Way Down East

• Lillian Gish as Anna Moore
• Richard Barthelmess as David Bartlett
• Lowell Sherman as Lennox Sanderson
• Burr McIntosh as Squire Bartlett
• Kate Bruce as mother Bartlett

Far to the east is an American film drama from director David Wark Griffith from the year 1920. The film is based on Lottie Blair Parker's play Annie Laurie, who had been a national success in the late 19th century, as well as the play Way Down East by William A. Brady and Joseph R. Grismer.

Action

Anna Moore, a young woman from New England, Boston falls into the charm of the rich Lennox Sanderson. This brings them with a fake marriage to sleep with him. When Anna is pregnant, Lennox tells her that the wedding ceremony was a sham and she leaves.

After her mother and her son 's death is Anna, violated because of their illegitimate child by the company, working on the farm of Squire Bartlett and falls in love with his son David. As Lennox shows up and Squire learns of Anna's past, he sends her away. In a snowstorm Anna amounts to a frozen river and drowning in a waterfall. At the last minute she is rescued by David. The film ends with the marriage of the two.

Background

Far to the east had on September 3, 1920 in New York's 44th Street Theatre premiere. He played with a budget of $ 700,000 ( € 8.461 million ) alone in the United States $ 4.5 million ( 54.39 million euros). Far to the east is thus Griffiths second most successful film and the fourth most successful silent film of all time.

Criticism

• Encyclopedia of the International film: " The movie is not only historically interesting silent film drama was ( according to" The Birth of a Nation " ) most commercially successful production Griffiths. Especially for Lillian Gish, he created impressive scenes that have lost none of their impact.