Feuds, Controversy & The Birth of Cinema - Lillian Gish | Hollywood Mysteries #142

Comments · 85

• EL

  @eleanapawl3929 · 3 days ago (edited)

  I met Miss Gish in the 1970"s at the University of Kansas Bookstore when she was on her book tour for her autobiography. What an amazing, visionary woman. She suggested that instead of wars, countries should have film competitions to capture the essence of their culture and let the audience decide. It sounded way crazy and out of step during the Vietnam War but given that we continue in the arms-traded economies to sentence ourselves and our young people to death on the relentless treadmill of powerplays... her idea was no crazier that what we are locked into--and certainly less violent, not to mention entertaining. (...and I am sure that "The Birth of a Nation's" negative points in such a contest would have made a significant statement...) Yes... as fragile as a steel rod--who worked tirelessly to get things done. She had the most incredible clear steely, yet compassionate eyes..... a beautiful, brilliant walking contradiction....

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• IG

  @ighdesigns · 3 days ago

  Night of the Hunter still scares me.

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• TE

  @terrygibbs1147 · 3 days ago

  A true star in every sense. Her dedication to the preservation of silent films and the industry in general is a worthy monument to her name. I first saw her in Broken Blossoms over 40 years ago and have admired her work ever since. Thank you for such a balanced and respectful tribute

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• GE

  @georgesunday9855 · 3 days ago

  Back in the early 1970s, Lillian Gish hosted a weekly program on PBS featuring silent and foreign films.  Up to that time I had never seen a silent film, and with my interest in classic films, I figured I should.  At first it was difficult, what with many of them in somewhat poor condition and sometimes projected at the wrong speed, which made it rough going at first, but eventually I grew to like and admire them.  And now I find that period of filmmaking fascinating, from its beginnings on up.  If it weren’t for Miss Gish and the genuine love she had for that era, I may not have appreciated and loved them as I do now. Thank you, Miss Gish, for showing me the wonders and beauty of silent films.

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• EL

  @elizabethbrauer1118 · 3 days ago (edited)

  The Wind is a masterclass in silent film acting. I highly recommend everyone see this 1928 Gish movie. TYSM Ava - well done!

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• EL

  @ellentravers7889 · 1 day ago

  My favorite silent actress, and an all time favorite.

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• MO

  @monicacall7532 · 3 days ago

  In college I ran the university’s Film Society for 18 months. &nbsp;I’d always enjoyed old films but didn’t feel confident about my ability to be able to talk to the audience members about the actors, directors, etc before the first film began, so I took a history of film class and told my professor that I needed to understand the nuts and bolts of film making as well as learning who the actors and directors and cinematographers were. &nbsp;My professor taught me much more than what was on the class syllabus, and I learned how a film was made. &nbsp;<br><br>Lillian Gish quickly became my favorite silent era actress because of her ability to use her body to express her emotions when she couldn’t speak. &nbsp;I was so surprised when I saw “The Night of the Hunter” and Gish plays the part of a sort of foster mother who takes in and protects the two children who have run away and are hiding from the evil preacher played by Robert Mitchum. &nbsp;She was magnificent! &nbsp;By the end of that first viewing I was beyond being impressed with her ability to still use her special artistic gifts to portray a very brave and extremely confident woman who had to deal with evil face to face and vanquish it once and for all.

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• BC

  @bcdave91 · 3 days ago

  Lillian Gish was awesome. I remember when she came to Vancouver during Expo 86.

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• JA

  @JaneHays-r4m · 1 day ago

  I had the great fortune to see most of her silent films at UCLA in the early &apos;70s, and found her performance in &quot;The Wind&apos; to be truly astonishing. So different from the incandescent beauty she brought to her other roles. And...&quot;Night of the Hunter&quot; is one of my favorite films of all time. I have adored her since my late teens, when I vowed to watch every film in which she appeared, at least the early ones. Thank you for this episode, Ava. It taught me more than I previously knew about this extraordinary woman.

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• TE

  @teel714 · 2 days ago (edited)

  I thoroughly enjoyed this episode! &nbsp;Ms. Gish is one of my favorite actresses. &nbsp;Some of my favorite films of hers are &quot;Broken Blossoms,&quot; &quot;The Scarlet Letter,&quot; &quot;The Wind,&quot; and &quot;Night of the Hunter.&quot; I hope that she will be added to the list of actresses you&apos;ve made T-shirts about.

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• NY

  @nyckolaus · 3 days ago

  Ava, I want to thank you for this wonderful account of a brilliant life. &nbsp;And what a life Lillian Gish had.

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• EM

  @emilien. · 2 days ago

  Lillian Gish! &nbsp;With her memory and legacy, remains a mark of accomplishment that no one will ever be able to duplicate. &nbsp;God bless her.

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