Way Down East

Image credit: Movie Posters

There have been some pretty epic and tragic love stories in movie history - Jack and Rose, Christian and Satine, Wesley and Buttercup- and I have just come across another couple that needs to be added to this grand company: David and Anna!

Way Down East tells the tragic story of beautiful and innocent country girl Anna Moore (Lillian Gish) who goes to live with some rich relatives for a time. During her stay she becomes the infatuation of one Lennox Sanderson (Lowell Sherman) who tricks her out of her virtue with a sham marriage only to abandon her as soon as she falls pregnant. Homeless and alone Anna seeks work at a farmhouse where she and her employer’s son (Richard Barthelmess) fall in love. But her shameful past catches up with her when she discovers that her neighbour is none other than Lennox Sanderson!

An epic melodrama adapted from the novel and the stage play, W. D Griffiths’ Way Down East is an uncelebrated epic love story that rivals any of those mentioned above. Beginning as something of a Cinderella story it takes a rather serious turn as the central themes of religious conservatism, polygamy, and prejudices between social classes come into the mix completely weighing down the heroine to the point of practically destroying her soul. One’s heart completely goes out to Anna whose tragic story goes from bad to worse as she suffers through terrible loss, betrayal, and shame. Lillian Gish’s performance is stunning piquing all sorts of emotional responses like swooning, crying, and moaning in hopelessness and frustration.

Image credit: IMDb

Amidst the betrayal, secrets, and climactic third act that would give Jack and Rose a run for their money, there is also a number of screwball romantic comedies that pepper the film and bring a healthy balance of relief and laughter. The professor’s bumbling courtship of Kate is simply gorgeous and the cringe-inducing relationship between Seth and Martha is almost laughably unbearable to watch.

During a time when the tastes of the public were shifting away from Griffiths’ signature melodramas and artistic films the success of this movie was surprising. It just goes to show that a beautiful story, strong performances, and a well-crafted editing job can bring anything back into fashion and it can never be said that Griffiths didn’t deliver just that!

Starring: Lillian Gish, Richard Bathelmess, Mrs. David Landau, Lowell Sherman, Burr McIntosh, Kate Bruce, Vivia Ogden, Porter Strong, Mary Hay, Creighton Hale, and Emily Fitzroy