By today's standards, ORPHANS IN THE STORM would be considered way too melodramatic or believable. There are just so many improbable situations and far from subtle moments. However, when you realize that back in the early 1920s this was not considered the case, you can appreciate the film so much more. Now this does not mean that every silent movie abounded with these elements, but they were far more acceptable then than they are now.
Lillian Gish and her real-life sister, Dorothy, star as the two orphaned sisters. One, Dorothy, is actually the daughter of a Countess that was left on the steps of the church, but they are as devoted as any two sisters can be. Years later, the parents that raised them died from plague and Dorothy was left blinded. So, Lillian decides to take her sister to Paris to see if the doctors there can help restore her sight. Unfortunately for them both, they leave just as the French Revolution is about to erupt (talk about your lousy timing).
On the way there, the girls are met by a slimy nobleman. He wants to rape Lillian and arranges for some thugs to kidnap her--leaving blind Dorothy to wander the streets at night! This is a pretty harrowing moment in the film and ultimately an evil lowlife finds her and takes her to live in her subterranean lair--figuring she can use Dorothy's blindness to beg for lots of coins. Dorothy doesn't want to but is tortured into compliance.
In the meantime, Lillian arrives at a debaucherous party where the nobleman plans on raping her in front of his party guests. However, one nice guy (who turns out to be Dorothy's biological half-brother, a count) sees her plight and helps her escape. This earns the ire of the nobles but the guy is too fundamentally decent to allow this.
A bit later, some more scumbag nobles (and most of them are in the movie) tries to have the Revolutionary leader, Danton, murdered. The injured man stumbles about the street as the assassins are following until he is found and rescued by Lillian.
There is a budding romance between Lillian and the Count, but before it can progress any further, the Count is imprisoned for having the affront to want to marry a commoner and Lillian is thrown into a prison for "fallen women". I never heard of such a place and assume it was all made up for the movie! A short time later, the Revolution occurs and as a result the two lovers are released from prison. However, Dorothy is still missing and she only comes to light when Lillian and the Count are brought before the court for being monarchists! They are both sentenced to death as Dorothy is in the crowd and recognizes her sister and vice-versa. They are drug away to the guillotine several miles away as Dorothy screams and yells like a banshee. Minutes later, Danton arrives and realizes the miscarriage of justice has occurred. He makes an impassioned plea and gets the court to rescind the execution order. But, the carts with the two lovers is almost at the scaffold so Danton and his men race to rescue them at the very last second (Lillian already has her head inside the Guillotine when they arrive). The final scene shows everyone happy together. Huzzah! Despite being so melodramatic and having so many coincidences, the film's energy and drama keep you riveted. In other words, you KNOW it's over-the-top but because the movie is so well-crafted, you don't mind. Huge and impressive sets and costumes abound and the print from Kino Video was excellent. By the way, the apartment where Lillian lived in much of the movie is recognizable from several other films, including another D. W. Griffith film, BROKEN BLOSSUMS and I also recognized it from some of the FRANKENSTEIN movies.
An interesting point about this film is that several times during the film, the title cards talk about the "evils of Bolshevism"--saying that the French Revolution was akin to the recent Russian Revolution. While there are definite parallels, this was more a statement about the times in which the film was made as opposed to 1789.
A very important film historically and one of the last films of Griffith to make money. Unlike his evil BIRTH OF A NATION, this film deserved the accolades and success it attained.
A final note: In the movies, Danton was rightfully shown as one of the decent leaders of the Revolution who fought for justice, not mass murder. However, they never mentioned that ultimately he was guillotined at the end of the era for questioning the direction of the revolutionary government, and in particular, Robespierre. Only a few weeks later, in reaction to this execution, Robespierre himself was executed and the Reign of Terror came to an end.
Lillian Gish and her real-life sister, Dorothy, star as the two orphaned sisters. One, Dorothy, is actually the daughter of a Countess that was left on the steps of the church, but they are as devoted as any two sisters can be. Years later, the parents that raised them died from plague and Dorothy was left blinded. So, Lillian decides to take her sister to Paris to see if the doctors there can help restore her sight. Unfortunately for them both, they leave just as the French Revolution is about to erupt (talk about your lousy timing).
On the way there, the girls are met by a slimy nobleman. He wants to rape Lillian and arranges for some thugs to kidnap her--leaving blind Dorothy to wander the streets at night! This is a pretty harrowing moment in the film and ultimately an evil lowlife finds her and takes her to live in her subterranean lair--figuring she can use Dorothy's blindness to beg for lots of coins. Dorothy doesn't want to but is tortured into compliance.
In the meantime, Lillian arrives at a debaucherous party where the nobleman plans on raping her in front of his party guests. However, one nice guy (who turns out to be Dorothy's biological half-brother, a count) sees her plight and helps her escape. This earns the ire of the nobles but the guy is too fundamentally decent to allow this.
A bit later, some more scumbag nobles (and most of them are in the movie) tries to have the Revolutionary leader, Danton, murdered. The injured man stumbles about the street as the assassins are following until he is found and rescued by Lillian.
There is a budding romance between Lillian and the Count, but before it can progress any further, the Count is imprisoned for having the affront to want to marry a commoner and Lillian is thrown into a prison for "fallen women". I never heard of such a place and assume it was all made up for the movie! A short time later, the Revolution occurs and as a result the two lovers are released from prison. However, Dorothy is still missing and she only comes to light when Lillian and the Count are brought before the court for being monarchists! They are both sentenced to death as Dorothy is in the crowd and recognizes her sister and vice-versa. They are drug away to the guillotine several miles away as Dorothy screams and yells like a banshee. Minutes later, Danton arrives and realizes the miscarriage of justice has occurred. He makes an impassioned plea and gets the court to rescind the execution order. But, the carts with the two lovers is almost at the scaffold so Danton and his men race to rescue them at the very last second (Lillian already has her head inside the Guillotine when they arrive). The final scene shows everyone happy together. Huzzah! Despite being so melodramatic and having so many coincidences, the film's energy and drama keep you riveted. In other words, you KNOW it's over-the-top but because the movie is so well-crafted, you don't mind. Huge and impressive sets and costumes abound and the print from Kino Video was excellent. By the way, the apartment where Lillian lived in much of the movie is recognizable from several other films, including another D. W. Griffith film, BROKEN BLOSSUMS and I also recognized it from some of the FRANKENSTEIN movies.
An interesting point about this film is that several times during the film, the title cards talk about the "evils of Bolshevism"--saying that the French Revolution was akin to the recent Russian Revolution. While there are definite parallels, this was more a statement about the times in which the film was made as opposed to 1789.
A very important film historically and one of the last films of Griffith to make money. Unlike his evil BIRTH OF A NATION, this film deserved the accolades and success it attained.
A final note: In the movies, Danton was rightfully shown as one of the decent leaders of the Revolution who fought for justice, not mass murder. However, they never mentioned that ultimately he was guillotined at the end of the era for questioning the direction of the revolutionary government, and in particular, Robespierre. Only a few weeks later, in reaction to this execution, Robespierre himself was executed and the Reign of Terror came to an end.