introduced by Laurent Ferri, curator, "Lafayette, citizen of two worlds"
with live piano accompaniment by Dr. Philip Carli
Among the distinguishing talents of filmmaking pioneer D.W. Griffith was his gift for endowing history with a sense of drama and immediacy. In his rarely seen 1924 film America, Griffith focused his astute cinematic eye and proficiency at melodrama on a rousing, grand scale re-creation of the war for independence. Color tinted and mastered from original negative material, this is the most complete version available of Griffith's classic. The Marquis de Lafayette, who fought in the war and became a close friend of George Washington, is portrayed by Paul Doucet in a small role. Being shown in conjunction with exhibit "Lafayette, citizen of two worlds," on view in the Hirshland Exhibition Gallery, Carl A. Kroch Library, from Sept 25 through April 12, 2008 . Cosponsored with the French Studies Program. Video projection.
1924, b&w, 2 hours 20 minutes, USA