Having read for years how racist and derogatory this movie was I finally found a copy at the local library. Interesting, the computer index didnt know they had it.

Considering the movie was made in 1915 the eye for detail and camera work is excellent. The movie is about 2 families, north and south, whose closeness prior to the war extends during and after.

It explores what might have happened if lincoln had lived, and shows very clearly the damage that reconstruction did to the south and ultimately why the blacks were so harshly repressed until recently.

The movie was fair about the race issues. Showed the black legislature to a tee. Read the following passage [link|http://www.wadsworth.com/history_d/special_features/ext/ap/chapter16/16.x.pike.html|http://www.wadsworth...16/16.x.pike.html]
I googled for that this morning, the movie had that description nailed.
The black onery captain who upon hearing blacks may now marry whites asks a fair duaghter of the south to marry him. Of course she reacts by shreiking and climbing up a cliff. He follows and sez he just wants to talk, she dives off the cliff. No ravaging, he didnt even touch her so the movie was not incitement. Of course even if you are part of the occupying army he grew up there and knew "white wimmens" was going to get him dead so he scoots.

I can understand why in 1915 this movie would be deadly to blacks if shown in the south. Being so close to the horror so to speak and an absolute white control, Im sure every white who saw that would tolerate no missteps the next day. In 2004 we are advanced enough to realize that we are watching a portion of our past and the mistakes that were made then need not affect who we are now.
Plus the fact that calling a black man boy and telling him to get off the sidewalk is likely to get you capped, sued or worse in todays dealings.
regards,
daemon