Listonixio Fresh and Exciting

Odelecol Pretty good movie overall. First half was nothing special but it got better as it went along.

CrawlerChunky In truth, there is barely enough story here to make a film.

Kaelan Mccaffrey Like the great film, it's made with a great deal of visible affection both in front of and behind the camera.

Michael_Elliott Orphans of the Storm (1921) *** (out of 4) Griffith's epic telling of "The Two Orphans" play casts the Gish sisters in the two lead roles. Henriette (Lillian Gish) promises to protect her blind sister (Dorothy Gish) no matter what troubles the two might find. Their lives are turned upside down when they're separated at the start of the French Revolution and both near death but for different reasons. This was my 122nd film seen by Griffith and this is a highly flawed one but at the same time this contains many examples of the brilliance he contained. I'll be perfectly honest and say the film really wasn't working for me for the first hour because I had a hard time getting involved with the story, which seemed to be too epic for its own good. The simple story of the two sisters seemed to get drowned in all the supporting characters and to me the entire first hour was just a build up for what was to follow. Then, just before the second act, is when the film really picked up and ended up packing one hell of a punch. As I said, the start of the film is highly flawed but don't give up on the movie because it eventually picks up to something really great. As is the usual case, Griffith doesn't shy away from the melodrama and he doesn't shy away from getting his political views passed. He also doesn't shy away from his familiar formula of the poor being taken advantage of by the rich. The familiar subject of evil beggars are also on hand for another villain. As you can see there's a lot of familiar stuff going on here for the director but throughout my film going life I've never seen a director who could build up drama quicker than Griffith. This movie ends on another chase sequence where Lillian's character is about to be killed and her hero must race towards her before it's too late. The fast past editing and Griffith's knowledge of how to build drama makes this scene another of the most memorable from the silent era. Griffith's ability to build drama out of simple melodrama is also wonderfully shown at the end of act one when the Gish sisters are finally reunited but they can't reach one another. As with most Griffith epics this one here benefits from the amazing sets and hundreds, if not thousands, of extras. It's really amazing to watch these Griffith epics because we're never going to see anything like them again but we've never really seen anything come close to them at any point in film history. The mammoth amount of extras really put you in the center of everything that's going on and this is a major plus. Both Gish sisters also deliver very strong performances but I'd also add that Lillian has been much better in other movies. The supporting cast are also fairly strong but this film certainly belongs to Griffith. While the flaws keep this from being brilliant like The Birth of a Nation or Intolerance it's still mighty impressive for its age.

kidboots Certainly, with this film, Griffith had lost none of the flair and innovation that were to desert him later on in the 20s. The cross cutting worked amazingly at the climax of the film as Danton's troops race to rescue Henriette from the guillotine - I was on the edge of my seat.Lillian Gish is one of the greatest of actresses but it is interesting that when she was teamed with her sister, Dorothy was always given the more interesting part. In this film she plays the blind Louise and she is able to add some whimsical comedy bits to her role (polishing her shoes, stretching when she steps out of the carriage).By combining real historical figures and fictional characters in an exciting story of the French Revolution you feel you are watching "living history". The film takes some time to get into the main story but once it does - there is no stopping it!!!Baby Louise is left at a foundling home by people that have slain her father. Baby Henriette is being left by her father at the same home because poverty has left them destitute. When he sees Baby Louise on the snowy steps he is over come with remorse and takes them both home. They find a note in a locket with Louise's name and the words "Save her" - also a purse of gold coins.As the years pass Henriette's parents die of a fever that has also left Louise blind. On their way to Paris Henriette catches the eye of an evil nobleman who is determined to take her to a gala fete he is givingeven if it means kidnapping her - which he does!!! At the fete Henriette is frantic, calling for help which she gets from a kind nobleman Chevalier de Vaudrey (Joseph Schildkraut) who after a duel whisks her away to lodgings. Louise has been taken by an ugly old crone (the magnificent Lucille La Verne) who forces her to sing in the street ("you'll shiver better without that shawl") and when Louise refuses throws her into a rat infested cellar. Pierre (Frank Puglia) the youngest son who is taunted and bullied by his mother and older brother becomes Louise's protector. After a realistic fight in which he stands up to his family - he then helps Louise find her sister.Henriette and Vaudrey fall in love. She also helps Danton (Monte Blue) escape a rogue mob thus gaining an enemy in Robespierre (Sidney Herbert) whom she accidentally snubs. Vaudrey's mother, Countess De Linieres visits Henriette to ask her to give him up and when there finds that Louise is the daughter she was forced to give up. Henriette hears Louise singing in the street and calls to her but before they can be reunited she is arrested because she gave shelter to an aristocrat (Vaudrey).It all ends happily with a picnic in a rose garden (I, too, was glad that Pierre was saved and allowed to end his days happily under the care of Countess De Linieres).Fortunately the humour of Creighton Hale is kept to a minimum. The gala fete sequence is beautiful set with tableaux depicting famous paintings of the day (Fragonard's "The Swing").Highly recommended.

wes-connors Before and during the French Revolution, "Orphans of the Storm" Lillian and Dorothy Gish (as Henriette and Louise Girard) "suffer through tyranny and selfishness." During the Plague, the sisters lose their parents, and Dorothy goes blind; but, Lillian vows to care for her sister forever, declaring, "I'll see for you." And, she does, for awhile... When the sisters learn the city may hold a cure for Dorothy's blindness; they journey to Paris. There, Lillian is accosted by lusty aristocrat Morgan Wallace (as Marquis de Praille), but she rejects his advances. Mr. Wallace decides he must have Lillian, and arranges to have her abducted for an upcoming orgy; this leaves the blind Dorothy helpless, on the streets of Paris. She is rescued by street beggar Frank Puglia (as Pierre Frochard); unfortunately, his mother Lucille La Verne is a cruel hag, who abuses Dorothy. Joseph Schildkraut (as Chevalier de Vaudrey) falls for, and rescues Lillian, but finding her blind sister during the French Revolution proves to be quite le problème.D.W. Griffith and company are triumphant in this (yet another) breathtakingly beautiful film; the direction, photography, sets, and editing, and performances are superb. Lillian and Dorothy Gish are flawless as the "Orphans of the Storm" (this was the last Griffith/Gish cinematic team-up). The children who play the Gish sisters look and act amazingly like their adult counterparts. Mr. Schildkraut is quaint, yet charming, as Lillian's leading man; he is a romantic ideal, kissing her tears and stroking her face; after the revolution, he becomes quite strong. Dorothy's relationship with poor Puglia is an unexpected pleasure; Puglia is given, and gives, a surprisingly vivid characterization; as his mother, Ms. La Verne is deliciously wretched - you can almost see her tonsils as she cackles! The "Frochard" family (La Verne, Puglia and Sheldon Lewis) help give the film a Charles Dickens touch. Monte Blue is thunderous as revolutionary Danton, and Creighton Hale quirky as Picard. One of the characters gets it in the end. ********** Orphans of the Storm (12/28/21) D.W. Griffith ~ Lillian Gish, Dorothy Gish, Joseph Schildkraut, Frank Puglia

Boba_Fett1138 Basiscly in essence this movie is a very original and pleasant take on the French revolution, when the monarchy got replaced by the republic. The story is told through the viewpoint of two sister, of which one is also blind, who get separated, during the events that lead up to the eventual French revolution and its aftermath. It's a great and original way to tell the story, without ever becoming too 'historical', with that I'm meaning that it doesn't turn into a dull history-class lesson.It's an amazing looking and crafted costume drama that above all is also really well told. Leave it up to D.W. Griffith to tell a grand epic story. Of course the movie is mostly melodramatic, like basically every other genre movie from the same time period. And melodramatic or not, the movie and its emotions work really well. It makes this a really effective movie to watch, though it's definitely not only just drama but the movie in its overall style is quite light (especially compared to other D.W. Griffith movies) and even leaves room for plenty of humor, despite it's heavy and dramatic undertone.D.W. Griffith movies have always contained humor, mostly of the small and subtle sort, that often worked refreshing from its more heavy and dramatic elements. This movie is no exception and even has a comical relief in it, in the form of Creighton Hale, as the servant Chevalier de Vaudrey. The movie actually features quite a lot slapstick humor, especially in its second halve. It proofs that D.W. Griffith had a great sense for timing.The movie is filled with many characters and also features many developing plot lines. The movie is however definitely not as tiresome and overlong as with other D.W. Griffith movies sometimes is the case. This movie knows to keep your interested because of its fantastic story and the well it's told and made to look in the eventual end movie. The movie is also not as hard to follow as with many other silent movies often is the case. I think this is also due to the more 'light' way of storytelling. It's obvious that the movie makers wanted to entertain its viewers.The many characters are being played by some fine actors, although of course their performances are definitely over-the-top all by todays standards. The real life sisters Lillian and Dorothy Gish play also the two sisters in this movie, in their last movie role together. Lillian is of course the best known of the two, definitely thanks to D.W. Griffith's other movies but Dorothy in this movie shows that she is just as talented. The two also have a really great chemistry together on the screen which definitely helps the movie and its story. Joseph Schildkraut plays a great. pretty looking, noble and heroic character. But especially great in this movie are the 'villains'. The movie has a wide variety of villainous characters, from many different classes. The aristocratic villains are great, mainly also because of their looks and style of acting but also the characters from the lower classes such as Jacques-Forget-Not and the vile Mother Frochard are great. All of the characters are really powerful and the movie manages to give each of them a defining personality.The movie gives a good and detailed look into the Parisian aristocratic lifestyle of the 18th century. It also perfectly explains how and why the French revolution occurred, without ever loosing its main focus on the dramatic story lines of the two sisters, who in essence don't really have anything to do with the revolution. They're just at the wrong place and the wrong time with the wrong people. The French revolution merely serves as a backdrop for the movie.The movie has a great look, with impressive looking sets and especially costumes. You can definitely describe this movie as a costume-drama in my opinion. There also are some great mass sequences and battles, all of course part of the D.W. Griffith trademark style of film-making.The race against the clock sort of ending is totally fantastic. It's tense and extremely well build up and executed. The eventual end of the movie is also really great, in which everything reach a satisfying conclusion. It suits the genre and especially this movie, really well. The movie left me with a great happy feeling and the overall movie made a big impression on me.Not even D.W. Griffith's best (that really says something about his other movies!) but certainly his most pleasant to watch- and entertaining one.10/10http://bobafett1138.blogspot.com/