The Fugitive
Plot
In this Civil War drama, two soldiers both named John - one fighting for the Confederacy and one for the Union - leave their families to go to the front lines. After a violent skirmish between their units, both men become separated from their respective armies and find themselves alone in hostile territory. The Union soldier encounters the Confederate soldier and, in the heat of battle, shoots him. Wounded and desperate, the Union soldier must escape and seeks refuge in the very house belonging to his enemy's family, leading to a tense confrontation where he must face the consequences of his actions and the human cost of war.
About the Production
This was one of hundreds of short films D.W. Griffith directed for Biograph between 1908-1913. The film was shot in a single day, as was typical for Biograph productions of this era. Griffith was already experimenting with more sophisticated narrative techniques and emotional depth in his Civil War films, which would culminate in his controversial masterpiece 'The Birth of a Nation' (1915).
Historical Background
1910 was a pivotal year in American cinema, as the industry was transitioning from novelty to art form. The nickelodeon boom was in full swing, with thousands of small theaters showing short films across America. D.W. Griffith was revolutionizing film grammar at Biograph, developing techniques like cross-cutting, close-ups, and camera movement that would become standard cinematic language. The Civil War remained a powerful subject in American culture, with many veterans still alive and the war's divisive legacy still influencing politics and society. Films like 'The Fugitive' helped shape popular memory of the conflict, often romanticizing the war while exploring its human tragedies. The film was made during the Progressive Era, when Americans were grappling with issues of national unity, industrialization, and social change.
Why This Film Matters
While 'The Fugitive' is not among Griffith's most famous works, it represents an important step in the development of narrative cinema and the war film genre. The film's focus on individual human stories within the larger conflict helped establish a template for war movies that would follow. Its exploration of enemy soldiers finding common ground or facing moral dilemmas would become a recurring theme in Civil War cinema. The film also demonstrates Griffith's early mastery of emotional storytelling through purely visual means, as intertitles were still used sparingly in 1910. This approach influenced countless filmmakers who followed, showing that cinema could convey complex emotions and moral questions without dialogue.
Making Of
D.W. Griffith was rapidly developing his directorial style during this period, moving away from the static theatrical presentations common in early cinema. For 'The Fugitive,' he employed location shooting in Fort Lee, New Jersey, which was becoming the center of American film production before the industry moved to Hollywood. The cast was assembled from Griffith's regular troupe of Biograph actors who appeared in dozens of his films. Kate Bruce, who played one of the family members, was a favorite of Griffith's and appeared in over 150 of his films. The production would have been completed in a single day with minimal rehearsal, as Griffith was known for his efficiency and ability to work quickly while maintaining quality. The Civil War setting allowed Griffith to explore themes of divided loyalties and the human cost of conflict, subjects that would recur throughout his career.
Visual Style
The cinematography for 'The Fugitive' would have been handled by Billy Bitzer or Arthur Marvin, Griffith's regular cameramen at Biograph. The film was likely shot on location using natural light, as artificial lighting was still primitive and expensive. Camera movement would have been minimal, with most shots composed as static tableaux, though Griffith was beginning to experiment with different camera angles and closer shots to emphasize emotional moments. The black and white film stock of the era had limited tonal range, but skilled cinematographers could achieve impressive results through careful lighting and composition. The battle sequences would have used the limited special effects techniques available at the time, including smoke effects and practical stunts.
Innovations
While 'The Fugitive' does not represent a major technical breakthrough, it demonstrates several of the innovations Griffith was developing during this period. The film likely employed parallel editing to show the separate experiences of the two soldiers, a technique Griffith was pioneering. The use of location shooting rather than entirely studio-bound sets was still relatively uncommon in 1910. The film's narrative structure, following two protagonists whose stories eventually intersect, showed sophisticated storytelling for the era. Griffith was also experimenting with pacing and rhythm in his editing, using cuts to build tension during the battle and confrontation sequences.
Music
As a silent film, 'The Fugitive' had no synchronized soundtrack. Theatrical exhibition would have been accompanied by live music, typically a pianist or small ensemble in the nickelodeon setting. The music would have been selected from standard repertoire pieces chosen to match the mood of each scene - dramatic music for battle scenes, sentimental pieces for family moments, and tense music for the confrontation scenes. Some larger theaters might have used compiled cue sheets specifically designed for Civil War films. The musical accompaniment was crucial to the audience's emotional experience, as it provided the narrative and emotional cues that dialogue would later supply.
Famous Quotes
No dialogue exists for this silent film
Memorable Scenes
- The tense confrontation scene where the Union soldier seeks refuge in his enemy's house, creating a powerful moment of moral ambiguity and human connection across divided lines
Did You Know?
- This film was released just 45 years after the end of the Civil War, making the conflict still relatively fresh in American cultural memory
- D.W. Griffith directed approximately 450 short films for Biograph, averaging about two per week
- The film was shot on 35mm film at approximately 16 frames per second, the standard speed of the era
- Biograph films were typically rented to theaters for a flat fee rather than sold outright
- The film features no intertitles, relying entirely on visual storytelling, which was common for very early shorts
- Griffith's father had served as a Confederate officer, which may have influenced his interest in Civil War subjects
- The Biograph Company refused to allow their actors' names to appear in credits, fearing they would demand higher salaries
- This film was part of Griffith's early exploration of parallel editing techniques to show simultaneous action
- The original negative was likely destroyed in the 1914 Biograph studio fire, though prints may survive
- Griffith was paid $50 per week as a director at Biograph during this period
What Critics Said
Contemporary reviews of individual Biograph shorts from 1910 are scarce, as trade publications focused more on general industry news than specific film criticism. However, Griffith's work for Biograph was generally well-regarded by the trade press, which noted his ability to create compelling narratives within the constraints of the one-reel format. Modern film historians recognize 'The Fugitive' as typical of Griffith's early Biograph period - technically competent, emotionally engaging, and showing the beginnings of the sophisticated filmmaking techniques that would make him famous. The film is valued today by scholars of early cinema as an example of how the Civil War was portrayed in the immediate post-war period.
What Audiences Thought
Audience reception data for specific short films from 1910 is not available, but Biograph films featuring dramatic stories and moral themes were generally popular with nickelodeon audiences. The Civil War setting would have resonated with viewers, many of whom had family connections to the conflict. Griffith's reputation for producing emotionally engaging content was growing during this period, and his films were in high demand by theater owners. The film's themes of duty, family, and the human cost of war would have appealed to the largely working-class audiences who frequented nickelodeons.
Film Connections
Influenced By
- Stage melodramas of the 19th century
- Contemporary literature about the Civil War
- Photography of the Civil War by Mathew Brady and others
- Earlier Biograph shorts directed by Griffith
This Film Influenced
- The Birth of a Nation (1915)
- Intolerance (1916)
- The General (1926)
- Gone with the Wind (1939)
- The Red Badge of Courage (1951)
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Film Restoration
The preservation status of 'The Fugitive' (1910) is uncertain. Many Biograph films from this period have survived through paper print copies deposited for copyright purposes at the Library of Congress, while others exist only in fragmentary form or are considered lost. The Museum of Modern Art and other film archives have extensive collections of Griffith's Biograph films, but specific holdings of this title are not well documented in public sources.