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A silent drama film by D. W. Griffith set in late 18th century France, before and during the French Revolution.
This was the last Griffith film to feature Lillian and Dorothy Gish.
Like his earlier films, Griffith used historical events to comment on contemporary events, in this case the French Revolution and the rise of Bolshevism. The film is about class conflict and a plea for inter-class understanding and against destructive hatred. At one point in front of the Committee of Public Safety a main character pleas, "Yes I am an aristocrat, but a friend of the people."
Henriette and Louise, a foundling, are raised together as sisters. When Louise goes blind, Henriette swears to take care of her forever.
They go to Paris to see if Louise's blindness can be cured, but are separated when an aristocrat lusts after Henriette and abducts her. Only Chevalier de Vaudrey is kind to her, and they fall in love.
The French Revolution replaces the corrupt Aristocracy with the equally corrupt Robespierre. De Vaudrey, who has always been good to peasants, is condemned to death for being an aristocrat.
Director
D.W. Griffith
Writers
Adolphe d'Ennery (novel), Eugène Cormon (novel)
Stars
Lillian Gish, Dorothy Gish and Joseph Schildkraut
This was the last Griffith film to feature Lillian and Dorothy Gish.
Like his earlier films, Griffith used historical events to comment on contemporary events, in this case the French Revolution and the rise of Bolshevism. The film is about class conflict and a plea for inter-class understanding and against destructive hatred. At one point in front of the Committee of Public Safety a main character pleas, "Yes I am an aristocrat, but a friend of the people."
Henriette and Louise, a foundling, are raised together as sisters. When Louise goes blind, Henriette swears to take care of her forever.
They go to Paris to see if Louise's blindness can be cured, but are separated when an aristocrat lusts after Henriette and abducts her. Only Chevalier de Vaudrey is kind to her, and they fall in love.
The French Revolution replaces the corrupt Aristocracy with the equally corrupt Robespierre. De Vaudrey, who has always been good to peasants, is condemned to death for being an aristocrat.
Director
D.W. Griffith
Writers
Adolphe d'Ennery (novel), Eugène Cormon (novel)
Stars
Lillian Gish, Dorothy Gish and Joseph Schildkraut