CABIRIA (1914)

CABIRIA (1914)

directed by Giovanni Pastrone


This is said to be Griffith's true inspiration for INTOLERANCE (1916). To be sure, BIRTH OF A NATION (1915), tasteless as it was in concept, was a better film than this. But this was EPIC. Pastrone's CABIRIA is a lightweight in terms of narrative (girl gets sold into slavery to be sacrificed to the god Molech, a Roman agrees to rescue her, does so, loses her to a machinations of a greedy inkeeper, and after some time finds her and rescues her for real this time). Its the grandeur of it that gets to you. Such highlights as the sacrifice scene and the Buster Keaton-esque shield-climbing stunt keep you going through what's mostly actors chewing the amazing set, thrusting their hands wildly around and rolling their eyes in that great teen-silent way that keeps teens from ever paying much attention to silents. Cinephiles call it a masterpiece. I call it just another step in the right direction.

7.41/10