Broken Blossoms (1919)

95% of critics liked it
(20 reviews)
73% of users liked it
(3,481 ratings)

Based on "The Chink and the Child", a story by Thomas Burke, Broken Blossoms is one of D.W. Griffith's most poetic films. Richard Barthelmess plays a young Chinese aristocrat who hopes to spread the gospel of his Eastern religion to the grimy corners of London's Limehouse district. Rapidly… More Based on "The Chink and the Child", a story by Thomas Burke, Broken Blossoms is one of D.W. Griffith's most poetic films. Richard Barthelmess plays a young Chinese aristocrat who hopes to spread the gospel of his Eastern religion to the grimy corners of London's Limehouse district. Rapidly disillusioned, Barthelmess opens a curio shop and takes to smoking opium. One evening, Lillian Gish, the waif-like daughter of drunken prizefighter Donald Crisp, collapses on Barthelmess' doorstep after enduring one more of her father's brutal beatings. Barthelmess shelters the girl, providing her with the love and kindness that she has never known. Crisp, offended that his daughter is living with a "heathen," forces the girl to return home with him. In a terrible drunken rage, Crisp beats Lillian to death. Barthelmess arrives on the scene, kills Crisp, then kneels beside Lillian's body and takes his own life. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 42 min.
Directed By: D.W. Griffith
Written By: D.W. Griffith, Thomas Burke
Genres: Drama, Romance, Classics

In Theaters: May 13, 1919 Wide
On DVD: May 11, 1999
Studio: Kino on Video

Critic Reviews

Variety Staff, Variety
Although the picture consumes only 90 minutes, it somehow seems draggy, for the reason that everything other than the scenes with the three principals seems extraneous and tends to clog the progression of the tale.
, New York Times
There is so much that is unusually excellent and excellently unusual in Broken Blossoms that one is compelled by enthusiasm to write about it.
Don Druker, Chicago Reader
One of D.W. Griffith's most beautiful films.
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
Films like this, naive as they seem today, helped nudge a xenophobic nation toward racial tolerance.
, TV Guide's Movie Guide
The most elemental and uncluttered of D.W. Griffith's major melodramas.
David Parkinson, Empire Magazine
Definitely a silent drama fighting against the traditional limitations of the form and the strict social mores of the day. One of Lillian Gish's most moving performances.
Michael W. Phillips, Jr., Goatdog's Movies
One of the screen's greatest symbioses of performance and photography.
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
This mawkish Victorian melodrama rises above its faults with a stylishly beautiful film that also brings real tragedy to the screen.
Ken Hanke, Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)
It's an important film that should be seen, but it's hardly the flawless masterpiece it's often hailed as.
Tom Milne, Time Out
Very much on the credit side, though, are stretches of pure Griffith poetry, marvellous use of light and shadow in cameraman Billy Bitzer's evocation of foggy Limehouse, and a truly unforgettable performance from Gish.
Nick Davis, Nick's Flick Picks
The delicate insinuations of competing amorous and cultural allegiances provide the movie with some of its best and most technically assured sequences.
Phil Hall, Film Threat
Progressive for its day, but strictly of historic value today.
Ed Gonzalez, Slant Magazine
The love story at the center of Broken Blossoms is deliberately overstuffed but unmistakably colored with infinite shades of biting irony and social critique.
, Film4
Despite Griffith's trademark sentimentalism this is one of his most successful silent dramas, and the film's handling of the then tricky subject of interracial love is unexpectedly sensitive.
Bob Bloom, Journal and Courier (Lafayette, IN)
Despite its old-fashioned melodrama roots, a great movie with Gish at her most beautiful and vulnerable. Griffith was the master.

Read all 15 critic reviews

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

KJ P

New-age films definitely get some of their retrospective ideas from films such as Broken Blossoms. With no dialogue present it has to be a powerful story in order to have such an impact of sheer enjoyment and emotions, and this film goes above and beyond all expectations. As an asian… More
New-age films definitely get some of their retrospective ideas from films such as Broken Blossoms. With no dialogue present it has to be a powerful story in order to have such an impact of sheer enjoyment and emotions, and this film goes above and beyond all expectations. As an asian man comes to London from his hometown for personal reasons, but when he get's caught up in an ugly, father/daughter conflict, he takes in little 12 year-old Lucy to nurture her after the beatings of her raged "Boxing Champion" father. The only feelings he sees is romantic and he tries to come-on to Lucy even though she would have no idea what he is trying to do. This film is beautifully told, easily understandable, it has an amazing orchestra following it, and the conclusion will make your gut spin. Broken Blossoms has true meaning and it is a film that I will remember forever. D.W. Griffith has made a masterpiece and it may just be one of my favourite films of all time!
Anthony L

The image of Lillian Gish pushing up the corners of her mouth and forcing a smile is such a powerful and heartbreaking piece of cinema. Broken Blossoms is heartbreaking, bleak, depressing and truly beautiful, a real masterpiece and a must see classic!
jay n

The attitudes of the film are of course wildly dated but taking that into account, something you really have to do to look at the film objectively, the story is sensitively told and the acting by the leads is touching. Also the use of different colors for different locations was a… More
The attitudes of the film are of course wildly dated but taking that into account, something you really have to do to look at the film objectively, the story is sensitively told and the acting by the leads is touching. Also the use of different colors for different locations was a striking choice to set the mood of the piece.
Stella D

the story of a chinese man who falls in love with a girl of the london slums played by lillian gish. the chinese character is played by a white man and somewhat emasculated but overall it's a pretty sympathetic portrayal of interracial romance for 1919. some beautiful… More
the story of a chinese man who falls in love with a girl of the london slums played by lillian gish. the chinese character is played by a white man and somewhat emasculated but overall it's a pretty sympathetic portrayal of interracial romance for 1919. some beautiful camerawork here if u can get past the inherent racist attitudes
Lauren D

It was ok, but mostly meh. I was distracted by how stupid the "Asian" dude looked, because he was always squinting and looking 'derp'. It made it hard for me to take it seriously.
Alice S

Beautiful and poetic, but a little depressing.
cody f

A nice little film with some groundbreaking themes. (Interracial love, child abuse, and losing religious faith.) I would have liked a little more build up to the love story but the film does look great.
MJS M

One of those silent classics I?ve been meaning to cross off the list. D.W. Griffin?s second post-Birth of a Nation project, and a continuation of his reformed view of race relations. Still racially offensive when viewed with modern standards, but rather progressive in the context of… More
One of those silent classics I?ve been meaning to cross off the list. D.W. Griffin?s second post-Birth of a Nation project, and a continuation of his reformed view of race relations. Still racially offensive when viewed with modern standards, but rather progressive in the context of its times. Not a technical triumph the way other silent classics like Metropolis is, the real triumph here is its unusually mature storyline. This probably wouldn?t be as impressive if it had come out in the later 20s, but in 1919 it was a real step forward.
Marion R

This movie was okay, it's pretty sad.

Read all 9 featured audience ratings

Cast

Lillian Gish
as Lucy Burrows
Richard Barthelmess
as Cheng Haun the Yellow Man
Donald Crisp
as Battling Burrows

Edward Peil Sr.
as Evil Eye
Arthur Howard
as Burrow's Manager
George Andre Beranger
as The Spying One

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