Intolerance (film)

by D. W. Griffith

For works with similar titles, see Intolerance.

D. W. Griffith
Presents
Intolerance
Love's Struggle Throughout the Ages
In a prologue and two acts
COPYRIGHT 1916
WARK PRODUCING CORPDAVID WARK GRIFFITH

¶ Our play is made up of four separate stories, laid in different periods of history, each with its own set of characters.

¶ Each story shows how hatred and intolerance, through all the ages, have battled against love and charity.

¶ Therefore, you will find our play turning from one of the four stories to another, as the common theme unfolds in each.

"Out of the cradle endlessly rocking."

¶ Today as yesterday, endlessly rocking, ever bringing the same human passions, the same joys and sorrows.

Intolerance

¶ Our first story—out of the cradle of the present.

¶ In a western city we find certain ambitious ladies banded together for the "uplift" of humanity.

Even reform movements must be financed.

"If we can only interest Miss Jenkins—with her money—"

A little affair is being given by Mary T. Jenkins, unmarried sister of the autocratic industrial overlord—

¶ Seeing youth drawn to youth, Miss Jenkins realizes the bitter fact that she is no longer a part of the younger world.

The girl of our story keeps house for her father who works in a Jenkins mill. With a wage of $2.75 a day, a little garden, four hens, ditto geese, and a fair measure of happiness and contentment.

¶ The little Dear One.

¶ The Boy, unacquainted with the little Dear One, is employed with his father in the same mill.

THE ALLIES MANUFACTURER

¶ Age intolerant of youth and laughter.

¶ "The vestal virgins of Uplift" succeed in reaching Miss Jenkins in their search for funds.

¶ Comes now from out the cradle of yesterday, the story of an ancient people, whose lives, though far away from ours, run parallel in their hopes and perplexities.

¶ Ancient Jerusalem, the golden city whose people have given us many of our highest ideals, and from the carpenter shop of Bethlehem, sent us the Man of Men, the greatest enemy of intolerance.

¶ Near the Jaffa gate.

¶ The house in Cana of Galilee

¶ Certain hypocrites among the Pharisees.

---

Pharisee—a learned Jewish party, the name possibly brought into disrepute later by hypocrites among them.

¶ When these Pharisees pray they demand that all action cease.

"Oh Lord, I thank thee that I am better than other men."

"Amen."

¶ Another period of the past.

¶ A. D. 1572—Paris, a hotbed of intolerance, in the time of Catherine de Medici, and her son Charles IX, King of France.

¶ Charles IX receiving his brother, Monsieur La France, Duc d'Anjou.

¶ The heir to the throne, the effeminate Monsieur La France.

¶ Pets and toys his pastimes.

¶ Catherine de Medici, queen-mother who covers her political intolerance of the Huguenots beneath the cloak of the great Catholic Religion.

Note: Huguenots—the Protestant party of this period.

¶ The great Protestant leader, the Admiral Coligny, head of the Huguenot party.

"What a wonderful man, the Admiral Coligny, if he only thought as we do."

"What a wonderful king, if he only thought as we do."

¶ The King's favor to Coligny increases the hatred of the opposite party.

¶ Celebrating the betrothal of Marguerite of Valois, sister of the King, to Henry of Navarre, royal Huguenot, to insure peace in the place of intolerance.

¶ Marguerite of Valois.

¶ Henry of Navarre.

¶ Brown Eyes, her family of the Huguenot party, and her sweetheart, Prosper Latour.

¶ Brown Eyes attracts the attention of a mercenary soldier.

¶ Returning to our story of today, we find the embittered Miss Jenkins aligning herself with the modern Pharisees and agreeing to help the Uplifters.

¶ A diversion of the mill workers.

"To every thing there is a season....a time to mourn and a time to dance..........He hath made everything beautiful in his time."

Ecclesiastes iii.

¶ The little Dear One having the time of her life.

"Want my straw?"

Miss Jenkins receives a check from her brother for the purposed uplift of humanity.

¶ Jenkins studies his employes' habits.

THIRD ANNUAL DANCE
GIVEN BY
THE EMPLOYEES OF
THE ALLIED
MANUFACTURERS
ASSOCIATION
TO NIGHT
ADMISSION 50¢
INCLUDING HAT CHECK

"Ten o'clock! They should be in bed so they can work tomorrow."

¶ And now our fourth story of love's struggle against Intolerance, in that distant time when all the nations of the earth sat at the feet of Babylon.

¶ Outside of Imgur Bel, the great gate of Babylon, in the time of Belshazzar, 539 B. C.

¶ Merchants, farmers, East Indians, with trains of elephants, Egyptians, Numidians, and ambitious Persians spying upon the city.

The Mountain Girl down from the mountains of Suisana.

The Rhapsode, a Warrior singer—poet agent of the High Priest of Bel.

The priest of Bel-Marduk, supreme God of Babylon, jealously watches the image of the rival goddess, Ishtar, enter the city, borne in a sacred ark.

"Dearest one—in the ash heaps of my backyard there will be small flowers; seven lilies—if thou wilt love me—but a little."

"Ishtar, goddess of love, seven times seven I bow to thee. Let her enjoy this kiss."

¶ On the great wall.

¶ The Prince, Belshazzar, son of Nabonidus, apostle of tolerance and religious freedom.

---

Note:—Replica of Babylon's encircling walls, 300 feet in height, and broad enough for the passing of chariots.

¶ The two-sword man, Belshazzar's faithful guard, a mighty man of valor.

¶ The intolerant High Priest of Bel sees in the enthronement of rival gods, the loss of his own great powers in Babylon.

The gate of Imgur Bel which no enemy has ever been able to force.

¶ Hand maidens from Ishtar's Temple of Love and Laughter.

¶ The Princess Beloved, favorite of Belshazzar, in a room of scented cedar, plated with pure gold, in the hareem of My Lord the Prince.

¶ A love blossom from Belshazzar.

¶ Stricken by her pale beauty, as though by white lightning.

The brother of the Mountain Girl, having some slight trouble with his high-spirited sister, takes the matter to the court.

The first known court of justice in the world.
NOTE—Babylonian justice according to the code of Hammurabi, protecting the weak from the strong.

¶ The Mountain Girl's brother tells the Judge that she is incorrigible.

¶ The judgment is that she be sent to the marriage market to get a good husband.

Endlessly rocks the cradle
uniter of here and hereafter,
Chanter of sorrows and joys.

¶ Resuming our story of today.

¶ Dividends of the Jenkins mills failing to meet the increasing demands of Miss Jenkins' charities, she complains to her brother, which helps decide him to action.

"Order a ten percent cut in all wages."

¶ A great strike follows.

"They squeeze the money out of us and use it to advertise themselves by reforming us."

¶ Hungry ones that wait to take their places.

¶ The militia having used blank cartridges, the workmen now fear only the company's guards.

"Clear the property."

The same to-day as yesterday

The Loom of Fate weaves death for the Boy's father.

The exodus after a time of waiting. Forced to seek employment elsewhere, many victims of the Jenkins' aspirations go to the great city nearby—the Boy among them.

¶ A friendless one—alone—as the result of the strike.

¶ So too, the Dear One—and her father.

¶ Fate leads them all to the same district.

¶ The Boy unable to find work—at last—

¶ And again in Babylon.

¶ The marriage market.

¶ Money paid for beautiful women given to homely ones, as dowers, so that all may have husbands and be happy.

Lips brilliant with juice of henna; eyes lined with kohl.
NOTE:—According to Herodotus, women corresponding to our street outcasts, for life the wards of Church and State.

¶ The auctioneer.

"Tish tish! 'tis no place to eat onions."

¶ The girl's turn—perhaps not so different from the modern way.

In distant Nineveh—
One who would give his life if he were able to buy the merchandise held so lightly upon Love's market.

"Any man will be happy with this sweet wild rose—this gentle dove."

"But touch my skirt and I'll scratch your eyes out!"

¶ The temper and rough language of the "wild rose" prove her to be not without thorns.

"With her goes a third of a mina of silver."

"You lice! You rats! You refuse me?

"There is no gentler dove in all Babylon than I."

¶ Belshazzar now ruling for his father.

"Oh, lord of lords! Oh, king of kings! Oh, masu! Oh, scorching sun of the mid-day, these bugs will not buy me for a wife!

"I dwell in sorrow."

"This seal gives you freedom to marry or not to marry—to be consecrated to the goddess of love or not as thou choosest."

¶ The Rhapsode, working in the tenements, to convert backsliders to the true worship of Bel.

"Put away thy perfumes, thy garments of Assinnu, the female man. I shall love none but a soldier."

¶ The love-smitten Mountain Girl vows eternal allegiance to Belshazzar.

In the Love Temple. Virgins of the sacred fires of Life.

He promises to build her a city, beautiful as the memory of her own in a foreign land.

"The fragrant mystery of your body is greater than the mystery of life."

Belshazzar the king,
 The very young king, of Babylon—
And his Princess-Beloved,
 Clearest and rarest of all his pearls,
The very dearest one of his dancing girls.

¶ Belshazzar, shepherd of the mighty nation, purified by the sacred baths and a Sabbath of rest, visits the temple of the moon god.

"My masu, my hero-love."

¶ Another agent of the High Priest of Bel, agitating against Belshazzar.

"Lies! Lies! Lies!"

¶ For the affront to the Priesthood the High Priest orders that she be beaten to death with a rod of iron.

"I swear, oh Sar, this priest spoke evil of thee."

"Since when has the High Priest of Bel the power of death over my subjects?"

¶ Belshazzar again gives the girl her freedom.

The Dear One in her new environment forced upon her by the Jenkins strike. The same old love and dreams.

¶ The hopeful geranium.

"I'll walk like her and maybe everybody will like me too."

¶ In the same neighborhood, the friendless one again.

¶ Across the hall, The Musketeer of the Slums.

THE LOVE
OF
LUCILE

¶ The Boy, now a barbarian of the streets, a member of The Musketeer's band.

¶ Imitating the walk of the girl of the street.

¶ The Boy's news stand, a blind for his real operations.

¶ Their first meeting.

¶ The new walk seems to bring results.

"Say kid, you're going to be my chicken."

"Pray to be forgiven!"

¶ Inability to meet new conditions brings untimely death to The Dear One's father.

¶ Out of the cradle, endlessly rocking—

The Comforter, out of Nazareth.

¶ There was a marriage in Cana of Galilee.

John ii-1.

---

Note:—The ceremony according to Sayce, Hastings, Brown and Tissot.

¶ The first sop to the bride.

¶ Be ye as harmless as doves.

¶ Scorned and rejected of men.

¶ Mary, the mother.

¶ Meddlers then as now.

"There is too much revelry and pleasure-seeking among the people."

¶ The poor bride and groom suffer great humiliation.

¶ The wine has given out.

¶ The first miracle.

¶ The turning of water into wine.

---

Note:—Wine was deemed a fit offering to God; the drinking of it a part of the Jewish religion.

¶ Now for a time the little love god works his small but mighty way, in other days the same as now.

¶ Brown Eyes and her family happily ignorant of the web intolerance is weaving around them.

¶ Love's silent mystery.

¶ The mercenary made bold by passion.

In the good old summertime.

For the little Dear One, passing days and youth have healed the wound.

¶ The end of a "Coney Island" day.

"Nothing doing on the good night stuff, I always go inside to see my girls."

"Help me to be a strong-jawed jane."

"I told you before—I promised Our Lady and I promised father that no man would ever come in this room."

"Just for that I'll never see you again!"

"I was thinking -- suppose we get married, then I can come in."

"That's me. Kiss me good night and we'll call it settled."

¶ The enormous sums supplied by Jenkins to be distributed as the meddlers see fit—in "charity"—now make the Uplifters the most influential power in the community.

MARY T. JENKINSFOUNDATION FUND
GENERALOFFICES

¶ Equally intolerant hypocrites of another age.

¶ And the Pharisee said:

"Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners."

St. Matthew XI-19.

The woman taken in adultery.

"Now Moses in the law commanded us that such should be stoned; but what sayest thou?"

—John VIII.

"He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her."

שפרהש{ו|ר}{ז|ה|ח}
חנניהרחל
ראוכזפיות{י|}

"Woman, where are those thine accusers? Hath no man condemned thee?"

"No man, Lord."

¶ Now, how shall we find this Christly example followed in our story of today?

¶ The Committee of Seventeen report they have cleaned up the city.

"It is peaceful in the--"

"No more dancing in--"

"You yourself were with us when we raided—"

¶ When women cease to attract men they often turn to Reform as a second choice.

¶ But these results they do not report:

¶ Each one his own distiller.

¶ Instead of mild wines and beers—

The Boy, strongly braced in the Dear One's sweet human faith, sets his steps with hers on the straight road.

¶ The Boy tells the boss he won't need the "cannon" any more; he is through with the old life.

¶ As an example to others of the band, The Musketeer, with the help of men higher up, arranges the old familiar frame-up.

¶ The sometimes House of Intolerance.

¶ Stolen goods, planted on The Boy, and his bad reputation intolerate him away for a term.

¶ The broken love nest—The Dear One——alone—

¶ While at the Jenkins home the Uplifters celebrate their success in righting the world that was all wrong.

¶ In Babylon.

¶ The High Priest of Bel courts public homage.

The Priest of Bel, frenzied at the worship of Ishtar, prophecies the loss of their souls and the downfall of Babylon.

Belshazzar's father has a red letter day. He excavates a foundation brick of the temple of Naram-Sin, builded 3200 years before.

Incidentally he remarks that Cyrus, the Persian, Babylon's mighty foe, is nearing the city.

"We will begin building your city, oh dove of Ishtar, when Cyrus is conquered.

¶ The Persian camp.

¶ Cyrus, world-conqueror, preparing for the titanic struggle with Babylon, in secret league with the priest of Bel.

---

Note:—Situate between the Euphrates and post road to Egypt.

The treacherous priest of Bel receives assuring news from Cyrus.

¶ In his tent, Cyrus, before the sacred image of the sun.

¶ The institution of Cyrus.

¶ The Medes and Persians at exercises.

---

Note:—It was required that each man perspire every day

¶ Ethiopians.

¶ Barbarians.

Out of the cradle—
endlessly rocking,
Baby fingers hopefully lifted.

The little wife, now a mother, plans for the day of daddy's return.

¶ The Uplifters, claiming the regular children's societies are inefficient, now turn to "negligent" mothers.

¶ A cold sends our little mother to an old-fashioned remedy, condemned publicly yet used privately by many physicians and hospitals.

¶ The Uplifters investigate.

"Child—evil surroundings—criminal father."

"Whisky!"

"We are afraid you're no fit mother----."

¶ Reporting the case.

¶ Despite the objections of some of the members, they decide to seize the baby.

¶ The friendly neighbor, with a glass of beer.

"Did you see that? A man visitor!"

"We have a warrant to take your baby."

Suffer Little Children—

THE JENKINS
FOUNDATION

¶ Hoping for a sight of her baby.

"Perhaps they are right and baby is happy after all."

¶ Of course, hired mothers are never negligent.

¶ A new dissipation—watching the happiness of others.

¶ In another bitter day, memorable through intolerance.

¶ The threatening attitude of the Huguenots throughout France is reported to Catherine.

¶ The "old serpent" uses the incident to inflame the minds of the Catholics against the Protestants.

"Remember, gentlemen, the Michelade at Nimes when hundreds of our faith perished at the hands of the Huguenots!"

"And so, our very lives depend upon their extermination."

¶ An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth—

¶ Cyrus moves upon Babylon; in his hand the sword of war, most potent weapon forged in the flames of intolerance.

¶ Belshazzar leaving to take charge of the city's defense.

"My Lord, like white pearls I shall keep my tears in an ark of silver for your return. I bite my thumb! I strike my girdle! If you return not, I go to the death halls of Allat."

¶ While the Princess Beloved prays, the Mountain Girl goes to fight for her Belshazzar.

¶ Babylon's gates close against the foe.

¶ War drums and trumpets!

"On the walls of my city, I, Belshazzar, defy the enemies of Babylon. Allato! Allato! Allato!"

¶ Great moving siege towers covered with ox hide.

¶ Inside the city walls.

¶ Ancient instruments of war.

¶ Rock-throwers, catapults, battering rams, mighty crossbows, burning oil.

¶ Prayers in the temples and burning of frankincense.

¶ Burnt offerings.

"Ishtar, beloved, though our sins be many, forgive us. In our behalf seize thou now the burning sword."

¶ The city assaulted on all sides.

¶ Cyrus repeats the world-old prayer of intolerance, to kill, kill, kill---and to God be the glory, world without end, Amen.

"Ishtar, my offering, three turnips and a carrot."

"Babylon is falling! Babylon, that mighty city is falling, is falling!"

¶ The Princess Beloved, frenzied with war's terrors, watches the battle from afar.

¶ Great timbers against the towers.

¶ Into the night.

"Fight for him, Ishtar, fight for him!"

¶ Morning brings fresh assaults and towers.

¶ The mighty man of valor and his legion oppose the threatening tide.

¶ A new and flaming engine of destruction attempts to burn the towers of Cyrus.

¶ The army of Cyrus repulsed by Belshazzar.

¶ Babylon's pæan of victory.

"My glorious Belshazzar."

End of Act
This intermission five minutes before last act

A Sun-play of the Ages
Intolerance
A drama of Comparisons
ACT II.

¶ In this last act the events portrayed in Babylon are according to the recently excavated cylinders of Nabonidus and Cyrus, that relate Babylon's betrayal by the priests of Bel.

¶ These cylinders describe the greatest treason of all history, by which a civilization of countless ages was destroyed, and a universal written language (the cuneiform) was made to become an unknown cypher on the face of the earth.

¶ In our modern story, The Musketeer, inflamed by a new face wins the unsuspecting little mother's confidence with a promise to recover her baby.

Jealousy.

¶ The Boy's return to The Dear One.

¶ The Feast of Belshazzar.

¶ In the great court of the palace, rejoicing over Babylon's victory.

¶ Before the nobles of Babylon, Belshazzar pours out the colossal hospitality of an ancient time.

---

Note:—This hall over a mile in length, imaged after the splendor of an olden day.

¶ A golden moment for Belshazzar and the Princess Beloved.

"To thee, oh Ishtar, all praise for the victory."

¶ A gateway of the banquet hall.

¶ The Mountain Girl happy in being even in the fringe of her hero's glory.

¶ The High Priest looks down upon the city he seeks to betray to Cyrus.

"They give thanks to Ishtar now, but Oh Lord Bel—tomorrow Cyrus, thy servant, shall avenge thee!"

The Rhapsode, unaware of the dastardly purpose, is ordered by the High Priest to have chariots at the great gate for a journey to Cyrus.

In the tenement district, a simpler repast—her last in Babylon.

At the table of Egibi, Babylonia's greatest noble.
NOTE—Following Babylonian custom, the feasting lasts many days.

¶ Spiced wine, made cool with snow from the mountains.

¶ Soldiers, barbarians and camp followers.

The Rhapsode, having completed his arrangements for the journey, turns to thoughts of love.

¶ Thinking only of Belshazzar, her hero, The Mountain Girl leads on the love-sick boy, until—

——as always since the beginning of time between man and maid, boasting, he tells everything he knows.

"I know not why we go, but if I don't return soon you can use the password to visit me."

¶ The conspiring priests leave the banquet hall.

¶ Catherine's audience with the King to secure his signature to the order for the massacre of St. Bartholomew.

---

Note:—Councillors present: Nevers, Tavannes, Retz and Birague.

"I will not consent to this intolerant measure to destroy any of my people."

¶ After a long session, the Intolerants sway the King.

---

"We must destroy or be destroyed."

"By God's death, since you wish it, kill them all! Kill them all! Let not one escape to upbraid me."

¶ Prosper and Brown Eyes betrothed.

"The banns—tomorrow, St. Bartholomew's morn."

¶ Candles out—fading lights.

¶ Prosper puzzled by the ominous activities.

¶ St. Bartholomew's eve.

¶ Upon the doorways of the Huguenots—the chalk of doom.

¶ Prosper's lodgings across the town.

¶ In the Temple of Love.

¶ The sacred dance in memory of the resurrection of Tammuz.

¶ Beloved—a white rose—from Beloved.

The gates manned with their own guards, the priests are guided by the Rhapsode on their mission of treason to the camps of Cyrus.

¶ In the interests of her prince—

¶ A little flirtation.

¶ Suspicious of the hated priests' journey to Cyrus, she uses the password and follows them.

¶ The Musketeer of the Slums seizes an opportune time to visit the little wife.

"You go in and get the address where the kid is."

"You know me—I can get your baby for you."

"Just saw the boss go up to see your wife."

Nearing the end of the Boy's trial for murder.

¶ Love's brave encouragement.

"Yes, it was once my gun—but I—I—didn't do it."

¶ The maiden case of The Boy's attorney.

"I mean—can we hang—I mean, it's only circumstantial evidence."

¶ The verdict—guilty.

¶ Universal justice, an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a murder for a murder.

¶ Outside the Roman Judgment Hall, after the verdict of Pontius Pilate:

"Let Him Be Crucified"

The Boy's sentence.

"Please—Mister Judge—"

"To be hanged by the neck until dead, dead, dead!"

¶ The Kindly Officer on the beat learns of the sentence.

"The people everywhere are singing your praises."

¶ The irresistible impulse.

¶ In his distant camp, Cyrus awaits the priests.

¶ The Mountain Girl's bold pursuit.

The day before the Boy's execution.

Feeling the Boy wrongly convicted by some mischance of fate, the Kindly Heart sees a ray of hope in the visit of the governor to the city.

"And wondered if each one of us
 Would end the self-same way,
For none can tell to what red Hell
 His sightless soul may stray."

¶ The governor unable to give any hope.

At the tents of Cyrus.

¶ The Mountain Girl from a distance watches the priests' arrival.

¶ The great conspiracy.

¶ The Boy's last dawn.

¶ The hangman's test.

¶ Desperate, the little wife herself goes to the governor.

"Oh God, don't let them do it!"

¶ St. Bartholomew's morn.

¶ The bell of St. Germain.

¶ The beginning of the massacre of St. Bartholomew.

¶ For Brown Eyes, a terrible awakening.

¶ The Dear One's appeal to the Governor fruitless.

¶ The Governor leaves.

"I killed him! I did it, I did it!"

¶ The attempt to overtake the governor before he reaches the train.

¶ Her long wait rewarded, she goes to warn Belshazzar of the new advance on Babylon.

¶ The last Sacrament.

¶ No. 8, after the train, leaps with a new impulse.

Intolerance, burning and slaying.

In the doomed city.

"Our marriage will be announced tomorrow."

"This bud will blossom—tomorrow."

"Beloved, I will begin building your city—tomorrow."

¶ Cyrus sweeps on to Babylon's destruction.

"Medici, the old cat, is scratching out the lives of all your people."

¶ At the house of Brown Eyes.

¶ The mercenary's opportunity.

¶ Prosper, with the badges of safety, goes to rescue his loved ones.

¶ Even with the password, Prosper's way beset with danger.

Babylon's last Bacchanal.

¶ Brown eyes—ah me, ah me!

¶ Cyrus unites forces with his lieutenant, Gobryas.

¶ The Mountain Girl's warning delayed by the revelers.

¶ A new appeal.

¶ While Belshazzar doubts, the army of Cyrus enters through the gates left open by the priests.

¶ Belshazzar at last convinced by his own servants.

¶ Belshazzar finds only twelve guards to defend his palace gates against the hordes of Cyrus.

¶ The Princess' vain appeal.

¶ To save Belshazzar the disgrace of captivity, they send him back to his throne.

¶ At the threshold of death.

¶ The farewell.

"Honor commands that you go with your king to the death halls of Allat. Come!"

"To God the glory!
Long live Cyrus,
King of Kings and
Lord of Lords!"

¶ Justice and restoration.

When cannon and prison bars wrought in the fires of intolerance—

¶ And perfect love shall bring peace forevermore.

¶ Instead of prison walls—Bloom flowery fields.

DG
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