The Mothering Heart

I found this quite fascinating (although there are some scenes that are really pretty goofy). Lillian plays a woman who is wooed by a handsome young man. Her mother warns her about him, but they eventually marry. Life is hard at first, but they manage. Soon he has some money and begins to be ashamed of her looks and her clothes. He takes her to this really weird nightclub. There is all kinds of strange dancing and music and it really looks idiotic. Anyway, she is really uncomfortable. She refuses to have even a sip of a cocktail he buys for her. She is a bit of s stick in the mud. Soon he makes google eyes at a pretty young woman with a big hat. Soon, they are sneaking out together while the wife, who is now pregnant, stays at home. Eventually, she puts two and two together and takes off to stay with her mother. She has her child there. He husband soon bores his mistress and she takes off with a rich guy who interests her more. The story has a tragic ending. Lillian Gish is one of the greatest actresses of all time.

Lillian Gish excels in one of her earlier starring roles, and the other characters and the story also help to make "The Mothering Heart" an effective drama that still holds up pretty well. Although some of the details are set in its own era, the general subject matter and the basic themes have not lost any of their force.

Gish plays a young wife whose troubled, erratic husband causes her a series of heartaches. Her characterization works very well, making the wife thoroughly sympathetic yet always believable. She shows restraint much of the time, while also giving indication of the emotions underneath, so that then the moments of emotional release are that much more effective and memorable.

Kate Bruce, as the young wife's mother, and Peggy Pearce (Viola Barry), as the wife's rival, also add their talents to the story. D.W. Griffith's technique is resourceful and solid, getting the most out of the setup.

Besides the good quality of the acting and the technique, the story also still works. Just substitute a few different details, and it provides a couple of thoughtful and sensitive insights on finding happiness at home.

D.W. Griffith's version of the classic "American Film Tragedy" - Poor Young Couple is threatened when the man meets… The Seductress! Lillian Gish and Walter Miller are the plain, unassuming lovers; they marry, and she has a child. When they go to Town, Temptress Viola Barry spies hunky Mr. Miller, and the dye is cast. She conveniently has car trouble when he is passing by, and begins her seduction. Miller steps out on Ms. Gish, who finds an incriminating glove in Miller's pocket… and, so on...

For Griffith and company, "The Mothering Heart" is a bit of a let-down, considering the high quality of the recent "The Burglars's Dilemma" (1912) and "Death's Marathon" (1912). Though everyone works hard, the situation and club flirtation scenes are somewhat silly.

***** The Mothering Heart (6/21/13) D.W. Griffith ~ Lillian Gish, Walter Miller, Viola Barry

Lillian Gish gives her greatest early performance in what is arguably the best Biograph of them all. Here, Griffith puts together all the dramatic techniques he had honed over the past couple of years, and finally seems realise what an asset he had in Gish.

For the first time Griffith really liberates his camera, dispensing with the old either/or situation of three-quarter length shots and extreme close-ups. He puts his camera exactly as far from or as close to the action as it needs to be, often using multiple set-ups in the same location. This is particularly effective in the dance-hall scenes – the large room becomes a real place because the camera really gets inside it. The introduction of the larger space makes it possible to show the flirtation between the husband and the "idle" woman in medium close-ups without it being confusing. The next logical step here would have been for Griffith to introduce the point-of-view shot, but unfortunately that was a step he never took. See Raoul Walsh's Regeneration for what is probably the earliest genuine point-of-view shot.

Ultimately however, all eyes are on Lillian Gish for her powerhouse performance. She works largely with props, facial expressions, and tiny gestures to convey a whole range of emotions. The fact that she does all this whilst barely moving, while incredible in itself, means that her scene of rage where she batters the rose bushes has all the more impact. The rest of the cast is rather unforgettable, and is made more so in comparison to Gish. Walter Miller, the husband, despite several years at Biograph and a number of lead roles, never really did anything outstanding. He is certainly competent here though, and this may be his finest hour, albeit one outshone by the glow of Miss Gish.

Griffith now had his heart set on directing a full length feature, and probably saw this and the other two-reelers he made in 1913 as warm-ups. Here, he reaches the pinnacle of poignant and dramatic expression in his Biograph shorts, and The Mothering Heart can be seen as something of a companion piece to The Battle of Elderbrush Gulch, in which he perfects the large scale action scenes he would need in his features.

Do appreciate silents and also old short films. Some of the best came from DW Griffith in the 1910s. He was not one of my favourite directors, but his short and feature films are really well worth seeing (the best musts) and he was an interesting directors. Another selling point is Lillian Gish, one of the great silent film stars and really excelled in dramatic roles. Giving them a lot of poignancy without going over the top, her sister Dorothy was also incredibly talented but Lillian was a little more versatile.

'The Mothering Heart' to me is one of Griffith's best and most interesting 1910s short films, as well as one of his most poignant. 'The Mothering Heart' also has one of Gish's best early performances in my view, if anybody wants to see what the fuss is about with her her performance here is a good starting point. One can also see why it was a turning point role for her and why her career took off quite vastly after.

Gish is a revelation in a role absolutely perfect for her, she gives a very moving and warm portrayal that makes one completely root for her easily. Walter Miller is far from a drip and brings surprising complexity to a character that on paper sounded weak. Viola Barry is a scene stealer.

On top of the great performances, we also have highly effective direction from Griffith, it is always visually striking and doesn't let the momentum lag. 'The Mothering Heart' is extremely well made, especially striking is how beautifully and inventively shot it is. Far from primitive. Story is very heartfelt and easy to be charmed by, the tragedy heart-breaking.

Not all the more humorous parts gel though and like they didn't properly belong.

That one small complaint aside, this is excellent. 9/10