In 1915, the American film industry was forever changed as it took its first steps toward modern cinema. It was the year that DW Griffith's A The Birth of a Nation, a racially insensitive film depicting life during the Civil War and Reconstruction in America, was released. It is undoubtedly the first great success of American cinema since it is the most profitable film of its time. It is no coincidence that the film intended to redefine the film industry in the United States would inevitably be a national historical epic, as the film was a response to the growing supply of foreign films dominating American cinema. Although ultimately both The Birth of a Nation and DW Griffith were the product of circumstances created by corporate attempts to industrialize cinema. DW Griffith is widely recognized as a pioneer and father of early motion pictures, although he was really just a creature of circumstance. In 1907, Griffith left his theatrical career as a failed playwright and somewhat accomplished stage actor to work for the Biograph Company with his first role as Father in Saved from an Eagle's Nest. Griffith entered the American film industry at a pivotal moment that would shape and define his career. Meanwhile, the Edison Company was waging a war to monopolize the American film industry by suing other American companies using versions of Edison's patented Kinescope without paying royalties. These lawsuits devastated and prevented the growth of the industry as the popularity of cinema increased in the United States. In 1907, to accommodate the growing popularity of nickelodeons (the first movie theaters that charged a nickel for admission and showed 3 to 4 short films), 1,200 films were released in the United States, of which only... .. middle of paper ...... chose The Clansman as the novel on which to base his next film. These facts do not account for the motivation behind the creation of the film. Remember, Griffith was a somewhat accomplished stage actor before turning to film. During this period of Griffith's life, the majority of plays produced were Shakespearean adaptations and other European productions. There was very little progression in American theater at the time, with David Belasco being the only notable theatrical producer of the era. The same can be said for the years between his departure from Biograph and the development of The Birth of a Nation. All critically acclaimed films before the release of The Birth of a Nation were international films. Stokes agrees with the possibility that Griffith was thinking about creating an "American spectacle" to compete with European imports..