One Is Business, the Other Crime

Plot

D.W. Griffith's 1912 drama presents a powerful social commentary through parallel narratives of two couples married on the same day. The wealthy couple enjoys a life of luxury and apparent respectability, while the poor couple struggles with unemployment and poverty. As time passes and desperation mounts, the impoverished husband, unable to provide for his family, attempts to burglarize a home, only to be discovered at gunpoint by the lady of the house. In a dramatic twist of fate, the home belongs to the wealthy couple, and while holding the intruder captive, the rich wife accidentally uncovers evidence that her own husband is involved in a corruption and bribery scheme. The film masterfully contrasts the moral corruption of the wealthy with the desperate circumstances of the poor, suggesting that crime exists at all levels of society.

Historical Background

1912 was a pivotal year in American history and cinema. The country was in the midst of the Progressive Era, with growing awareness of social inequality, urban poverty, and political corruption - themes that Griffith frequently explored in his films. The film industry itself was undergoing rapid transformation, with the move from actualities and simple tableaux to more complex narrative storytelling. 1912 was also the year that the Motion Picture Patents Company's monopoly was beginning to crumble, leading to more creative freedom for filmmakers like Griffith. The presidential election of 1912, with Woodrow Wilson's victory, brought Progressive ideals to the forefront of national consciousness. Labor unrest was common, with major strikes occurring across the country, highlighting the class divisions that Griffith addresses in this film. The film industry was also migrating from the East Coast to Hollywood, though Biograph remained primarily based in New York and New Jersey during this period.

Making Of

The production of 'One Is Business, the Other Crime' took place during a crucial transitional period in American cinema, when D.W. Griffith was rapidly developing the language of film narrative. Griffith was known for his meticulous attention to detail and his insistence on multiple takes, which was unusual for the fast-paced production schedules of the era. The film's parallel structure required careful planning and storyboarding, as Griffith needed to ensure the narrative threads would connect effectively. The burglary scene was particularly challenging to film, as it involved complex staging with multiple characters and the dramatic reveal of the bribery evidence. Griffith often drew inspiration from contemporary social issues and newspaper stories, and this film likely reflected growing public concern about urban crime and corruption during the Progressive Era. The cast, all regular Biograph players, would have been familiar with Griffith's exacting directing style and his emphasis on naturalistic acting, which was revolutionary for the period.

Visual Style

The cinematography was typical of Biograph productions of 1912, utilizing natural lighting whenever possible and employing stationary camera positions with occasional pans and tilts. The film was shot by Billy Bitzer or Arthur Marvin, Griffith's regular cinematographers at Biograph. Visual storytelling was emphasized through careful composition and staging, with the contrast between the wealthy and poor couples' environments conveyed through set design and props. The burglary sequence would have featured more dynamic camera work to create tension. Griffith was beginning to experiment with camera movement and angles during this period, though most shots remained static by modern standards. The black and white cinematography would have relied on careful lighting to create mood and distinguish between the different social environments portrayed in the film.

Innovations

The film's primary technical achievement lies in its sophisticated use of parallel editing to tell two concurrent stories, a technique that Griffith was pioneering during this period. The cross-cutting between the wealthy and poor couples builds dramatic irony and social commentary, demonstrating an advanced understanding of cinematic narrative structure for 1912. The film also showcases Griffith's developing mastery of pacing and rhythm in editing, particularly in the tense burglary sequence. The effective use of close-ups to reveal character emotions and important details (like the bribery evidence) was still relatively innovative in 1912. The film's ability to convey complex social themes within the constraints of a 17-minute running time demonstrates Griffith's growing sophistication as a storyteller and his understanding of the unique capabilities of the film medium.

Music

As a silent film, 'One Is Business, the Other Crime' would have been accompanied by live music during its theatrical run. The specific musical score is not documented, but typical accompaniment for a dramatic film of this period would have included piano or organ music, with themes for different characters and dramatic underscoring for tense scenes like the burglary. The music would have been improvised by the theater's musician or selected from stock libraries of appropriate pieces. The emotional tone of the film would have been conveyed through the musical choices, with lighter themes for the wedding scenes and more dramatic music for the confrontation and revelation scenes. Some larger theaters might have employed small ensembles rather than just a single musician.

Memorable Scenes

• The dramatic burglary sequence where the poor husband breaks into the wealthy couple's home, only to be discovered at gunpoint by the rich wife, leading to the accidental discovery of her husband's bribery evidence - this scene masterfully combines tension, irony, and social commentary

What Critics Said

Contemporary critical reception of short films in 1912 was limited, as film criticism as we know it today was still in its infancy. However, trade publications like The Moving Picture World and Variety did review Biograph releases regularly. Griffith's films were generally well-regarded for their technical innovation and storytelling sophistication. This particular film would have been noted for its ambitious parallel narrative structure and social commentary theme. Modern critics and film historians recognize it as an important example of Griffith's developing style and his early exploration of social themes. The film is often cited in scholarly works about Griffith's career and the development of American cinema as an example of his experimentation with narrative techniques that would become standard in feature filmmaking.

What Audiences Thought

Audience reception in 1912 is difficult to document precisely, but Biograph films were generally popular with theater-goers. The film's dramatic elements and moral themes would have resonated with contemporary audiences familiar with Progressive Era concerns about social justice and corruption. The burglary sequence and dramatic revelation would have provided the kind of excitement that audiences of the period enjoyed. The parallel structure, while innovative, was becoming more common in Griffith's films, so audiences would have been somewhat accustomed to his increasingly complex storytelling techniques. The film's relatively short running time (about 17 minutes) made it suitable for the typical program of multiple shorts shown in theaters of the era. As with most Griffith Biograph productions, it likely performed well commercially and contributed to the director's growing reputation.

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