After the commercial failure of Intolerance, Griffith renounced the
epic for this delicate chamber piece, an intensely moving tale of a
child, abused by her father, who finds a brief release through the
kindness of a Chinese missionary. As the summary suggests, the story is
Griffith's Victorian sentimentality at its most acute, but the film is
his cinematic genius at its most powerful. Set against a hauntingly
atmospheric, studio built Limehouse, the stark domestic tragedy
unfolds with shattering force. With flawless performances from
Barthelmess and the sublime Lillian Gish, it's probably Griffith's
most perfect film.
