The Birth of Nation is based off the book The Clansman. It is a silent film commonly praised by its “technical virtuosity”. This techniques were fairly new for the time period and are important to note throughout the film. Although it is still a popular film, it has gotten a lot of backlash for being racist, using black face and demeaning. The African Americans in the movie are actually Anglo-Americans. The time period is pre-Civil War time and is described as “moonlight and magnolias”. Groups such as the KKK and the NAACP are present in the film. With praise from President Wilson, the film gained a lot of attention because it aligned with the common public opinion during the time period. The Stoneman’s family represents the north, while the Cameron’s represent the south. The first offensive content I noticed is the blackface painted on the actors. When the film was made, blackface was quite common but seeing it today in films makes me feel a little uncomfortable especially because it is so strange to see today. Something I found in the film to be very interesting, is that when the settings change from the city to the plantations, the color of the film changes from black and white to having a green hue. this can be an indicator of the director hinting towards money and the business associated with the plantation. In the part of the film that showcases the slave quarters, the slaves are seen dancing, dancing and singing while having a good time with the family. The two families can represent the north and the south coming together and the union of our country. The perception of the house keeper is meant to show the downfall of mixing races and her personality in the film can be seen to be off, crazy and incompetent. The house keeper is seen has a distraction to the head of the house and he is trying to pursue her, as she lies about the guest coming on to her. This can be an example of the idea that mixed raced women are over sexualized and inappropriate. Along with the scene, it’s important to note the physical appearance of the man. He’s seen as sick and weak, which is meant to go hand and hand with him being mentally unfit and having the relationship with his housekeeper. At this point in the movie, it’s clear that there are unsaid examples and hints in the movie are placed to guide the viewer to seeing what the director wants to portray.