The Fall of a Nation
5.8 /10 1 Votes5.8
Director Thomas Dixon, Jr. Film series The Birth of a Nation Screenplay Thomas Dixon, Jr. Country United States | 5.6/10 IMDb Genre Drama Duration | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Language SilentEnglish intertitles Release date June 6, 1916 (1916-06-06) Writer Thomas Dixon Jr. (novel), Thomas Dixon Jr. (screenplay) Cast Lorraine Huling (Virginia Holland), (Charles Waldron), (John Vassar), Flora MacDonald (Angela Benda), (Billy), Phil Gastrock (Thomas)Similar movies Sleigh Bells , Harem Scarem , Sagebrush Sadie , The Banker's Daughter , Poor Papa , Neck 'n' Neck | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The Fall of a Nation is a 1916 American silent drama film directed by Thomas Dixon, Jr., and is a sequel to the 1915 film The Birth of a Nation, directed by D. W. Griffith. Dixon, Jr. attempted to cash in on the success of the controversial first film. The Fall of a Nation is considered to be the first ever film sequel. Based upon The Fall of a Nation, written by the director, the film is now considered lost.
Contents
A sequel to DW Griffith's The Birth of a Nation, by the same author, and now lost. It is considered the first film sequel ever made and recounts a fictional invasion of America by a united army from Europe.
Plot
The Fall of a Nation is an attack on the pacifism of William Jennings Bryan and Henry Ford and a plea for American preparedness for war.
America is unprepared for an attack by the "European Confederated Army", a European army headed by Germany. The army invades America and executes children and war veterans. However, America is saved by a pro-war Congressman who raises an army to defeat the invaders with the support of a suffragette. According to the Internet Movie Database, the film is split into three sections: "A nation falls", "The heel of the conqueror" and "The uprising two years later".
Cast
Production
Some battle scenes were filmed in the same location as Birth of a Nation, at a cost of $31,000.
Soundtrack
The film had a musical score produced by Victor Herbert. The Encyclopaedia Britannica states that "this is probably the first original symphonic score composed for a feature film". An earlier music score was composed by Camille Saint-Saens for the short (15-minute) film The Assassination of the Duke of Guise (1908).
Similar Movies
The Fall of a Nation and The Birth of a Nation are part of the same movie series. The Little Minister (1934). Thomas Dixon - Jr directed The Fall of a Nation and wrote the story for Bolshevism on Trial. Victor Herbert composed the music for The Fall of a Nation and wrote the screenplay for Babes in Toyland. Victor Herbert composed the music for The Fall of a Nation and wrote the screenplay for Kiss Me Again.
Reception and aftermath
Anthony Slide argues that the film was largely a commercial failure. The production company, Dixon Studios, went bust in 1921, having produced only this film.
References
The Fall of a Nation WikipediaThe Fall of a Nation IMDb The Fall of a Nation themoviedb.org