Film record

The Birth of a Nation

1915Feature film187 minVerification: Verified

The Birth of a Nation (1915), directed by David Wark Griffith, is a silent drama about the American Civil War and its aftermath. Its historical significance coexists with an openly racist portrayal that glorifies the Ku Klux Klan, a central aspect to bear in mind when approaching the film.

Production countries
United States
Languages
English
Genres
drama film · historical film · silent film
Spoiler-free guideUpdated 27 Oct 2026
The starting point

Spoiler-free synopsis

David Wark Griffith’s The Birth of a Nation (1915) centers on the relationship between two families: the Stonemans, abolitionists from the North, and the Camerons, Southern landowners. The American Civil War transforms the world they inhabit and tests their bonds.

Before you press play

What to know before watching

Racism and the portrayal of the Ku Klux Klan

The film presents white supremacy and the Ku Klux Klan favorably. This racist perspective is not a secondary detail: it should be kept in mind when considering the film’s place in cinema history.

References:wikipedia.org

Technical and historical significance

The Birth of a Nation (1915) is a silent film whose notoriety also stems from its formal innovations within the cinema of its time. Its historical and technical significance can be considered alongside the racist content of its story, without confusing cultural recognition with approval of its ideas.

References:wikipedia.org

Sources for this guide

Prepared with AI assistance and automated evidence and spoiler checks. This is not a first-hand viewing review or a numerical rating. Internal quotations are not reproduced; references provide the original context.

  1. wikipedia.orgDocumentary excerpt
  2. letterboxd.comSearch excerpt

Credits

Music

Joseph Carl Breil — Music composition

Direction

David Wark Griffith — Directing

Cinematography

Billy Bitzer — Cinematography

Art department

David Wark Griffith — Production design

Writing

David Wark Griffith — Screenwriting
Frank E. Woods — Screenwriting

Cast

Lillian Gish — Acting
Mae Marsh — Acting
Miriam Cooper — Acting
Henry B. Walthall — Acting
Ralph Lewis — Acting
George Siegmann — Acting
Mary Alden — Acting
Walter Long — Acting
Robert Harron — Acting
Wallace Reid — Acting
Joseph Henabery — Acting
Elmer Clifton — Acting
Spottiswoode Aitken — Acting
Jennie Lee — Acting
Donald Crisp — Acting
Monte Blue — Acting
Peggy Cartwright — Acting
John Ford — Acting
David Wark Griffith — Acting
Walter Huston — Acting
Elmo Lincoln — Acting
Eugene Pallette — Acting
Erich von Stroheim — Acting
Raoul Walsh — Acting
Edmund Burns — Acting
George Beranger — Acting
Josephine Crowell — Acting
Gibson Gowland — Acting
Jules White — Acting
Russell Hicks — Acting
Bob Burns — Acting
Olga Grey — Acting
Howard Gaye — Acting

Editing

David Wark Griffith — Editing

Production

David Wark Griffith — Production
Harry E. Aitken — Executive production

Versions and cuts

No versions have been documented yet.

Releases by territory

United States · Original release
1 Jan 1915Checked 11 Sep 2026
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