The Birth of a Nation

Newark: Newark Theatre, Circa 1915. Original handbill for a theatrical run of D.W. Griffith's "Birth of a Nation" (1915) at the Newark Theatre in Newark, New Jersey. Noted on the bill are cast members Lillian Gish, Mae Marsh, Donald Crisp, and Raoul Walsh (here spelled "Raul Walsh"), who played John Wilkes Booth.

Also noted on the bill is that the film is to be accompanied by a full symphony orchestra under the direction of Albert Pesce, who arranged music for four D.W. Griffith films between 1919 and 1922.

An early epic from Griffith, who was inspired by the sprawling Italian productions "Quo Vadis" (1913) and "Cabiria" (1914), films that not only legitimated the feature film runtime but made extensive use of the traveling camera, something Griffith revolutionized in the United States with this film.

At the time of production, American companies were skeptical of an audience's ability to endure complicated narratives and inflated runtimes, so Griffith formed his own production company to take it on, leaving Biograph in 1913, where he made numerous successful shorts. Upon release, it was an immediate hit with audiences, and screened at movie palaces like Newark Theatre for years, ultimately becoming the highest grossing film of the silent era.

5.5 x 8 inches. Faint dampstain and small chip to the upper edge, overall very well preserved, Very Good plus.

[Book #133225]