Way Down East: Difference between revisions

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Line 46: [[D.W. Griffith]] bought the film rights to the story, originally a stage play by Lottie Blair Parker. The Welsh actress Phoebe Davies became identified with the play beginning in 1897 and starred in over 4000 performances of it by 1905 making it one of the most popular plays in the [[United States]]. Davies died in 1912 but had toured the play for well over ten years. The play was considered outdated by the time of its cinematic production in 1920. The play was an old-fashioned story that espoused nineteenth century Americana and Victorian ideals.<ref>[http://www.filmcritic.com/misc/emporium.nsf/reviews/Way-Down-East Brenner, Paul]. ''FilmCritic,'' film review, 2007. Last accessed: February 24, 2008.</ref> Although it was Griffith's most expensive film to date, costing him $175,000 more than [[1915 in film\|1915]]'s ''[[The Birth of a Nation]]'', it was one of his most commercially successful films. ''Way Down East'' is the fourth highest grossing silent film in cinema history, taking in more than $5,000,000 at the box office in 1920.<ref>[http://www.filmsite.org/wayd.html Dirks, Tim]. ''The Greatest Films,'' film review, 1996-2008. Last accessed: February 24, 2008.</ref> SilentEra.com says that some sequences of ''Way Down East'' were filmed in an early [[Technicolor]] process.<ref>[http://www.silentera.com/PSFL/data/W/WayDownEast1920.html SilentEra entry]</ref> ==Critical reception==