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The Greatest Question (1919) : Brief Review -

Griffith-Gish combo pioneers few more futuristic formulas in this Rural Drama. I don't really understand why some people have called this film underwhelming and outdated when the substantial evidence of that time is hardly watched by those people. Now just because Griffith had made greater classics or to be precise the greatest of all time in the mid 1910s, you can't expect him to breach the top level every time. Some films are meant to be different for many reasons but if the people are going to compare every film with 'Intolerance' or 'The Birth Of A Nation' then how can they even think of reviewing other films is the greatest question for me. If not, then Griffith's The Greatest Question is the best answer to them. I have this clear-cut belief that if i have DW Griffith and Lillian Gish's combo then i don't really care about anything else. It does not mean that i will praise even their bad films, but this one is surely not bad. Contrary to that, it's underrated. An orphan girl is given shelter by a farm family, but soon finds herself in the clutches of a murderous farmer and his wife. Once again, Griffith-Gish come together to pioneer multiple formulas that will be used in future (and are being used till date-2021) cinema. I can name so many scenes which i have seen in so many films made over the years and i also wonder at the same time about how people ignored the influential values of this film. Lillian Gish has ruled the entire film. An absolute top-notch performance from her and i don't know how many times i have said this thing about her. I have lost the count on how many times Gish gave such complete performance during the entire 1910s decade. Overall, The Greatest Questions is another formula creator material from genius Griffith. It loses the classic tag just by an inch or two because of couple of flaws, otherwise a Must See stuff for sure.

RATING - 7.5/10*

By - #samthebestest.

"The Greatest Question" is a simple melodrama which includes all the elements for a suspenseful motion picture, and is played by a very experienced cast of DW Griffth players, who do their best to make this film unique. What sets it apart from others of its ilk is its constant illusions to biblical themes of love, faith, prayer, and forgiveness.

Lillian is great as always as an innocent girl who is taken advantage of by the evil neighbors of a family who take her in after her mother dies. The family hits upon hard times and the girl is hired out as a servant to them, with terrifying consequences. Robert Harron is so handsome and wholesome as the young lad she falls in love with. It's always a delight to see Lillian and Bobby together on film. Fans of the two won't be disappointed.

I give the film a 9 out of 10. The print I saw had lots of artifacts but was still watchable and the camera work of Billy Blitzer, Griffith's cinematographer, was very poetic and pretty here.

"The Greatest Question" seems quite damning evidence for D. W. Griffith's detractors and their charges of overrated directing skills and his handling of minority characters. Lillian Gish is lovely in this but this is one of her less empathic Griffith heroines. Best known as Robert Harron's final film, his role isn't much and it's one of his least memorable performances. Ralph Graves is wasted in a bit part as his brother. Edward Wagenknecht tears into Josephine Crowell for overacting in THE FILMS OF D W GRIFFITH but I found her a believable if psychotic villainess, on the other hand Mama of the boys, Eugenie Besserer really chews the scenery on occasion and her slatternly husband (George Fawcett) is rather creepy but of course not as much as a the perv Crowell's married to (George Nichols) who lusts after underage Lil and earlier killed another young girl (witnessed by Gish's character as a child). Griffith's handling of concurrent scenes at different locations is just horrendous, worse than the most hackneyed silent serial and the scene with Besserer and Graves at the graveyard is just weird and poorly staged (most unusual is the mix of Christian fundamentalism and spiritualism though apparently not that uncommon in the late 19th and very early 20th century). The pastoral setting is lovely though, too bad it wasn't used for a genuine romance instead of this absurd little melodrama.

In the valley of Silver Waters, a peddler family has parked their wagon. "Little Nellie" ventures out into the woods, and unexpectedly witnesses a horrific crime - Martin Cain and his wife (George Nichols and Josephine Crowell) are raging against a poor immigrant woman they have obviously employed; and, they inadvertently kill the woman. The violent act becomes a repressed memory for little Nellie. Ten years later, Lillian Gish (as the grown up Nellie Jarvis) is, once again, traveling through Silver Waters, with her ailing, widowed mother. After her mother dies ("A life flowing out to mysterious uncharted seas."), Ms. Gish meets Robert Harron (as Jimmie Hilton), who lives nearby, with his poverty-stricken family. Mr. Harron's family helps Gish bury her mother; and, with nowhere to go, she accepts their invitation to stay…

Harron is attracted to Gish; and, they become inseparable. Harron's father George Fawcett (as Robert Hilton) is unable to work, due to disability. Precognizant mother Eugenie Besserer (as Mrs. Hilton) sees her favorite son Ralph Graves (as John Hilton) off to war, believing she will never see him again. To help out her financially strapped surrogate family, Gish seeks employment with Mr. and Mrs. Cain; the memory of their evil deed is still repressed. Harron kisses Gish goodbye; then, she moves in with the wicked Cains…

"The Greatest Question" is most notable as Robert Harron's last film; he died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound on September 5, 1920. When Harron died ("A life flowing out to mysterious uncharted seas."), this film was still being widely exhibited. And, it's a representative role - the "boy next door" he played so well for director D.W. Griffith. Harron is charming and natural, in the role of Jimmie Hilton. His reflective look at Gish's departure, from behind his fence, is just what Gish was longing for in "True Heart Susie" (1919).

Robert Harron was one of the finest actor of his time; his record of performances, and acting style, portended a great career in the coming decades. In hindsight, he looks like one of the few silent performers certain to make a natural transition to sound film performances. At the time of his death, Harron had signed with Metro, where he worked on an unavailable film. There seems to be some controversy about whether or not Harron committed suicide; if so, it could not have been due to an ongoing rivalry with actor Richard Barthelmess, over roles offered by director D.W. Griffith. By the time Harron died, both actors had left Griffith's company; and, they remained friendly enough to attend the New York première of "Way Down East" (1920). Ironically, "The Greatest Question" is about death; and, Harron had a relatively unknown friend in New York, at that time, to attend the same "Way Down East" premiere - the soon famous, and also short-lived, Rudolph Valentino.

********* The Greatest Question (12/28/19) D.W. Griffith ~ Lillian Gish, Robert Harron, Ralph Graves, Eugenie Besserer

Greatest Question, The (1919)

**** (out of 4)

D.W. Griffith film that throws in every genre he ever worked in and although the thing turns way too sappy there's still enough here to make this one of the best and most overlooked silents I've seen. After her parents die, an orphan (Lillian Gish) is offered room and love by some poor farmers and their two sons. One of the sons goes off to fight in WW1 but the other (Robert Harron) soon starts a relationship with the orphan. When the other brother is killed, the family is close to losing the farm so the orphan goes to stay with another couple and work for them. This evil couple holds a secret from the orphan's past but in present times they also abuse her any way they can. This was one of four films Griffith made for First National and even he admits that he rushed through all of them because he didn't want to make any for this studio. Even with that said this is certainly one of the best films of his career with all the elements of previous classics. The film has high suspense, terrific drama, romance and pretty much everything else. The ending with the orphan about to lose her life to the abusive farmers contains the suspense. There's terrific comedy in one scene where the girl and the son walk past a graveyard. There's a wonderful romantic scene where the brother first tries to kiss the girl. Not to mention some very dark elements including the farmer trying to rape the girl. As you can tell, everything's here and it's perfectly captured with terrific direction and editing from Griffith. Then, of course, there's Gish who turns in a beautiful performance. The rest of the cast does too but this is Gish's show all the way. She's got one of the most beautiful and emotional faces, which is certainly important here with all the stages she has to play.