a serene Eternal Mother (Lillian Gish) frames the four tales, and Griffith's finale intercuts the climactic scenes from all of them. Although a flop with audiences, Intolerance features images of incredible beauty coupled with moments of heartfelt drama, all pulled together by sophisticated editing, and backed by a fine score composed and conducted by Carl Davis. Re-released on DVD and bowing on Blu-ray in a superior edition mastered from film historian Kevin Brownlow's restoration, extras include the feature-length versions of two segments that Griffith re-edited for separate release years later, an interview with Brownlow, and a booklet. A landmark silent film, this is highly recommended. (S. Axmaker)