A very well made film from start to finish, it is rather solid all the way through, but it is nothing that screams "revolutionary" by any means. An interesting plot following the descent of a man into deep brooding alcoholism, it is by no means a pleasant film, with a rather dark subject matter, but that is where the appeal comes from. It touches a topic, that at the time, was an extreme issue, and can still be debated now if it's as bad as it was before. The last film D.W. Griffith did, it came under scathing criticism at its original release. Now the film has kind of sweetened with age, making the simple plot, seem a bit more deep. Many look at the film as Griffith's own rationalization on how things went for him. His change from the start of his career to now. Some critics have called it a last ditch effort by a broken man about a man breaking. That can sum it up very well, the tale of how Griffith had to make this film is enough of a sad tale to make you feel a bit sad, it came to major scrutiny by the public due to the depression, making no one want to see a complex drama making them look into themselves. They wanted escape, not return. A fair watch, if you have some spare time, and feel like watching something a bit deep, this is a good pick.
Review of The Struggle
