This restored version has the original score with voice over replacing some of the longer narrative title cards. Scenes that were deleted or changed to not offend the English have been restored to a copy from the Killiam Collection.

The image quality on this copy is clean and crisp in most places with only a few scenes with fade out or wash out. It was lovingly restored by Sandy Krinski, whose care shows in every scene.

To review this film in the terms of today's cinema would be unfair. This is a silent film from 1924. Silent film has more to do with Mime or Kabuki that it does with modern film with sound. What we would think of as over acting was a stylized short hand devised to replace words with body language.

But there are a large number of laughable historical mistakes or omissions. The Mohawk Valley was almost completely bare of trees and some of the Iroquois even road horses. The Great North Woods was reduced to a few bare lots with building that did not look colonial.

Chambers was one of the most knowledgeable Revolutionary War historians on his or anybody's day so Griffith had the information but choose to ignore it.

There is a rear projection horse ride to save the heroine reminiscent to "Birth of a Nation". It was hard not to invasion the riders with clan hoods. The rear projection does not bother me but the disregard for history does.

There was fair treatment of the Indians in this film, something that I feel may have been caused by the influence of Chambers. Joseph Brant is shown as a noble and truthful man, but Riley Hatch, the actor that played the part just looked too over weight white man

Lionel Barrymore made a great William Butler, nicely decadent and evil, a true urbane menace. Louis Wolheim plays Captain Hare, the blue eyed Indian Chief, with a low brutish animal quality that makes him sometimes seem like he was in pirate movie.

The movie, on a whole, seems like a history lesson with a point of view to sell. D. W. Griffith always has a point to drive home and always wields his hammer in a heavy handed manner.

This film would appeal to the serious student of cinema, a student of American history, someone interest in the careers of any of the actors or someone interested in Robert W. Chambers. Since I happen to fit into all of these categories, I liked the film.

America (1924)

Love of tender girlhood! Passionate deeds of heroes! A rushing, leaping drama of charm and excitement!
USA 1924 Black and White
Produced by: United Artists [us]
Runtime: USA:141
Sound Mix: Silent
Distributed by: Kino On Video (video) / United Artists [us]
Also Known As: Love and Sacrifice (1924)
Directed by: D.W. Griffith

Cast (in alphabetical order) complete, awaiting verification

Erville Alderson .... Justice Montague
Hugh Baird .... Major Pitcairn
Lionel Barrymore .... Captain Walter Butler
Lee Beggs .... Samuel Adams
Charles Bennett .... William Pitt
Daniel Carney .... Personal Servant of Miss Montague
Downing Clarke .... Lord Chamberlain
Sydney Deane .... Sir Ashley Montague
Carol Dempster .... Miss Nancy Montague
Arthur Dewey .... George Washington
Arthur Donaldson .... King George III
Michael Donavan .... Major General Warren
Paul Doucet .... Marquis de Lafayette
John Dunton .... John Hancock
E. Ecanlon .... Household Servant at Ashley Court
Neil Hamilton .... Nathan Holden
Riley Hatch .... Joseph Brant, Chief of the Mohawks
Emil Hoch .... Lord North
Edwin Holland .... Major Strong
W.W. Jones .... General Gage
H. Koser .... Captain Prescott
Lucille La Verne.... A Refugee Mother
Charles Emmett Mack .... Justice Charles Montague
Frank McGlynn Sr. .... Patrick Henry
James Milady .... Jonas Parker
Milton Noble .... An Old Patriot
Harry O'Neill .... Paul Revere
W. Rising .... Edmund Burke
Edward Roseman .... Captain Montour
P.R. Scammon .... Richard Henry Lee
Harry Semels .... Hikatoo
Henry Van Bousen .... John Parker, Captain of the Minute Men
Frank Walsh .... Thomas Jefferson
Louis Wolheim .... Captain Hare

Written by: Robert W. Chambers (also story)

Cinematography by: G.W. Bitzer
Marcel Le Picard
Hendrik Sartov
Harold S. Sintzenich

Film Editing by: James Smith
Rose Smith

Produced by: D.W. Griffith

Other crew:

William J. Bantel .... director of construction
Charles E. Boss .... scenic artist
Joseph Carl Breil .... musical arranger
Frank J. Diem .... still photographer
Vincent J. Farrar .... akeley camera operator
Charles M. Kirk .... art director
Warren Newcombe .... matte painter
John L.E. Pell .... historical arrangement
Herbert Sutch .... assistant director
Benjamin Turner .... studio projectionist