.png)
"Way Down East" (1920)
- SilentCinemaSchool
- 5 hours ago
- 4 min read
Why make a movie based on a play that was already considered "outdated" and "old fashioned"? And then they re-made it over a decade later, but that's another story for a rainy day. For whatever reason, good ol' D.W. Griffith, already well-known for his "preachy" (and racist) films, decided to make "Way Down East". Based on a play that the public had long been aware of, starring an actress (the lovely Lillian Gish) who allegedly found the story a bit schmaltzy. And what happened? Cinematic history, dear readers...
Before proceeding any further, it is IMPARATIVE that you know that this post is part of a greater good; it's part of the Classic Movie Blog Association's "Cry Me a River: Tearjerkers Blogathon"! Click the image above for more info on this great group!
So as noted previously, "Way Down East" was originally a stage play. One of the most popular plays in the U.S. during its time (1897-1909), D.W. Griffith bought the rights for $175,000 (according to some sources), intent on making it into an equally successful film. Actress Lillian Gish, despite not being enchanted with the story, was cast as the heroine, the sweet, naive Anna, who is tricked into a fake "marriage" by a narcissistic man who was only after one thing (of course). Anna, once pregnant, is harshly told the truth by her "husband", and is left abandoned, forced to live as an unwed mother - a horrible fate in its day.
The film follows Anna's life, one tragedy after another. And while I won't give away the ending (no matter how much begging and pleading one gives), I will say that every cloud has its silver lining (including in this story), women are much stronger than we're given credit for and FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THINGS GOOD....ALWAYS TELL ON ANYONE WHO TAKES ADVANTAGE OF YOU. DON'T LIVE IN SECRET SHAME, LIFE IS TOO SHORT FOR THAT, YOU'RE ONLY HURTING YOURSELF, ETC.
The filming of this movie was not exactly easy. D.W. his cast and crew went on location in Vermont to film the now-famous ice floe scene. Which was shot during an actual blizzard because, ya know, D.W. was a stickler for realism. Several members of the crew ended up passing away from pneumonia as a result from the ongoing cold exposure. True dedication to artistry, or straight up foolishness?? I'll let you decide. A small fire had to be kept burning underneath the (primitive) camera, to keep the oil inside from freezing (which it did once anyway). Try to explain that to the kid with the iPhone permanently attached to his hand...
“All that winter, whenever Mr. Griffith saw an ice cake, he wasn’t satisfied till he had me on it.” - Lillian Gish
The character Anna, after running out into the cold winter night, finds herself floating away on an ice floe....headed towards a waterfall. Lillian Gish (playing Anna) and her co-star Richard Barthelmess did not have stunt doubles, as was the standard in early film. Lillian, attempting to get used to the freezing temperatures ahead of time, going for walks in the winter wind and taking cold baths. The temperature during those 3 weeks of filming never went above zero. Oh HECK to the NO....
"For the scene in which Anna faints on the ice floe, I thought of a piece of business and suggested it to Mr. Griffith, who agreed it was a fine idea. (I was always having bright ideas and suffering for them.) I suggested that my hand and my hair trail in the water as I lay on the floe that was drifting toward the falls. Mr. Griffith was delighted with the effect.
After a while, my hair froze, and I felt as if my hand were in a flame. To this day, it aches if I am out in the cold for very long. When the sequence was finally finished, I had been on a slab of ice at least twenty times a day for three weeks. In between takes, one of the men would throw a coat around me, and I would warm myself briefly at a fire." - Lillian Gish
The waterfall was in itself, somewhat unimpressive - it was only a few feet high. So, in a brilliant move, D.W. (fond of cross-cutting) used a long shot showing the drop of Niagara Falls for instant drama. The scene showing the ice floes going over the falls was actually WOODEN ice floes: that part was shot out of season and real ice was not to be found!
When all was said and done (and more was probably said than done), "Way Down East" was complete....and censors were not happy. One State censor in particular (Pennsylvania) demanded 60 - count 'em! 60 - cuts to the film in order to be shown there. What did they find so objectionable?? Well....pretty much everything! The mock wedding scene, the honeymoon (which did not show anything "honeymoon-like" in the bedroom), her ensuing pregnancy and many more items....the remains making for a very confusing film. Where did that baby suddenly appear from....??? What's going on with this girl??? I see no problem here, but there clearly is one somewhere!
Despite being the most expensive film D.W. had made, it was one of his most successful. In fact, it was the fourth highest-grossing film in silent cinema history, raking in over $4.5 million (USD) - which was quite a haul in 1920. And in more modern times, Time Magazine called it "the greatest film ever made" (1999).
"Way Down East" (1920) is available on many streaming services and websites (including YouTube)! Personally, I tend to agree with Time Magazine - but love it or hate it, it's definitely a memorable "tearjerker", and one that I highly recommend seeing at least once!
References:
Comments