description Broken Blossoms Overview
Broken Blossoms is a 1919 silent melodrama directed by D. W. Griffith and starring Lillian Gish and Richard Barthelmess. The film depicts a young woman, Lucy Burrows, escaping abuse from her father and finding solace with a Chinese man, Cheng Huan.
It marked United Artists’ first distribution and was based on Burke's short story.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
info Broken Blossoms Specifications
| Country | United States |
| Year | 1919 |
help Broken Blossoms FAQ
Who are Lucy and Cheng Huan in Broken Blossoms?
Lucy Burrows is the abused young woman played by Lillian Gish, and Cheng Huan is the Chinese man played by Richard Barthelmess. Their fragile bond is the center of D. W. Griffith's 1919 silent melodrama.
Why is Broken Blossoms discussed differently from The Birth of a Nation?
Both films are connected to D. W. Griffith, but Broken Blossoms is a smaller, more intimate melodrama rather than a Civil War epic. Modern viewers still discuss its racial representation critically, especially because Richard Barthelmess was not Chinese.
Was Broken Blossoms a United Artists release?
Broken Blossoms is often tied to the early United Artists period, but its release history is more complicated than a simple first-release claim. The film premiered in 1919, the same year United Artists was founded by figures including Mary Pickford, Charlie Chaplin, Douglas Fairbanks, and D. W. Griffith.
Why is Lillian Gish's performance in Broken Blossoms famous?
Gish's performance as Lucy is remembered for its physical vulnerability and emotional intensity, especially in the closet scene. Silent-film historians often point to the 1919 film as one of her defining dramatic roles.
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