MovieChat Forums > Broken Blossoms or The Yellow Man and the Girl (1919) Discussion > Why does Roger Ebert (or anyone) conside...

Why does Roger Ebert (or anyone) consider this great?

posted 18 years ago by ghuseth
14 replies | jump to latest

I'm not trying to troll. I've enjoyed the other few silent movies I've seen (namely The Birth of a Nation and Metropolis) and in terms of pacing and interesting story-telling, I think they both are very watchable today. Broken Blossoms is simply a chore to watch. Watching the film is literally just as interesting as reading a description of what happens in the film.

Okay, so Lillian Gish's performance would be considered great by silent era standards. It was also made by D.W. Griffith and features the first (?) interracial romance in film. That's about all it has going for it as far as I know. Why is this considered a great film?

[–] 18 years ago

[deleted]

[–] robhumanick 18 years ago

Well, if you're going to describe your reaction to film as a matter-of-fact exclusion of any other perspectives on it, it's kind of hard to do that.

http://www.strangersong.com/
http://afilmodyssey.blogspot.com

[–] 18 years ago

[deleted]

[–] g_dekok 16 years ago

fr WiseJake:

>... it is actually not a watchable movie. If you happen to be studying film, you will probably need to see this film, but if you are merely watching for enjoyment, skip this one.<

Oh for pete's sake, it most certainly IS a watchable movie, one of the greats from the silent era. I'm watching it right now, on TCM, and have seen it several times before.

[–] 16 years ago

[deleted]

[–] Beardos_Film_Watcher 15 years ago

I find it incredibly watchable as well...

The reason I really enjoy this film is the visual artistry (lighting, sets etc...).

This film is very much about form over function I think. The story is very simplistic but the way it's presented is simply beautiful in my opinion.

http://www.imdb.com/mymovies/list?l=35080015

[–] Devans00 17 years ago

I think this movie gets attention because it's one of the first interracial love stories on film.

Even though it wasn't a typical romance, it was very progressive relative to what the social climate was like those days. Hollywood's liberal reputation has always been around.

>>Oh, well that's different. Nevermind!<<

[–] ilovetxf2 15 years ago

In terms of palatability, Broken Blossoms is leagues ahead of Birth of a Nation.

What in the name of all that's gracious is a semi-virgin?

[–] IceboxMovies 13 years ago

Ebert's Great Movies essay on Broken Blossoms is one of his better ssays. I'm very glad that he chooses to champion several of Griffith's titles and not just his most famous and notorious one.

"What I don't understand is how we're going to stay alive this winter."

[–] 13 years ago

[deleted]

[–] FilmMuscle 9 years ago

So because The Birth of a Nation was racist, it's inherently inferior to Broken Blossoms? Ignoring the fact that BoaN is far more technically impressive and narratively ambitious??

Check out my latest film reviews at: http://moviemuscle.net/

[–] Keely 11 years ago

Lillian Gish described it as the first tragic poem ever put on the screen. She also described how the critics at the time marveled at the realism of the sets that made people believe it was actually filmed in London instead of in a Hollywood studio. The photography and soft-focus effects were innovative as well. You would have to compare it with what was the norm at the time, and how people thought back then as well, to understand why this film was remarkable.

[–] littlenightmusic-15077 9 years ago

I always thought of this movie as poetry on film.
I love it and have seen it a few times.

[–] 9 years ago

[deleted]