Review of Broken Blossoms (1919) by David L — 19 Jul 2013
If you can get by the casual racism in this movie (and how can you not?) this movie is a pretty powerful film with dynamite acting chops by Lillian Gish, Richard Barthelmess and most especially, Donald Crisp as Battling Burrows. Crisp really just enters the lexicon of truly frightening antagonists of a father who just finds nothing better to do when he's not boxing than to beat his daughter to a pulp. Fortunately, a local chinese man (or, as Gish calls him, "Chinky") sees beauty in Gish, and presents a life full of happiness fo r her.
Surprisingly intense for it's time, there are some scenes that I wondered what the audiences in 1919 were thinking when watching them. (though Gish going crazy in a closet isn't one of them).
This review of Broken Blossoms (1919) was written by David L on 19 July 2013.
Broken Blossoms has generally received positive reviews.
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