Intolerance: Love’s Struggle Throughout the Ages Synopsis & Review: Plot Summary

🎯 Quick Overview

😅 Plot Summary – Badly Explained

So, there are four stories, right? Babylon falls, Jesus gets nailed, France has a really bad day, and some 1900’s folks get railroaded – all because people just can’t chill out and accept each other, apparently.

🍿 Intolerance: Love’s Struggle Throughout the Ages: Detailed Plot Synopsis

Modern Story: The Dear One and the Boy

Set in 1914 America, this segment follows the ‘Dear One’ (Mae Marsh) and ‘The Boy’ (Robert Harron), a young working-class couple. Their lives are disrupted by social reformers whose misguided efforts lead to poverty and false accusations. ‘The Boy’ loses his job due to a strike, orchestrated after a pay cut by a factory owner funding his sister’s charity work.

Babylonian Story: The Fall of a Kingdom

In ancient Babylon (539 BC), the story revolves around the conflict between Prince Belshazzar and Cyrus the Great of Persia. Religious rivalries and internal betrayals weaken Babylon, leading to its conquest. The ‘Mountain Girl’ (Constance Talmadge), a spirited woman, becomes entangled in the political turmoil.

French Story: St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre

Set in 16th-century France, this segment depicts the events leading up to the St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre. Religious intolerance between Catholics and Huguenots culminates in violence and betrayal. A young Huguenot couple, Brown Eyes and Prosper Latour, prepare for their wedding, unaware of the impending massacre.

Judean Story: The Life of Jesus

This segment portrays key events in the life of Jesus Christ, including his crucifixion. It illustrates religious intolerance and the persecution of those who challenge established beliefs. This is the shortest of the four narratives.

⚠️ Spoilers and Ending Explained

🎬 Cast & Characters

• The Woman Who Rocks the Cradle (Lillian Gish): The eternal mother figure symbolizing the enduring cycle of life and love throughout history.
• The Boy (Robert Harron): A young man in the modern story who faces hardship and is wrongly accused of a crime.
• The Dear One (Mae Marsh): A young woman in the modern story who struggles against social injustice to protect her family.
• The Mountain Girl (Constance Talmadge): A spirited woman in the Babylonian story who finds herself caught in political and religious conflict.
• Jesus Christ (Howard Gaye): The religious figure in the Judean story who becomes a victim of intolerance and hypocrisy.

💬 Memorable Quotes

• Intertitle: “When women cease to attract men, they often turn to reform as a second option.” – This intertitle appears during the ‘Modern Story,’ reflecting a cynical view of social reformers.
• Intertitle: “Intolerance: That thing in all of our nations which causes us to condemn all those who believe differently from ourselves.” – This summarizes the central theme of the movie.

💰Box Office

• Budget: $385,907
• Domestic Gross: N/A
• Worldwide Gross: N/A

💥 Intolerance: Love’s Struggle Throughout the Ages Reviews

Personal Review

Okay, so ‘Intolerance’ is a commitment – three hours of silent film is no joke! But honestly, I was blown away by the scale of it. Those Babylonian sets? Unreal! I got a little lost trying to keep up with all the storylines, but Mae Marsh’s performance in the modern story totally got to me. It’s melodramatic for sure, but I felt her desperation. And seeing Lillian Gish rocking that cradle throughout? It gave me chills. It’s definitely a movie that stays with you.

• Who would enjoy:
  • “Film history buffs”
  • “Silent film enthusiasts”
  • “Those interested in early cinematic techniques”
  • “Viewers who appreciate ambitious storytelling”
• Content warnings ⚠:
  • “Historical violence”
  • “Religious persecution”
  • “Melodramatic themes”
  • “Some scenes may be emotionally intense”

Professional Reviews

• Variety: “Griffith’s epic scope is undeniable. The Babylon sets alone are breathtaking. While the interwoven narratives can feel disjointed, the ambition and technical achievements remain awe-inspiring. A landmark film, though perhaps more appreciated for its historical significance than sheer entertainment value.
• The New York Times: “Intolerance is a spectacle unmatched in its time. The film’s message, while well-intentioned, can feel heavy-handed, but Griffith’s mastery of editing and visual storytelling is evident. It’s a challenging viewing experience but a crucial one for understanding film history.
• Sight & Sound: “A film of immense importance. The innovative use of parallel editing was revolutionary. Although some sequences are more compelling than others, the film’s overall message about the cyclical nature of prejudice resonates even today. A must-see for any serious film enthusiast.

Audience Reactions

The Babylonian sets are visually stunning and unlike anything ever created before!: Spectacular visuals and ambitious storytelling despite its lengthy runtime

The interwoven narratives that show how injustice plays out across time are a bold idea!: Film History landmark

Overall Consensus: Intolerance is a landmark film praised for its ambition, innovative editing, and spectacular visuals, despite being a challenging and lengthy viewing experience that can sometimes feel disjointed.

Awards

🛠️ Behind the Scenes

• “The Babylonian set was one of the largest ever built for a film at the time, covering several acres and featuring towering walls and elaborate recreations of ancient architecture.”
• “During the filming of battle sequences, many extras became so immersed in their roles that they unintentionally caused real injuries to one another, resulting in dozens of on-set medical treatments.”
• “Constance Talmadge is credited twice in the film, once under the name ‘Georgia Pearce’ and once under her own name.”
• “D.W. Griffith aimed to answer criticisms of his previous film, ‘The Birth of a Nation’, by creating a film showcasing the destructive nature of intolerance throughout history.”

🖥️ How to Watch Intolerance: Love’s Struggle Throughout the Ages?

As a silent film, ‘Intolerance’ isn’t readily available on major streaming platforms like Prime Video or Apple TV for direct streaming. However, it’s often screened at film festivals and revival houses. You can find DVD and Blu-ray editions online through retailers such as Amazon. Check your local library for potential rentals.

🎥 Similar Movies

If you enjoyed Intolerance: Love’s Struggle Throughout the Ages, you might like these similar films:

• Cabiria (1914): An Italian epic known for its grand scale and historical setting, directly influenced Griffith’s ambition and set design for the Babylonian sequence.
• Napoleon (1927): Features innovative cinematography and a historical epic scope, similar to ‘Intolerance’ in its attempt to redefine cinematic storytelling.
• The Ten Commandments (1956): A later epic film with a biblical storyline, massive sets and numerous extras, sharing a similar ambition in scale and grandeur.
• Barry Lyndon (1975): A historical drama that explores themes of societal ambition, war, and love, with a critical lens, showcasing both grandeur and the darker side of human nature.

🛒 Intolerance: Love’s Struggle Throughout the Ages Related Products

• Intolerance (Blu-ray): A high-definition restoration of D.W. Griffith’s epic, including Carl Davis’s complete score, offering the best possible viewing experience.
• D.W. Griffith: American Film Master: A comprehensive biography of D.W. Griffith, offering insights into his life, work, and the making of ‘Intolerance’.
• Silent Movies: Silent film inspired adventure game in which a player must complete various tasks and visit iconic movie locations with the goal of saving silent films from being forgotten by the modern era. Locations from the movie, Intolerance, are included in the gameplay.
• Intolerance Movie Poster: A high-quality print of the original ‘Intolerance’ movie poster, capturing its iconic imagery.

🎧 Soundtrack

Intolerance: Love’s Struggle Throughout the Ages features a captivating soundtrack that enhances the movie’s atmosphere and emotional impact. Here are some notable tracks:

• “Intolerance (Original Score)” – performed by Carl Davis
• “Selections from Intolerance” – performed by The Mont Alto Motion Picture Orchestra

You can find the complete soundtrack on Amazon Music and Apple Music.

🤨 FAQ

🔥 Bonus Content

D.W. Griffith – Intolerance – the Oriental dance scene “age-restricted”!

Ever wondered what the iconic oriental dance scene from ‘Intolerance’ would sound like with a modern musical twist? Someone added music to it, and I think it’s pretty cool and gives a whole new vibe to the scene, check it out!

✨ Rate