America (1924)

Director:

D.W. Griffith

Writers:

Robert W. Chambers (screenplay)
Robert W. Chambers (story)

Release Date:

21 February 1924 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | History

Tagline:

Love of tender girlhood! Passionate deeds of heroes! A rushing, leaping drama of charm and excitement!

Plot:

The story of a family caught up in the American Revolutionary War. |

Plot Keywords:

American Revolution | Epic | Historical | Card Game | Patriotism

Cast

Neil Hamilton	...	Nathan Holden
Erville Alderson	...	Justice Montague
Carol Dempster	...	Miss Nancy Montague
Charles Emmett Mack	...	Justice Charles Montague
Lee Beggs	...	Samuel Adams
John Dunton	...	John Hancock
Arthur Donaldson	...	King George III
Charles Bennett	...	William Pitt
Downing Clarke	...	Lord Chamberlain
Frank Walsh	...	Thomas Jefferson
Frank McGlynn Sr.	...	Patrick Henry
Arthur Dewey	...	George Washington
P.R. Scammon	...	Richard Henry Lee
Lionel Barrymore	...	Capt. Walter Butler
Sydney Deane	...	Sir Ashley Montague
W.W. Jones	...	Gen. Gage
Edward Roseman	...	Capt. Montour
Harry Semels	...	Hikatoo
Harry O'Neill	...	Paul Revere
Henry Van Bousen	...	John Parker (captain of the Minutemen)
Hugh Baird	...	Maj. Pitcairn
James Milady	...	Jonas Parker
Henry S. Koser	...	Capt. Prescott (as H. Koser)
Michael Donavan	...	Maj. Gen. Warren
Louis Wolheim	...	Capt. Hare
Riley Hatch	...	Joseph Brant (chief of the Mohawks)
Paul Doucet	...	Marquis de Lafayette
William S. Rising	...	Edmund Burke
Daniel Carney	...	Personal servant of Miss Montague
Edward Scanlon	...	Household servant at Ashley Court
Emil Hoch	...	Lord North
Lucille La Verne	...	Refugee mother
Edwin Holland	...	Maj. Strong
Milton Noble	...	An old patriot
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Edward Dillon	...	(uncredited)

Directed by
D.W. Griffith

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Robert W. Chambers		screenplay
Robert W. Chambers		story

Produced by
D.W. Griffith	....	producer

Original Music by
Joseph Carl Breil
Adolph Fink

Cinematography by
G.W. Bitzer
Marcel Le Picard
Hendrik Sartov
Harold S. Sintzenich

Film Editing by
James Smith
Rose Smith

Art Direction by
Charles M. Kirk

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Herbert Sutch	....	assistant director
Frank Walsh	....	assistant director

Art Department
William J. Bantel	....	director of construction
Charles E. Boss	....	scenic artist

Visual Effects by
Warren Newcombe	....	matte painter

Camera and Electrical Department
Frank J. Diem	....	still photographer
Vincent J. Farrar	....	akeley camera operator

Music Department
Joseph Carl Breil	....	music arranger

Other crew
John L.E. Pell	....	historical arrangement
Benjamin Turner	....	studio projectionist

Production Companies

• D.W. Griffith Productions

Distributors

• United Artists (1924) (USA) (theatrical)
• Image Entertainment (1999) (USA) (DVD)
• Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) (1972) (USA) (TV) (network premiere)
• Critics' Choice Video (????) (USA) (video)
• Kino Video (????) (USA) (VHS)

Also Known As:

Love and Sacrifice (UK)
América (Spain) [es]
Amerikka (Finland) (TV title) [fi]
Amor Pátrio (Portugal) [pt]
Pour l'indépendance (France) [fr]
Taisteluun vapauden puolesta (Finland) [fi]

Runtime:

141 min | USA:93 min (Killiam Restoration with narration)

Country:

USA

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Silent

Filming Locations:

Fort Myer, Arlington, Virginia, USA

Company:

D.W. Griffith Productions

Trivia:

This film is regarded as major turning point in the career of D.W. Griffith. Its critical and public failure ended Griffith's tenure as the industry's preeminent director.

Movie Connections:

Edited into The Negro Soldier (1944)

Classic Battle Scenes

America (1924)

*** (out of 4)

This film is basically a remake of The Birth of a Nation but this time the story is set during the American Revolutionary War. We have George Washington (Arthur Dewey) trying to make our country free while Capt. Walter Butler (Lionel Barrymore) tries to get the Indians on his side to attack what one hopes to become the new America. In the mean time, two young lovers (Neil Hamilton, Carol Dempster) are split apart due to them fighting on opposite sides of the war. This film was a notorious flop when originally released and everything Griffith made after this was basically done so that he could clean up debts gathered by this film. Time has certainly been kinder to the film than movie crowds in 1924 because this is a pretty strong take on the war that features a nice story, great battle scenes and some fine performances. Barrymore steals the show with his crazed performance but he never goes over the top but even without words you can see the passion on his face as he fights for what he believes is right. Hamilton and Dempster are both fine in their roles, although I'm sure stronger actors would have been better. The majority of the film deals with the actual story of the war and not the battle scenes. Griffith handles all the quiet moments very well but there's no question that the battle scenes are where the energy is at. Hundreds of extras were used and again, like previous Griffith epics, the battle scenes look incredibly realistic as if Griffith were there filming while the real battles were taking place. The story of the families being split apart probably would have worked better had it not been so familiar as to the story in The Birth of a Nation but either way this was Griffith's last epic and while it's not the masterpiece of The Birth of a Nation or Intolerance, it's still impressive film-making.