DGA restore to D.W. Griffith Award

To:  Directors Guild of America (DGA)

In 1910 a young director took his film company, Biograph, to what would one day be called Hollywood. There he filmed “In Old California” and in doing so shot the first ever film in California. This feat would erroneously be credited to Cecil B. DeMille for a film in 1914…but in reality D.W. Griffith was first.

In the next few years Griffith filmed 450 shorts, an impressive number even back in the early days of film. He discovered such stars as Owen Moore, Mary Pickford, Douglas Fairbanks, Lillian Gish, Dorothy Gish, and Florence Lawrence among others. He did not necessarily invent many modern techniques, but did make them popular. Such as the first close up, cross cutting, and the first feature film released in the US. That film, “Birth of a Nation”, would go on to be the best selling silent film ever, grossing $10,000,000 (adjusted for inflation it would roughly be $200,000,000 in 2008 dollars).

Unfortunately “Birth of a Nation” contains African American stereotypes, and is usually downplayed in significance because of its racial content. Griffith, whose father was a Confederate veteran, did not realize the film was insensitive. During its initial release protests sprang up, especially via the newly formed NAACAP. Griffith took his profits from “Birth of a Nation” and sunk them into producing “Intolerance: Love Struggles through the ages” a film to respond to his critics and prove that intolerance and racism goes back through all time periods and skin colors. Unfortunately even though it did well, the film could not make back its budget and Griffith by 1924 his films were no longer successful. Griffith only made a few talkies (sound pictures), and spent the rest of his short life living off small investments he made. He died in 1948, mostly forgotten except by his old co-workers.

Though “Birth of a Nation” is indeed hard to stomach to modern audiences it did some good. The African American community was so outraged that the first ‘race films’ (films made by, for, and starring mostly non whites) were created in response to Griffith’s film. Oscar Micheaux created “Within Our Gates” in response and went on be the Griffith of African American race films. Oddly Griffith could be seen as being responsible for the creation of race films all together as minorities of all races are still to this day, struggling to be taken seriously and successfully in non stereotypical roles.

Griffith himself did not only make ‘racist’ films. In addition to “Intolerance”, Griffith also made “Broken Blossoms” which portrays the white man as the villian and an Asian as the good guy (though small stereotypes are seen throughout, it is nothing out of step with yellow face practices by the film industry at the time). Most of Griffith’s shorts or features did not even deal with race, or at least not in a negative light.

Yet to this day Griffith is slighted and forgotten, because of his ‘touchy’ film “Birth of a Nation”. His name is often marginalized and covered in politically correct denouncements of his actions. While “Birth of a Nation” is indeed not a tolerant film by any means, it shouldn’t undo every other important thing Griffith ever did. The man created Hollywood and modern film as we know it. That is no small feat!

In 1953, the Directors Guild of America instituted the D.W. Griffith Award as its highest honor. Stanley Kubrick, David Lean, John Huston, Woody Allen, Ingmar Bergman, Alfred Hitchcock, and Cecil B DeMille among others received the award.

However in December 1999 DGA President Jack Shea, without consulting the DGA membership, announced he would be changing the name to “DGA Lifetime Achievement Award” because quote, “There is no question that D.W. Griffith was a brilliant pioneer filmmaker whose innovations as a visionary film artist led the way for generations of directors," Shea told the Associated Press. "However, it is also true that he helped foster intolerable racial stereotypes.”

NAACAP president Kweisi Mfume applauded the move, saying the award shouldn’t have been given Griffith’s name in the first place.

For all the reasons and more listed above, this move (and these views) are hilarious and misguided. Without Griffith there would be no Hollywood, no modern films, none of the Silent greats, and ironically no push for African American’s to become involved in film and film production! That is why we, the undersigned, implore the DGA as well as the NAACAP to properly research their stances, and restore the awards name back to the “D.W. Griffith Award” once again. We hope that with thorough non biased research, and a look beyond pointless politics and insane levels political correctness, as well as the many names below, that they will see the error of their ways and right the wrong they have inflicted upon Mr. Griffith’s legacy.

Sincerely,

The Undersigned

The DGA restore to D.W. Griffith Award Petition to Directors Guild of America (DGA) was created by Forget the Talkies Honor Project and written by Hala Pickford (forgetthetalkies@gmail.com).  This petition is hosted here at www.PetitionOnline.com as a public service. There is no endorsement of this petition, express or implied, by Artifice, Inc. or our sponsors. For technical support please use our simple Petition Help form.