Forgive the partial repetition of shots with allowance to clarify a bit. In the Cameron household, far off from the sight of the fore coming attack on the girl (at around two hours and twelve minutes deep—directly after the crosscut line of sight match perspectives of the young Cameron girl laughing and cheering at a squirrel on a branch,) Mrs. Cameron crosses from left mid-frame, passing the stairwell. Then, shot for a few seconds is Ben Cameron entering his house, back-turned, center mid-frame.
Now, to continue into the heart of the film again requires the same precision that Griffith himself cut the shots together—timing so perfect that current films continue to match the length of these textbook shots. As far as the racism increases along the contextual nightmare that is the content, the author raises the question: Is not racism real? In other words, when did the horrors of racism ever go away? There is no excuse for a pro-Klan ideology. Yet, the challenge with BIRTH is to closely compare the scenes that follow with the testament of historical basis—an excuse in 1915 to illustrate a hegemonic dead-lock of white man’s values. Still, the subject is only the more foolish to avoid and quit due to the film’s offensiveness. Also, if certain film’s change during the context of time, as did the audience reception for REEFER MADNESS, for example (once an anti-marijuana film, now viewed by pro-marijuana audiences for camp value,) so too does THE BIRTH OF A NATION fit into an entirely different mode of representation.
Anyway, Ben Cameron enters, back turned, close frame center and approaches his mother, facing the camera mid-depth center. They discuss the missing little girl, both moving forward, facing the camera. Cut to, here again the little Cameron girl playfully hops over a log in the woods, mid-ground center. Then, she runs offscreen right. Back to the Cameron “Stairwell Room,” the mother and son discuss the girl’s whereabouts. Cut to center frame, at the front door of the Cameron’s, as Ben rushes offscreen right, mid-close frame. The mother in the Stairwell Room turns her back mid-ground center and begins to exit the room on the left.
Next, Gus, from the right and the young Cameron girl on the left, run into each other in the woods mid-ground center. The intertitle reads of Gus’ dialog, “You see, I’m a Captain now—and I want to marry—“ referring back to the legal system condoning miscegenation. Mid-left frame is the young Cameron girl facing Gus, surrounded by forest. They are in mid to close range. A close-up of the young Cameron girl is seen and then a close-up bust shot of Gus facing left frame, as he smiles and says these ghastly words. The young Cameron girl, in another short take bust shot midground close up, reveals her looking right toward offscreen Gus—in other words, a series of one-shots. Then the two are in a two shot in the woods and Gus pulls and tugs on the young Cameron girl that begins to struggle away. Cut to a match on action of the girl shoving Gus away and scrambling over the log to her escape offscreen. Gus follows and trips over the log. Then, in the shrubs, the young Cameron girl, mid-ground center, runs toward the camera, waving fists in the air. Cut to Gus getting up near the log and dashing offscreen right to catch up. Meanwhile, the young girl runs through a thicket of trees raising her arms in panic and exiting frame right, close to the camera in depth. Gus continues his run, further away from the camera and the intertitle quotes him saying, “Wait missie, I won’t hurt yeh.” And back in close up Gus waves and races offscreen right, following the girl’s path.
Ben Cameron is now seen in the frame, rushing from center to frame right—mid-ground, as though he senses the trouble. The young girl, in the crosscut footage, scrambles to a tree, frame left and grasps it, looking back. A short take reveals Gus in full run. Next shot, the young girl still holds the tree and looks forward, then back. Cut to the bull rush of Gus. So, next shot, the girl lets go of the tree and close up, frame right, runs offscreen.
Ben Cameron comes running through the trees that were viewed upon the young sister’s journey to the spring, he runs forward, offscreen left.
Then, a wide shot, deep focus longer take of the woods and the crazy chase that ensues. Far off, in the background, the girl runs onscreen left to right and makes it about half way forward, when Gus pops out from offscreen left closer up and dashes toward her from behind a tree. The girl then runs back the way she came, background frame left, with Gus following quickly. FADE OUT.
In the very next shot, Ben finally notices the bucket at the spring, left behind and as he looks around, he begins to notice something is amiss, calling out to his sister and leaving the frame left from the spring.
Next cut, the girl leaps out from a tree frame left and then the next cut is a close up of her catching her breath and uttering something while in panicky fear.
The scenes of the outdoors are similar to represent a familiarity of setting during the chase. Gus shoves through the shrubs facing forward in mid to close range and extends a hand toward the offscreen girl. The next shot is more of the girl in close range panicking and then in the movie is Gus exiting the foreground right to continue pursuit. The young girl, midground, scrambles through a tree. Crosscut to Ben Cameron mid-ground going from right to offscreen left, calling for his sister as he passes by the log where the girl saw the squirrel.
He reenters the frame from the left and hops the log to find the clothing that the girl must have dropped at the beginning of the chase. Ben approaches the close range of the camera, calling out to his sister when dropping the clothing item. He runs offscreen right diagonal.
In the background, the girl, flailing her arms, runs to center frame and then in the woods, she crosses to offscreen left. In another repetition of locale, used frequently in this sequence, a wide shot pictures Ben in the background, running toward frame right, stopping and turning to find his sister.
In the next shot, the first of the rocky hill is viewed, as the girl in mid-range traverses the stony hill. Still flailing, she runs offscreen right.
In a short take, Gus stalks from center to offscreen left, still in pursuit. Fade in to the girl struggling to traverse a rocky slope in close range, she shoves her way over a rock. In the very next shot, Gus in midrange follows up a portion of the rocks, runs into a branch and races offscreen right. Next, the girl gestures in fear and there is a quick shot of the trees in the rocks.
On the edge of a large rock, midrange, the girl in a crawl position waves her arms and looks around while becoming apparent to be on the edge of a drop off. Ben, in fearful anguish, arrives in a thicket of trees and exits the frame quickly, wide-eyed and calling out, as he disappears offscreen right.
Next, the girl crawls around at cliff’s edge and then a closer shot reveals her turning to offscreen left to speak to Gus. The intertitle reads, “Stay away or I’ll jump!” In the next shot split by the intertitle, a close up reveals her speaking and then a wide shot illustrates the massive cliff that she stands atop almost in silhouette—Gus is close to her.
Ben Cameron enters the frame from the right, back turned and as he turns to the left, his eyes grow wide, as though he sees his sister on the cliff and he rushes offscreen left. In a close up the girl in fear peers over the edge and in a match on action, though further to the left of the frame, the girl begins to stand on the rocky edge. Next, Gus clambers in close up toward the offscreen girl. In a wide shot, the victim and victimizer are seen atop the cliff. Next, the girl finally jumps off of the rock ledge she was perched on.
The next shot is a special effect of the girl toppling from the far range steep cliff, hitting the bottom. And the next shot reveals her crumpled body amidst the rocks of the cliff base. Gus is seen climbing to the rock that the girl leapt from screen left. Another shot illustrates the almost lifeless girl at cliff’s bottom. In a wide shot, Gus hovers at the top of the cliff. Gus turns to leave his vantage point and in the next shot, Ben runs forward along the rocks, finding another item of the girl’s clothing. Then Gus crawls over a rock crossing in a hunch to frame left, around a rock and then out of view behind it. Ben shouts at the offscreen movement and rushes forward. At the rock at top cliff’s edge, Ben climbs up and looks around, then over the edge. A slight fade in of the girl on the ground almost getting up and then crumpling—near death. Ben sees this from atop the cliff and runs down the side of the rocks to get to the body. Fade in, again, to Ben entering the same shot of the dying girl. He runs to her body, stops at it in mid-range and bends to pick up his hurting sister. He holds her in his arms and in a closer up match on action, the girl is clasped by Ben, but is almost ready to draw her last breath. She is limp in his arms, whispering to the concerns of Ben that strokes her hair. He hugs her tight and listens to her bloody mouthed whisper. And as she looks around, he becomes saddened by her failing life. His facial expression shares the girl’s of pain and suffering. The girl slowly dies in his arms (her eyes roll back and she sinks into lifelessness,) and Ben continues to cradle her. In this somewhat longer take, he now changes his expression from sadness to anger, holding his dead sister he hugs her body tight, half-seated on the ground.
Griffith interjects an intertitle that explains that the girl should not entirely be mourned for leaving the world to go to the “opal gates of death.” Strange considering the scenes of mourning to follow.
In the next scene, the Cameron house front door is center right and Ben carries the corpse of his sister to the door frame until the shot fades out. Fade in to the Cameron house room with the couch and Ben carries the body—covered with a blanket—and in the thirty second take, Ben slowly lies the body of the girl onto the bed-couch. From offscreen background left-frame, the Cameron mother enters to see what happened. Ben, back turned, puts a hand on his mom’s shoulder, as she freaks out from the sight of the dead girl. As Ben turns toward the girl, the mother kneels to the right frame couch and the older sister enters from the right-hand door that Ben came through with the body. Ben holds the older sister that goes into wide-eyed shock at the sight of death. The room fades dark as the two women kneel at the dead girl’s side. Ben exits through the left background door his mom came through.
The next intertitle reads, “And none grieved more than these.” The two black-faced slaves in their quarters mid-to-close range center frame, weep over the loss, as the older slave woman uses a handkerchief to wipe her tears on the left and the slave man looks down holding his head in remorse until the scene fades to black.
The next intertitle reveals the plot continuing with a “son’s plea” to his father—the shot following is of the Stonemans, father and son, father seated right frame, facing forward and son center frame appealing to his father. The son waves his dad to indicate that he is not pleased with his policy. The father Stoneman reassures his son with a tap on the side that his policies are sound. He waves his arms and shakes his cane and pats his son on the back.
Crosscut to the Camerons suffering. Old man Cameron is seated on the left mid-ground and Ben, in a top hat, holds the older sister as she stands from the body and in the center, she acts negatively toward her brother Ben because she can sense trouble brewing. They both lean over the corpse and the older sister removes the pillow that Ben grasps and hides under his shirt—his Klan gear. The older sister begs Ben not to leave, holding onto him, but he hurriedly exits frame right through the door.
The next intertitle explains that Gus is hiding out in a gin mill, and in the next shot Gus rounds the corner of the building and heads forward then to the left to enter from the outside. Next cut is a match on action of Gus closing the door and entering among seven or eight other African-Americans. The four in the foreground (appearing like Gus, black-face,) are motioned to by Gus. He asks them if he can stay and they agree to it, so they all head left frame toward the background, backs turned. Gus attempts to close the tricky door on the right again, but as he joins the others it reopens.
Meanwhile, at a building with carriages for sale, two white men work with an anvil and are approached by Ben Cameron that beckons the men to follow immediately. A long intertitle explains that the “Townsmen” are on a search for Gus to give him a “trial in the dim halls of the invisible Empire,” a reference to the Klan. Cut back to Ben pointing at the men background left frame and the others with Ben all hurry off (except two) offscreen right. Intercut two seconds of a burly man walking toward the gin mill. Then, inside the mill, Gus sneaks to the left frame background and hides under a table that other African-Americans sit around. Cut quick to a white man looking at the door of the gin mill—center frame. He goes in and he is surrounded in a room full of black men. He walks toward a man in the foreground right and questions him of something.
The black man stands in the same shot, in black face, and then the white burly man turns and walks toward the left frame background table. A closer angle of the black men to the right and the white man to the left as they converse. Next is a close up with ellipsis fading in to a close up of the white man—a bust shot of the man—reveals his demeanor in a hero-like one shot. He grasps his shirt. The next shot is a close up on Gus, peering out from his hiding place under the table, with a look of fear upon him. Back to the man grasping his shirt that then makes a fist with his right hand (center frame) and in the background the black men’s heads and hats can be seen moving around for shot depth.
The black man appears facing left in mid-close up and then the shot goes wide as the burly white man turns to look for Gus. Gus continues to hide under the table in fear. In close up he peers screen right at the white man. Back in the wide shot of the gin mill interior, the black man tugs on the burly white man’s arm and the room bustles with nervous energy. After being somewhat accosted and told something conflicting, the white man throws a hard punch and knocks over the black man he originally spoke to. Another black-face man moves in and the white man lifts him up and throws him down. As the brawl busts loose, the white man stands and deals blows to all that challenge him.
The next shot is outdoors and Ben Cameron—with a friend—asks two black men a question (probably if they’ve seen Gus.) To the left of the frame, mid-close range, the black men (denoted by their straw hats,) ignore Ben and his companion that turn to left frame to leave.
Back at the indoor gin mill fight the strong white man that has a black man lifted over his head and he throws him right at two other black men, toppling them all. The white man—starting frame right—now mid-frame left, shoves another black man onto the pile of men and as they get back up to fight, the white man takes them all on at once. Crosscut to Ben and his friend walking toward the camera outdoors. They exit frame right diagonally. Back at the indoor fight, the white man knocks one black man over (center frame) and another black man charges him only to be thrown over the white man’s shoulder. The white man is against the left frame corner (same take) and starts throwing bottles at his rivals. He makes it back to center frame and decks a fighting black man. Then, as a chair is lifted by another black man, the white burly man picks up a different black man and throws him through the window. The match on action cut transitions to the black man smashing through the outdoor window mid-frame left. Three black men see this and race off to the background, as though to alert someone.
The fight continues in the gin mill cabin and the white man center background beats on a black man, shoving him to the ground, grabbing a chair, the white man waves it around to use as a weapon. As the black men (backs turned) line up to face the white man that drops the chair, the white man clobbers each of his rivals with heavy punches. One of the black men ducks his punch and now there are three black men attacking him at once. So he picks up the chair again to fend them off. Crosscut directly to outside, gin mill door to the left of the frame, black men continue to run toward the background to get help. Inside again, the white man’s shirt has been ripped off and he grows a bit weary from his multiple attackers, though he tends to control the fight. He ducks a thrown chair and beats down an attacker with a plank. Then he is out of enemies for a moment and staggers around shirtless center frame. Another black man charges him and the white man picks him up and shoulder carries him out the right-frame door. The match-on-action cut reveals the burly white man shoulder carrying his attacker and he drops him. A quick take of inside the gin mill views Gus firing a gun from the left frame pointed toward the right frame door. As the match on action reveals, the burly white man is shot in the back and he reels from the shot. Inside the gin mill the black shooter, Gus, looks out the door right frame. And back outside, the shooter hangs from the door and gun blasts the white man again. The white man falls dead right frame and Gus, having shot him, kneels to make sure he’s dead.
The next shot reveals a man walking forward outside, nearby a frame of a building. He snaps his head around forward and the line of sight match reveals the POV of outside the gin mill, as the gunman stands over his victim. Gus, still holding the gun, rushes to reenter the mill. But then he turns and races offscreen. The white man witnesses and runs forward offscreen right. The next shot is a saddled horse at a stable and Gus enters from frame left going to the right to hide in the stable. The witness to the crime rushes to the outdoor view of the mill to watch the dead burly white man that the witness crouches next to. Gus at the stable again, bounds onto the horse and rides it offscreen left diagonal.
The witness stands from the corpse and runs offscreen right. The match on action reveals the witness at an empty stable, motioning to another person that joins him in pursuit of Gus. The next shot is of Ben and his friend in an exterior and a man approaches them. Cut to Gus riding horseback with the two white witnesses chasing from left frame forward with a fence to the right. The original witness fires off a gun and all throughout the movie when firepower is used, a cloud of smoke emanates from the weapon for the effect of the blast. The next shot reveals Gus on the horse left frame, background, as he attempts to getaway. Back to the white shooter that keeps his gun aimed forward. The next shot Gus is knocked by gunshot from the horse. Ben Cameron and his cohorts in exterior, view the commotion and a match on action reveals the men surrounding and accosting Gus. All of them drag Gus offscreen right diagonal.
The next intertitle is seeped in dark red tinting (as are the next few shots that follow) and reads, “The trial.” A haunting vision of the Klansmen in full robed gear in red-tint exterior, reveals a Klansman to the left frame, arms in the air, with Klansmen watching to the right. The leader to the left waves his arm and entering quickly, the Klan bring in the captive Gus that is surrounded by Klansmen. Now two Klansmen on the left point to frame right where another Klansman begins to take off his hood.
The next shot shows the dead young girl at her wake in the Cameron household—mother, father and older daughter sit at the foot of the bed the corpse is on. The young dead girl has a bouquet of flowers on her body. Back at the red-tinted Klan trial, (the shot of the dead girl to emphasize Gus’ guilt as the intertitle explains, “Guilty,”) the Klansmen drag off Gus to execute him. The next shot is still in the Klan encampment and Gus is put onto a horse that a Klansman drives toward the background.
The next intertitle partially reads, “On the steps of the Lieut. Governor’s house…” The exterior that follows is of the place mentioned and from the background the Klan ride in on horseback. A rider points at the porch. Next, a match on action reveals one of the horse riders tossing Gus’ dead body onto the steps with a “KKK” labeled drape over him. Cut back to the Klan to the right of the steps on horseback, lining up to view the sight and then they all ride off into the background.
The next shot is an interior of the side room in the Cameron’s house where the girl lies dead. Ben enters the door frame right (the old father sits frame left) and the older daughter meets Ben, as he removes his hat and sets down the pillow case full of Klan gear frame right. In the longer take, the sister closes the door and Ben goes to the foreground frame left, looking downward with a feeling of sadness. His sister crosses the room slowly behind him, further left frame and puts a hand on him. Then, after full thirty seconds elapses of these two-hours twenty-six minutes into the film, the brother puts a slow arm around his sister.
The next intertitle reads simply, “morning.” The shot that follows is back on the porch and a black man and Silas Lynch open the door to view Gus’ dead corpse lying on the ground. Silas (left frame) leans to pick up the note on the body and looks bewildered as his crony looks scared—they know it was the Klan.
Next, a mob of black-faced men rush forward in exterior. The match on action that follows watches the mob approach the Lieutenant Governor Lynch’s house and they arrive frame right from offscreen. They examine the body of Gus, as Lynch steps forward and marches offscreen diagonally to the right. The other men pick up Gus’ body and carry it off, behind Silas Lynch, exiting the frame as well.
The next intertitle explains that Silas is hiring a black “militia reinforcements to fill the streets.”
The next shot is of Austin Stoneman in a room with a man that is an official with paperwork and two black faced men (frame right) watch as the official exits frame left through a door that he closes. Austin points his hand at the men. The exterior of Silas’ house is seen, viewing Silas’ anger as enters the house and pauses to look forward and shout something like obscenities. The next intertitle reveals that Stoneman takes leave of the situation “to avoid the consequences. The shot that follows reveals Austin in exterior approaching a horse drawn buggy (frame left), crossing through the shrubs outside the house from right to left. Austin gets in the coach and a black man gets in with him placing his friend’s suitcase in the vehicle. Then the coach, made to by the driver, drives toward background and then offscreen left.
Meanwhile, back at the Klan encampment a red tinted intertitle claims that the Klan is preparing for action. The darkened, red-tinted shot reveals a crowd of Klansmen, as their leader (frame left) stands by cross and lifts a flag from a basin and he rings it out and holds it up. His speech in intertitle begins, “Brethren, this flag bears the red stain of the life of a Southern woman…” The next shot reveals the Klan leader, still around his full costumed men raising a cross and a flag. His dialog in the next intertitle claims the objects to be, “the ancient symbol of an unconquered race…the fiery cross of old Scotland’s hills…” Then, in the same intertitle the Klan leader says he will dip the flaming cross into the blood of the dead girl to put out the fire. In the next shot the Klan leader dips the cross into the basin and waves the garment at one man in frame not in Klan gear. He rushes to a horse behind the Klansmen, frame right and gets on. The match on action following watches the rider on horseback in exterior center frame from background to offscreen left diagonal. The Klan, in the next shot, still in red tint look at each other at the meeting.
An intertitle explains that the Klan intend to “disarm all blacks that night.” The next frame is of horse and rider in a red tint shot, arriving at a fire in the woods. A quick fade in of the rider’s POV reveals Klansmen hiding in the shrubs, slowly emerging from a hidden crouch. Back to the horse and rider, then a cut of the Klan heading left frame. Next the Klan on both sides of the rider explain before he rides off that they are out to “disarm.”
An abrupt intertitle explains that there are spies to find thee KKK to kill them.
In Silas Lynch’s study, (right center frame) he gives two black-faced men (right frame) his instructions and they rush off to the background. Back in the Cameron’s house the older sister enters the room in a polka dot dress and she runs forward to greet her father that enters from a right frame door. The old man exits frame left and out of a pillow case, the older sister observes the two circular crosses on the Klan gear. A quick take is next of a black spy that looks through an open window at the Cameron girl. His POV of the room reveals the older sister stashing the outfit (right frame.) She sees movement near the curtain in the background and runs over to it, crouching hoping to find the cause of the movement.
Meanwhile, Silas enters his study and facing forward, center frame, drinks from a champagne glass, liquid dripping all over him, then he looks frame left. Next, the Cameron girl closes the door to the room she’s in, in the background. Then she walks frame right and makes sure the Klan outfit is hidden. An intertitle now explains that Silas now has a reason to attack the Cameron house. In his study Silas walks to the background and two black-faced men run in through the door. He sends them to attack and they head out, while he poses with a clenched fist and walks to fetch a black militia man. Then, Silas is seated.
The next intertitle reads, “The bitterness of ideals crushed.” The following shot is Lillian Gish, after sometime of absence, as Elsie Stoneman sitting center, foreground. She looks in anguish and holds her head. Fade in to the interior of the Camerons, as the mother, father and daughter enter frame left and seat the mother in a chair. The next intertitle explains that they are about to be arrested. At the exterior of the Cameron’s front door, a white captain leads black militia men to the door and all have their backs turned and are armed. Crosscut to the mother getting up and heading frame right. A quick take reveals the arresting officers at the door. Back to the mother opening the right frame door and exiting into the next take of the “Stairwell Room” as she looks forward to see who is there.
Then outside, the militia enters and in the Stairwell Room they march in from the foreground as the mother in fear goes back to the room frame left. A quick cut shows mother, father and daughter, locking themselves in the previous room. In the Stairwell Room, the militia attempts to enter, as one black man pounds the door with his rifle. In the hiding room, an icon of escape common to Griffith’s oeuvre, the two women hold the door right frame, as the father watches. In the Stairwell Room the militia beats on the door and in a match on action the door swings open right frame and the white captain with militia men, enter. The captain takes hold of the pillow, sets it down, then grabs the Klan gear that the older sister struggles to take away from him. In the same shot, the old father Cameron struggles with the militia, throwing an arm at them, but to no avail, as the black militia men take him by the arms in arrest.
The exterior of the Cameron front door views the old man being escorted unwillingly out by the attackers and the women follow crying out. Silas Lynch, in the next shot, views the situation from afar, making sure his orders are carried out. Past the gate, the black militia, with large rifles equipped, continue to arrest the old man. Silas, in the crosscuts, watches with a grin. The next take is of the soldiers escorting the old man that disagrees with them and they all disappear offscreen right leaving three black witnesses laughing and one white witness that all are in the exterior’s background for shot depth.
The two women on the porch of their house explain to the female slave what is happening and the older daughter runs offscreen frame left. Her running carries her right to left, passing a fence, as the intertitle explains, to get help from the Stonemans. Elsie is still depressed in her bedroom, (foreground right frame) and the background door swings open with the living Cameron daughter entering, hysterical. Elsie stands and as they grab hold of each other, Elsie shakes the girl to get the reason for her panic. The next take is of the old slave woman consoling mother Cameron at the house door. Back in Elsie’s room, the girl explains the conflict and Elsie looks shocked, holding her friend (both now center frame.) Crosscuts continue with the female black slave in tears facing forward and then the next cut features a black witness laughing at her from the street sidewalk. The slave woman rolls up her sleeves and walks offscreen. She enters from frame right to the street and on the left of the laughing man, she decks him and knocks him down.
The next intertitle reveals that the slaves are to play a role as it reads, “The faithful souls take a hand.” In the shot that follows, mother Cameron is seated frame left in the exterior of her front door. The black slave she owns hobbles frame right and the mother appeals to him, when the slave woman grabs hold of him and shoves him forward. On the sidewalk, the slave woman shoves her male counterpart ahead and punches the black onlooker she knocked over once, knocking him over again. Waving her clenched fist, she exits frame right foreground.
Back in Elsie’s room, Elsie hugs the Cameron daughter that runs out the door and Elsie turns to face the camera with a plan of action while getting a change of clothes instead of wearing her night gown. The Cameron girl, near a staircase, rushes forward and pauses to pull on her hair while feeling desperate. Next the two living Cameron women, mother and daughter rush through the exterior gate onto the sidewalk and are frantic in their approach to the foreground moving offscreen right.
Next, Elsie enters frame left into her father’s study, flailing about in panic, as well. She turns her back and heads to an open background door, tugging on a black woman slave’s arm. Upon not finding her father, she goes to exit frame left, the way she came in.
The next intertitle explains that the old man Cameron is “The master in chains…” Around the plantation where there was dancing early on in the movie, the “freed slaves” gather in all frame depths and from right foreground the white antagonist captain brings old man Cameron into frame, locked in chains. The black men and particularly a woman to the left, mock, laugh and point at the chained Cameron that is escorted to the background and all the people follow. Then the intertitle announces that there is a rescue plan as, “the faithful souls pretend to join the mockers.” Fade into a buggy frame left next to the sidewalk, manned by a driver. The Cameron slaves enter center frame and point and wave about. Then a shot of the brother Stoneman appears, as he crosses to the foreground right and witnesses the commotion. Back at the buggy, the slaves continue to talk to a person apparently about the captive man. And back at the exterior with an angry black mob, pulling and tearing at the prisoner Cameron, they all smile and rejoice as he is hauled offscreen right diagonal.
On the outside of a building, a black man is seated, while the white captain and two militia men continue to escort old man Cameron. They stop center frame, the seated man stands and walks to the right for depth and the prisoner is hauled offscreen left. At the buggy, the captors lead in the father and his two slaves pretend to partake at first. An intertitle throws out a pretense of insult and mockery for a moment and then a shot follows of the two militia men laughing, while the slave woman pretends to laugh, too. The white captain, the old man and his male slave are next to the buggy, closer up than before. The slave continues his pretense of mockery. Cut back to, center framing of the slave woman and the militia men. The woman puts her arms on the men’s shoulders and looks back at the camera to view the situation.
The two Cameron women rush past the building seen moments before, moving from right to left and brother Stoneman follows. They all stop and hug, watching the scene at the buggy on the street. Their POV is of the men readying old man Cameron’s captivity. But the next shot illustrates the slave woman, rather heavy in weight, bounding onto the militia men, knocking them both over. Then the shot at the buggy watches the slave man saving old man Cameron by getting him onto the buggy as part of the plan. The black slave woman stays atop the militia men that struggle under her weight. Next to the buggy, they all fight and then by the building, brother Stoneman removes a pistol and heads offscreen left. Entering the buggy shot, he defends the old man. Fade in to Elsie Stoneman watching from an exterior sidewalk, the horror unfolding. Brother Stoneman shoots down the captors, as smoke erupts from his gun. He crouches to view the kill. At the building nearby, the Cameron women are shocked and they rush offscreen left. Now at the buggy, the Camerons rally to escape. Elsie, in the next cut, watches in fear to frame left. All aboard the buggy, the three Camerons, and their faithful slaves are nearly escaped. A black militia man rushes away to find back up.
The intertitle that follows explains that Elsie’s brother has killed a black militia man in the struggle. Elsie appears with a white officer frame right, pointing out to him the scene of the crime. He evades her and people appear in the background for depth as Elsie watches, still terrified. Now on frame left, Elsie runs offscreen right. The buggy is seen in a round elliptical frame driving up a road toward the background—as the escape, for now, is a success.
The next intertitle reads, “Awaiting her father’s expected arrival.” Elsie, in an interior, enters her father’s study again, frame left, looks around and sits frame right in exasperation. Out at a barn, the black militia ready themselves for war. Then the next shot shows the buggy, which even brother Stoneman rides, driving from foreground to background on a dirt road. The black militia gathers and a whole troop of men rush diagonal offscreen left. The next intertitle reads, “The social lion of the new aristocracy.” This title refers to Silas Lynch that is seen in his study with a group of blacks in formal attire at a party (including Stoneman’s own mulatto girlfriend from the beginning of the film.) Rushing down an interior sidewalk, the troop of militia men race after the escapees and one them stops to examine the man brother Stoneman killed. Elsie is now seen seated, wearing a long black veil, still in a bust shot close up, which lasts for awhile to emphasize her helplessness. At Silas’ household social gathering, Silas himself, right frame, reveals a look of antagonism. In the next shot, the escape buggy finally gives out and collapses—so everyone aboard begin to dismount the broken carriage.
The next intertitle reveals that a cabin with two “Union veterans” becomes a hiding place for the runaways. First, the exterior is established, then the cabin is viewed. And, finally, an interior of the cabin, the two Northern soldiers and a girl are frame left, cooking with a fireplace’s aid. A cut goes to close up of the veteran tending his fireplace and an insert close up reveals a pan with bacon frying for food, being pried at with a metal fork. Back to the close shot of the men in the cabin working on the food.
The next shot is distanced from the subjects, the escapees of Cameron and Stoneman personage make their way to the cabin. And the next take is of brother Stoneman, followed by the others to the cabin doorway (from left to right frame.) Back in the cabin, the veteran hears the outdoor commotion, stands and grabs a pitcher walking to his door frame right. The next shot shows the Northern vet walking in the cabin room to the right, setting down the pitcher and opening the door to the right. Outside, the vet sees the crowd of Piedmont locals gathered round for help. The loaded intertitle makes a statement that what were once enemies are commonly united again. The next interior shows the Camerons and friends entering the cabin door, for refuge and the Northern vet shakes hands with old man Cameron. The vet, holding again his pitcher (probably coffee) and offers his hospitality. Further into the cabin, the little girl hides by the door frame right, while the other vet is still seated.
Then, outside the cabin, the black militia men in a scatter, head forward to recapture those that hid in the cabin. Indoors, knowing they’re in trouble, everyone goes further in, cutting to a match on action of the den of the cabin where they all hide. Fade out again.
The very next intertitle reveals that Elsie seeks Silas for help, not knowing he is behind the present evils. In her father’s study, still cloaked in a veil, Elsie stands and looks forward, then exits frame left again. Outside, at the broken buggy, two horseback riders examine the wreckage. Then crosscutting to Silas’ lair, black militia men guard the door, as Elsie enters to plea for help. She exits frame left and a match on action sees her enter a large room in Silas’ house, as she tells the guard to retrieve him. Next, the formal party continues at Silas’ house with a room full of drinkers, celebrating their current victory. The guard tells Silas (frame right) that Elsie has arrived to see him. Elsie awaits him in the other room, seeming impatient and she turns her back, then faces forward with nervous energy abundant. The guard, in the party room, salutes Silas and heads to the background. Silas sets down his drink and follows him. The next match on action views Silas peering through a left frame door, in medium close up. His eyes light up and he smiles mischievously. His POV in the next shot, shows Elsie still pacing from her shot nerves. Silas peers in from the door, in a different take and yet another shot of the cocktail party watches Silas telling a black man something like that he needs to clear out the party room. The next shot views Silas entering the room through a doorway and closing it behind him. With back turned, he approaches Elsie and continues to the background to have the guard close up the room. Then he meets Elsie midground center frame. As she explains the problem, Silas sits and writes on paper. Crosscut to the clearing out cocktail party, full of exiting drunkards. Silas folds up a paper and gives it to the guard, leading him out of the room.
In the same shot Silas smiles at Elsie and the intertitle explains that he, unexpectedly, proposes marriage. At first, Elsie acts calm, but as he proposes she shrinks back. In a one shot of Silas, he asks for her hand. Then an one shot of Elsie shows her in silence. Silas, framed alone, acts selfish to the girl on his terms. Elsie acts scared. Back in the two person shot, Elsie scolds Silas and walks away to the door in the background, but Silas follows and keeps her from leaving. Elsie moves to right frame dropping her veil and asks to be let go. The next intertitle reveals that Elsie will have Silas horse-whipped and Lynch opens a curtain to reveal the next shot of bedlam in the streets of Piedmont. The black militia has fully taken over in chaos.
Silas points to himself and back outside the crowd goes wild, firing off rifle shots and gathered for take over. Silas speech and gesture is described in the intertitle, “See! My people fill the streets. With them I will build a Black Empire and you as Queen shall sit by my side.” A scary statement, indeed. Too much for Elsie that sinks into the chair frame right and Silas kneels and begins to sniff her dress like an animal. She gets up screaming and flailing her arms but Silas sits frame left to watch her vein struggle. In a one person shot, Elsie realizes the door is locked and her fear grows. An one shot of Silas shows him grimace and announce her futility to escape. Elsie begs Silas to let her go. He sits and stairs. She opens her eyes wide at his insanity and back in the full room two person shot, she flies to the other door to escape. Silas shoves her out of the way and appeals to her to cooperate.
The very next shot is a red tint of two horse riding Klansmen approaching the camera, up a dirt road. Inside, Silas carries on with his threats and then a stylish shot vies the Klan riders to the left frame (the right is obscured by a mask over the camera) riding through a stream, toward the background. Silas points outside again and in the cocktail room, the remaining guests overhear the rising conflict. Silas calls out again and the black-faced actor hears and goes to the background door. Cut to the action match of a left frame door opening and enters the black house guest. Next, Elsie is frantic but seated and Silas orders—as the intertitle explains—the plans for the marriage to be carried out. His black friend, takes off offscreen left and Elsie fears Silas more than ever. Almost through the door left frame, the black man turns and in a different angle of the same room, asks Silas a question and he is lead offscreen right. Then in a straight on centered angle, Silas scares Elsie. Cut to Elsie running and pounding against the left frame door. But in an one shot, Silas waves suggesting that she cannot escape. She looks back from the doorway.
Cut to a regiment of Klansmen on horseback riding across a stream to the foreground. Indoors, Silas threatens offscreen Elsie. She looks at Silas, shaking in horror. Then in a two shot, it appears in Silas’ presence, that she is trapped. Fade in to an exterior of two Klan riders rounding a corner and going off to the background. Silas continues his assault of Elsie and she struggles all over the room to escape his come-ons. Fade in to an exterior of Klan horse riders in formation (left frame,) listening to their leader (right frame, veiled by a bush) command them.
In a close up hero shot, Ben Cameron is seen to be the leader. Then on the edge of the town, Klansmen ride into the background, then offscreen right. At the other Klan meeting led by Ben, the men listen to the plan. And over a far off hill in silhouette the Klan rides left to right. Cut to Klan riders moving forward down the road. In an even closer shot, a tracking camera moves down a road to keep the two riders centered as the move forward and one of them carries a cross. Crosscut back to Silas’ foreboding antagonism to Elsie in the interior of his study. The two Klan riders appear left frame and stop at the rendezvous point. Then a rider continues right to left, followed by the intertitle, “Summoning the Clans.” (In this film “Klan” is rarely used in nomenclature, instead the film uses “Clan.”)
A close up and then midshot of the awaiting Klan riders is seen. The riders approach the foreground, one still with cross in hand. The other rider is seen in the next shots exterior background left, preempting the coming counter movement. And a troop of Klan riders approach the foreground, (with a pond in the background during several of these discussed shots.) Then, an exterior of a caravan of Piedmont locals moving en masse toward the foreground left frame diagonal. Elsie, in interior footage, finally becomes so desperate she passes out into Silas’ arms that holds her limp body. Outside, Austin dismounts his car and the next shot watches him enter the building frame left. A quick take of Austin indoors is right before Silas takes Elsie out of the room. And now Silas is in the bigger room from the cocktail party, seating Elsie’s limp body, frame left asking the mulatto woman to take care of her. Austin looks around the entrance room center frame. Silas leaves the mulatto to guard Elsie and in the next shot he goes through the study background. Austin finds the door open finally and in the following shot, he enters the study, showing a paper to Silas.
Still lined up, planning their counter movement, the Klansmen are in a tableau exterior, led by Ben. Crosscut back to Austin and Silas in the study. Silas explains, “I want to marry a white woman.” Austin pats him on the back and congratulates him in handshake, not knowing that Elsie is Silas’ bride of choice.
The next intertitle begins the final Klan ride. They all assemble at the rendezvous and begin to move forward. The next cut shows the Klan riders moving forward in troops offscreen right in massive number. (No wonder during the film’s initial release, Klansmen showed up at the opening in costume to show their pride.) The intertitle is a “Meanwhile…” and the take that follows is back at the hideout cabin, where brother Stoneman (frame left) expresses his feelings to sister Cameron (frame right) and the little girl stands between them—while no resolution can be made yet.
Silas, in interior study, keeps telling Austin his plan. Elsie is still in the next room, out cold. Silas tells Austin that it is Austin’s daughter Elsie he wishes to marry. Austin erupts in anger at Silas and refuses to allow it. But Silas feels justified.
The next intertitle heightens the intensity by alluding to the town chaos overcome by fascist militia and rioters. A massive crowd shot follows, of the anarchy at hand. Indoors, Austin and Silas quarrel and two black militia men enter the background door to work for Silas’ devious plot. From background to foreground, in rides the legion of Klansmen and in Griffith’s auteur signature style, the last minute rescue and apocalyptic finale, engages.
Right after the assemblage of Klansmen ride on, the shot is of Elsie waking up in Silas’ house and with her looks of fear, she stands flailing about, running to the right frame door from her chair on the left. An intertitle says, “White spies disguised.” Now seen are two men on horseback and what makes the shot unusual is that they are white men in black face, not to be confused with the white actors in black face that are meant to be black. Their point-of-view reveals Elsie at the window, screaming for help. A shot shows her take a swing at the window and the next shot shows her throw some object, smashing the window to pieces. But she is held onto by her captors and the two spies ride away to report the scene, as she is held back by the mulatto woman. Then, Silas shoves Austin into the right frame chair in the study. Austin in total shock now is frozen in fear. The two women struggle, as Elsie is wrestling to escape and another black man comes into the room to hold her.
The next shot shows the white spies in black face riding past undetected by the militia. Indoors, Austin is still confronted by Silas. A troop of black militia, outdoors, races into battle armed with rifles. Then, back in the cabin, the little girl sits on sister Cameron’s lap, as the others are left frame seated. Brother Stoneman goes through the right frame door and a match on action views him crossing the next cabin room from left to right for continuity. A two shot of the seated women in the previous room is followed by a close up of sister Cameron, gazing with a near empty expression. Back to the two shot and the little girl tickles her new friend’s back and they hug. Outside the cabin, the militia men close in. And inside, brother Stoneman shuts the door. Outside, the militia fire off smoking shots. And in the cabin, the men work to barricade the right frame door. Brother Stoneman equips a pistol and loads it. In the other room, old man Cameron exits frame right, then there is a cut to the old man entering to help the men of arms defend the cabin. Smoke fires off denoting gun fire outside and some of the militia men back off. As the old man is shoved into the other room, an intertitle reads, “The Union veterans refuse to allow Dr. Cameron to give himself up.” The vets back in the further room from outside, corner old man Cameron and they both reassure him with guns that they can hold the fort. One of them heads to the background window, firing a pistol—the other after patting the old man on the shoulders, heads back through the right frame door. Outside the cabin, the surrounding black militia, in wide shot, puts up a fight.
In the next shot, the Klan in many numbers, ride shoulder to shoulder in packs, from background to foreground left offscreen diagonal.
In Silas’ main room, Elsie is now gagged with a white cloth and the mulatto woman holds her arms to keep her prisoner. Outside, the bedlam in the streets continues as the mob of blacks is seen. Next, there is a close up of Elsie with the gag in her mouth. An intertitle claims, “While helpless whites look on.” White characters heretofore unseen watch out their window frame left, as the women hold an open Bible. Outside, the militia and their supporters hold the whole city hostage. And back inside the house of white people gather to pray for a solution. Outside, the militia continue to beat down a white bystander and inside the whites await their fate. An intertitle shows that there are KKK supporters tarred and feathered next in full view. Then, a wider shot reveals the crowd, tossing around their victims. Looking out a window at the madness is another fearful white family. The mob grows wild and another shot shows them covering every inch of free ground, waving their rifles outside a jailhouse. In a jail cell, white captives await their fate, as well. But the mob is not leaving outside and inside the men are locked up. Fade out and cut to a shot of the over-sized mob. Then a wide establishing shot watches the Klan racing across the far off horizon left to right. The mob in Piedmont is unrelenting. And seen not so far away, in the next shot, are the Klan riding toward the black-faced white spies, stopping for the report and then forward they ride in several numbers, deep in a line and wide in men riding next to each other, never breaking ranks. The mob antagonizes the jail. The Klan, now seen with a tracking camera, ride on to reach their destination and the Klansmen in front pull on their hoods to conceal their faces. Finally, in Piedmont, the Klan comes riding into the street, stopping in the foreground. The mob sees them, but the next shot is of gunslinging Klansmen firing at the offscreen foreground mob. Then they ride on. The mob grows scared, but the militia men guard them—backs turned in a horizontal line in the background, shooting back at the offscreen Klan. The mob begins to disperse. But in frame are shooters from the militia firing right to left. In Silas’ study, Austin sits defeated but Silas hears a noise. (NOTE: On the soundtrack of the author’s copy of BIRTH plays the Valkyrie Ride of Wagner’s Ring Cycle.) The Klan rides on close to the frame and one is shot off of his horse collapsing dead. The militia, now on the left, fire at the offscreen Klan. Another Klansman drops from gunfire. A militia man enters Silas’ study to report and holds Austin at gunpoint while Silas exits frame left. A row of militia men, with rifles, fire at the onslaught. The Klan riders are not stopped though, and ride on through the city. Guns in a row center frame keep firing off in the gun battle and shots of dying Klansmen continue in the ambush.
Outside the cabin, a whole gang of black militia men approach the building in wide shot. Inside the surrounded prisoners of the cabin shoot their guns through window and door. But right outside, the militia approach the cabin. The North vet, inside, shoots off his rifle through the window. Sister Cameron, her mother and the little girl huddle center frame in a different shot, in terror. On the street of Piedmont, the mob and militia hold their ground. Silas exits his house frame center to watch his militia and he waves an arm and exits offscreen right. The hideout cabin inside is full of raging gunfire. The militia still wait in wide shot outside. In ride four Klansmen to the scene. Seeing the fracas, the Klan rescuers ride off for reinforcements but not without losing men. Old man Cameron watches through the window and his POV eyeline match watches a Klansman crash off of his horse to the ground. Smoke billows around the field. Old man Cameron retreats from the window and outside the militia confirm their Klan kills. Reassuring the women inside, the men realize that the hideout is still under attack.
More Klan riders enter frame left and race off to tell the others what is happening at the cabin. The gun battle in the street rages on. A row of militia rifles fire, but the Klan is on their way. In a fantastic tracking shot, the Klansmen ride forward and they fire off their guns while the camera follows in a circular elliptical frame. Finally, the militia is pushed back and they begin to withdraw. Right as the mob flees, in ride the Klan, firing at their foes, cleaning up the city street and in the next shot, the militia men begin to face their downfall, scattering to avoid the Klan.
Elsie, still gagged, is seen in close up, rolling her eyes in shock. Austin tries to stand but the black guard forces him to sit. A different tracking shot, always moving the camera back for frame movement, watches the black rioters to disperse. The Klan blazes down the street. Silas goes back into his house at the sight. The whole mob flees forward, then cutting to a different angle, they flee into the background. The Klan right downtown, on a street, are effective in clearing out the enemy as they ride frame left (next to buildings on the right) toward the background backs turned.
Elsie frees herself from the gag and turns to escape, but Silas awaits her, grabbing her and carrying her off. He brings her into the study where Austin tries to pry her free. Several militia men enter from the background.
On the streets of Piedmont the Klan riders grow thick, riding to the background. Still outdoors, the Klan rides from offscreen left, stopping at Silas’ house and quickly bursting in. The next cut reveals the rescue of Austin and Elsie Stoneman, as the Klansmen burst into the room, guns blazing and they have Silas at gunpoint and father and daughter embrace. A closer cut of a Klansman putting his arm around Elsie, lifting his hood to reveal Ben Cameron as identity, leading the rescue. Elsie hugs him and a cut of the full room shows the successful last minute rescue.
Still, at the cabin’s interior, the gun battle continues. A closer cut shows old man Cameron, watching out the window, crouched on the floor, talking with the Northern vets. The next intertitle reads, “News of the danger to the little party in the besieged cabin.” Two Klan riders race up the street and a match on action sees them join the other Klan riders to tell them about the cabin. Indoors at Silas’ house, Ben puts his hood back on and rushes out of the room as the Klan escort Silas away. Austin and Elsie embrace and one Klan member stands guard of them. The Klan riders reassemble and cruise down the street. In another shot, they keep moving forward stopping to figure out which way to go and then riding frame left offscreen. The Camerons await their doom in the cabin and a closer shot of brother Stoneman watches him pop off a pistol round. In the other room, sister Cameron to the right and further back than her parents, watches through the door. Going through, the next take watches her rush to brother Stoneman and they embrace. Outside, on onslaught of militia men are at the door. Inside, the lovers embrace again, until a window is knocked open, breaking apart and falling, while outside the situation appears grim. Brother Stoneman pistol whips an entering militia man, knocking him back outside. There, a group of bloodthirsty blacks continue to attempt a break in. A quick take shows a butt of a stick, knocking a militia man out of the window.
The Klan races up toward the camera, exiting offscreen left diagonal. Turns out, it is the slave woman knocking down militia men with a stick. Outside, the militia gathers and inside the vets witness the other room. They retrieve everyone and gather into the inner room to escape. Outside, the villains finally break in and inside, they pillage the room, killing a vet. In the inner room, the door to the right is slammed shut in the fracas. Still, the militia attempt to bust open the next door and in the inner room, the living veteran holds the door. Banging against it, the militia are almost through the door, so in the hideout room, a table is propped against the door. Rapid fire cuts continue, as the assault on the inner room is nearly at hand. But as the black militia bangs a log against the door, the victims inside push to keep it closed. The Klan, on their path of revenge, continue in large numbers, down the dirt road. In the cabin, the blacks fight to kill, the whites on the other side, fight to survive. Then on the other side, more militia attempt to break in, but brother Stoneman is on the other side of the door to keep them out.
The door begins to open and sister Cameron fights off the victimizers. A smooth tracking shot races backward to emphasize the speed and strength of the approaching Klan. Inside, though, the militia grab hold of sister Cameron, but are temporarily stalled by the men that force them back out offscreen left. The Klan continue to charge and the cabin inhabitants are running out of options. A harrowing cut reveals the Northern vet with the butt of his rifle above his little daughter in case he has to kill her before the militia gain entrance. Mother Cameron holds the girl in her arms in close up. In extreme close up, the little girl bursts into tears. The militia fight to break in frame center right and brother Stoneman begins to run out of energy frame left. Even the old man Cameron might have to kill his daughter to protect her. Finally, in wide shot, the exterior erupts in a gun-battle from the arriving Klansmen that have come to save the day. The militia men flee the door and inside the cabin there is a moment of relief. The blacks fear the gun blasts and scramble away, as in the short cut the vet watches the action. Outside, the Klan overwhelms the field and then closer up, they dismount. Inside, the Klan enter and kill the last of the militia, gunning them down with pistols and stopping for a quick hero pose. The Camerons, in the inner room, are overjoyed and embrace. The Klan enter and have rescued almost everyone. Center frame, a Klansman whispers to sister Cameron, which means that it is probably Ben under the mask. A whole regiment of Klansmen ride past the rescued cabin.
The next intertitle says, “Disarming the blacks.” And on the left and right, a line of Klansmen with guns pointing at a crowd of black militia, watch as they drop their guns and run away. The next intertitle reads, “Parade of the Clansman.” A white shot shows a crowd cheering on the Klan and a closer shot shows many of the film’s protagonists riding on horseback down the street with the proud victors. The black people are scared now, in their field. But the Klan match with pride, waving victory flags. A crowd of blacks flee the scene. Frame right, in the next cut, the white crowd waves at the march of the Klan, thankful to be safe because of them. In a household seen during the battle, a white family rejoices. The Klan marches on outside and inside, the family cheers, continuing the celebration. Another interior and another reveal the white people in jubilation, waving, hugging, and in three different shot angles of three families, rejoicing. The Klan marches on.
The next intertitle states, “The next election.” Klansmen (right frame) line up on horseback watching black voters at the booths. Two black men discuss their vote and the turn to see the Klan in a POV shot next. So the blacks return to the booths to change their vote to Klan desire that watch on horseback. The next intertitle says, “The aftermath. At the sea’s edge, the double honeymoon.” Brother Stoneman and sister Cameron, newly married and dressed for it, watch the seaside out a window, embraced left frame. And on a hillside by the sea, Ben Cameron and Elsie Stoneman sit in embrace as well, also newly married and dressed for the occasion. The next intertitle announces that someday war will be no longer and that God has a hand in that. A red-tinted frame reveals a crowd of dead sufferers in hell; a fantasy shot, with a Centaur waving a sword (a pictorial reference to Charon from Greek Mythology.) That’s hell, but in heaven, the dead rejoice as a giant superimposed Jesus watches over them and disappears. On the hillside Ben and Elsie sit in love and in the afterlife, the justice is final. Ben and Elsie sit on the hill (right frame) and a giant city is seen to the left of a huge civilization. The last two intertitles are, “Liberty and union, one and inseparable, now and forever!” and then, “The End.” The film, after three hours and seven minutes approximately, draws to a close. Final Author's Note: The Birth of a Nation is my favorite film, as it is the guidebook to how all movies were and are made post 1915.
THE END.
