Introduction
It is hard to disagree that there is a tendency to categorize various art forms, which may benefit both the creators and the audience. The former can better understand what ways they want to develop or what characteristics to attribute to their works. The latter can also learn what genres they prefer most. While some movies can fall under one specific genre, others represent a combination of different features. Therefore, it is possible to say that The Birth of a Nation (Griffith, 1915) is a movie with the key characteristics of different genres, including historical drama, adventure, and propaganda.
Genres of The Birth of a Nation
To begin with, it is essential to notice that the film in question was considered rather controversial at the time of its release, partly due to its propaganda genre. According to Thompson and Bordwell, the movie “told an epic tale of the American Civil War by centering on two families who befriend each other but are on opposite sides in the conflict” (62). This description focuses on some features of the mentioned genres, proving their relevance.
Historical Drama
The first genre that The Birth of a Nation (Griffith, 1915) refers to is a historical drama, and it is essential to review how some scenes or other elements of the film contain the primary characteristics of this genre. Overall, “a historical film is a fiction film showing past events or set within a historical period,” and in historical dramas, there are specific conflicts, high-stakes situations, and real-life situations in which emotional characters participate (“Historical Films”). Thus, in The Birth of a Nation (Griffith, 1915), the audience can see pre-Civil War America, the War itself, and the period of Reconstruction. There are several conflicts at different levels, including “North vs. South, the Union vs. the Confederacy, war vs. peace, and black vs. white” (Kehr 2). Challenging relationships make it difficult for two families (the Stonemans and the Camerons) to coexist and for romantic partners to save their love.
Finally, a feature that often distinguishes a documentary from a historical drama is the emphasis the latter places on how external historical events ruin the characters’ lives – ordinary people. The director does not simply retell the events of the identified time period. Instead, Griffith shows the life struggles of several young men and women who simply want to celebrate their love and know that their families are safe and principles are respected. Therefore, The Birth of a Nation (Griffith, 1915) is actually a historical drama that contains all key elements of this genre.
Adventure
Further, it is almost impossible not to recognize the features of an adventure movie in The Birth of a Nation (Griffith, 1915). Some of the primary characteristics of this genre are danger and action, the need for characters to leave their comfort zones and achieve a purpose, and the existence of an antagonist or a group of antagonists, as well as a conflict. Evidently, The Birth of a Nation (Griffith, 1915) is a combination of all these elements, being a great adventure movie.
The central character, Ben Cameron, as well as some other key characters, have to prove and protect their ideas and principles and leave their comfort places by taking part in the Civil War. Interestingly, both families, as well as the South and the North that they symbolize, can be considered protagonists or antagonists, depending on the views of the audience (McEwan 58). Nevertheless, especially in the second part of the movie, it becomes evident that African Americans are ‘the enemy,’ and together with the Ku Klux Klan, Ben Cameron needs to eliminate this danger. Finally, love and romance are also the characteristics of an adventure movie, and the fact that the two couples, Elsie Stoneman with Ben Cameron and Margaret Cameron with Phil Stoneman, finally unite also allows referring this movie to the identified genre.
Propaganda
The third group of films that The Birth of a Nation (Griffith, 1915) can be included in is propaganda movies. As stated by researchers, this genre’s main features are the spread of specific views, especially political and ideological, and the inclusion of ‘them vs. us’ narratives (NPR Staff). NPR Staff notices that this film “is three hours of racist propaganda – starting with the Civil War and ending with the Ku Klux Klan riding in to save the South from black rule during the Reconstruction era.” After watching the movie, many viewers are left with their perceptions of the identified period of time and opinions about the Ku Klux Klan changed for the worse. Since the opposers of the Blacks’ rights and freedoms receive their happiness at the end of the film, it may be perceived as a message that racism is justified and African Americans should be treated accordingly.
Conclusion
To draw a conclusion, one may say that The Birth of a Nation (Griffith, 1915) is an example of a movie combining several genres. As a historical drama, the film features a particular historical period with the central characters being in different conflicts. To make this an adventure, the director added danger and action, love, and striving to achieve purposes. Finally, as a propaganda movie, The Birth of a Nation (Griffith, 1915) impacts the opinions of the viewers, justifies the actions of the Ku Klux Klan, and shows African Americans as antagonists.
Works Cited
“Historical Films.” Dartmouth College. Web.
Kehr, Dave. “The Birth of a Nation.” The A List: The National Society of Film Critics’ 100 Essential Films, 2002. Web.
McEwan, Paul. The Birth of a Nation. Bloomsbury Publishing, 2015.
NPR Staff. “100 Years Later, What’s the Legacy of ‘Birth of a Nation’?” National Public Radio. Web.
Thompson, Kristin, and David Bordwell. Film History: An Introduction. 4th ed., McGraw-Hill Education, 2019.