In the same way that Charlie Chaplin exploded onto our screens in 1914, so did D.W. Griffith within the first few years of him writing his own work. He must have written a script a week within this year alone. I have to say that his short films are not enjoyable watching, but he did give Mack Sennett a break in this film.
2 Reviews
Perhaps too realistic
deickemeyer7 May 2014
Warning: Spoilers
As a specimen of good photography, the Biograph Company is scoring a success in this film. It is one of the rare American films in which much attention is paid to the acting. All of the motions and expressions are correct and natural, perhaps too realistic, as when the cook arranges the legs of the child and takes the knife to cut them there is a general shudder among the audience and an impulse to run to the screen, to save the child. This unpleasant feeling does not last longer than in the other actions of the maniac, as in her deranged state of mind, she drops the knife without injuring the baby. The cook is a consummate actress, her face motions are well studied, she really acts the part of a demented person. The two other actors are as good, and if the subject is somewhat painful the production is a masterpiece, it is no mere moving pictures on a screen but the real art of the actor as displayed on our best stages. With this film the Biograph Company is bringing cinematography to a stage for cultivated folks and it is time that our manufacturers should produce something for the better classes, as the better classes are showing a disposition to patronize the picture show. - The Moving Picture World, January 9, 1909
See also
Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews
