D.W. Griffith

Director

Biography

David Llewelyn Wark Griffith was a premier pioneering American film director. He is best known as the director of the controversial and groundbreaking 1915 film The Birth of a Nation and the subsequent film Intolerance (1916). Griffith's film The Birth of a Nation made pioneering use of advanced camera and narrative techniques, and its immense popularity set the stage for the dominance of the feature-length film. It also proved extremely controversial at the time and ever since for its negative depiction of Black Americans and their supporters, and its positive portrayal of slavery and the Ku Klux Klan. Griffith responded to his critics with his next film, Intolerance, intended to show the dangers of prejudiced thought and behavior. The film was not the financial success that its predecessor had been, but was received warmly by critics. Several of his later films were also successful, but high production, promotional, and roadshow costs often made his ventures commercial failures. Even so, he is generally considered one of the most important figures of early cinema.

Personal Info

Occupation Director

Place of Birth LaGrange, Kentucky, USA

Birthday 1875-01-22

Featured Crew Taste

Filmography by Year

1951

1931

1930

1929

1928

1926

1925

1924

1923

1922

1921

1920

1919

1918

1916

1915

1914

1913

1912

1911

1910

132

1909

1908