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

• Edward S

  
  Lillian Gish gives an inspiring and masterful performance in "Broken Blossoms," Griffith's film about an interracial romance during a time when phobia against Asians was at plague-like levels. Though many films of today depend on camera techniques and modern editing to… More
  Lillian Gish gives an inspiring and masterful performance in "Broken Blossoms," Griffith's film about an interracial romance during a time when phobia against Asians was at plague-like levels. Though many films of today depend on camera techniques and modern editing to create tension in scenes, Gish's acting just about singularly creates the necessary tensions and tones that are carried scene after scene. Her character, along with Barthelmass's pitiful and, ironically, ignorantly named "Yellow Man" character (well, small steps...) serve as glimmers of innocence in the dark and glum Limehouse area the film is set in (it's even said that the dark and gritty environment of Battling's shack, though primitive and stale, is a precursor to noir.) The themes are at a minimum but still conspicuous enough to be amusing. Cheng the "Yellow Man" precociously, and naively, aspired to spread Buddha's message of peace to the West while a western missionary intended to spread the message of Christ to the East with packets on the subject of hell. Subtle social commentary on the peaceful methods of the East, abstractly seen as innocence embodied by Cheng, being stifled by the intimidation methods of the West (the recurring motif of bells is also a welcomed feature.) Battling, the antagonist, and his brute, xenophobic conduct serves as a great opposite to Cheng's timid, oppressed nature. The iris shots, tinting, and general nebulous look of many silent films, meshed with a tranquil score, lend a visually and rhythmically dreamy quality that is very present in "Broken Blossoms;" this was really a joy to watch and just a delightful piece of oneiric escapism. But, what really makes this film is, again, Lillian Gish. Her cradling a baby doll in an allusion to the Madonna or hysterically sobbing before being beaten by her draconian, amoral father makes this film sensational. The way she plays with her eyes, her facial features, and her body language is all fantastic, especially during a time when flat, stationary camera angles and prolonged, uncut shots demanded innovative and immaculate performances from actors and actresses.

• 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 10 featured audience ratings