Movies and History

I love movies and history. When I can combine the two, I am in heaven. That happens when I watch “Silent Sundays” on Turner Classic Movies. Last week the silent movie was D.W. Griffith’s Broken Blossoms. Broken Blossoms or The Yellow Man and the Girl was released in 1919, which makes the film ninety years old. That is unbelievable, especially to realize the fact while watching the movie. When I watch these old silent movies, I get caught up in the backgrounds. Sometimes the movie companies filmed outside of the studios on the streets. So a glimpse is provided into how the streets appeared at that time. Costumes can also reflect the clothing styles of the period the film was made.

Old movies reflect the thinking of the times in which they were made. Broken Blossoms addresses the issue of the few choices available to women during this time. The young girl is advised not to marry by a friend who is made old before her time by having many children, little money, and a lazy husband. The young girl’s only other option is the streets. Local prostitutes warn her away from that life. The film was conversational when it was released because it was an interracial love story. The alternative title says it all, The Yellow Man and the Girl. An Asian man falls in love with a Caucasian girl. That wouldn’t be very conversational now but it was pretty racy stuff for 1919.

What would raise eyebrows today is the age of the girl in the film. In the original story on which the film was based, the young girl is twelve years old. Griffith changed her age to fifteen. This change had nothing to do with the character but everything to do with the actress playing the role. Lillian Gish was twenty-six when she played the role of the young girl in Broken Blossoms. Griffith upped the character’s age from twelve to fifteen to make Gish’s appearance more believable. Either age would make audiences uncomfortable today.

“Silent Sundays” comes on TCM at midnight, which really makes it Monday, doesn’t it? Check these movies out sometimes. Use that handy DVR. It’ll be a nice combination of movies and history.