Way Down East facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Way Down East |
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|---|---|
| Directed by | D. W. Griffith |
| Produced by | D. W. Griffith (uncredited) |
| Written by | D. W. Griffith (uncredited) Joseph R. Grismer Anthony Paul Kelly (scenario) |
| Starring | Lillian Gish Richard Barthelmess Lowell Sherman Burr McIntosh |
| Music by | Louis Silvers William Frederick Peters |
| Cinematography | Billy Bitzer Hendrik Sartov |
| Distributed by | United Artists |
| Release date(s) | September 3, 1920 |
| Running time | 145 minutes 107 minutes (1931 re-release) |
| Country | United States |
| Language | Silent film English intertitles |
| Budget | US$ 700,000 |
| Money made | $4,500,000 |
Way Down East is a famous silent movie from 1920. A silent movie means it had no spoken words, only music and text cards to tell the story. This film was directed by D. W. Griffith, a very important director in early movie history. It stars Lillian Gish as Anna and Richard Barthelmess as David. The movie is based on a popular play from the 1800s by Lottie Blair Parker.
This movie is well-known for its exciting ending. In this part, Lillian Gish's character is in great danger on a freezing river. Way Down East was a huge success. It earned over $4,500,000 when it came out in 1920. This made it one of the highest-earning silent movies ever made. Some parts of the film even used an early color process called Technicolor.
Main Characters
- Anna Moore: A kind country girl played by Lillian Gish.
- David Bartlett: The son of Squire Bartlett, played by Richard Barthelmess.
- Squire Bartlett: David's father, played by Burr McIntosh.
- Lennox Sanderson: The person who tricks Anna, played by Lowell Sherman.
The Story of Way Down East
The movie tells the story of Anna Moore, a young woman from the countryside. She is tricked into a fake marriage by a rich man named Lennox Sanderson. He leaves her when she becomes pregnant. Anna has her baby alone, but sadly, the baby dies.
Anna then travels around until she finds a job with Squire Bartlett. His son, David, quickly falls in love with Anna. However, Anna feels she cannot be with David because of her sad past.
Squire Bartlett eventually finds out about Anna's past. He becomes very angry and forces her out of his home during a terrible blizzard (a big snowstorm). Anna gets lost in the storm. David, who still cares for her, quickly organizes a group to search for her.
The most famous part of the movie shows Anna floating down a dangerous, icy river. She is heading straight for a huge waterfall! Just in time, David bravely rescues her from the freezing water. In the end, David and Anna get married, and her troubles are finally over.
Images for kids
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Billy Bitzer and D. W. Griffith working on location
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Richard Barthelmess and Lillian Gish in a scene from the film
See also
In Spanish: Las dos tormentas para niños
