The House with Closed Shutters

Plot

During the American Civil War, a young Confederate soldier loses his courage during battle and flees to his family home, overcome with shame. His devoted sister, upon discovering his cowardice, dons his uniform and takes his place in the fighting to preserve the family honor. Tragically, she is killed in combat, and upon learning of her daughter's sacrifice, the grief-stricken mother decides to seal the truth forever by closing all the shutters of their house and keeping her son's existence hidden from the world. Years later, two of the son's childhood friends visit the house and accidentally discover the long-hidden secret of the family's tragedy. The film culminates in the emotional revelation of the sister's heroic sacrifice and the brother's lifelong shame.

Historical Background

The House with Closed Shutters was produced during a transformative period in American cinema. In 1910, the film industry was transitioning from short novelty films to more sophisticated narrative storytelling. D.W. Griffith was at the forefront of this evolution, developing techniques that would become fundamental to cinematic language. The film was made just five years after the end of the Russo-Japanese War and during a period when the American Civil War was still within living memory of some older Americans. This proximity to historical events gave Civil War films of the era a particular resonance with audiences. The film also reflects the Victorian-era attitudes toward honor, duty, and family reputation that were still prevalent in American society. The early 1910s saw the rise of film as a legitimate art form, with directors like Griffith pushing the boundaries of what cinema could achieve emotionally and narratively.

Making Of

The production of The House with Closed Shutters took place during a remarkable period of creativity for D.W. Griffith at Biograph. Griffith was developing his directorial style at an incredible pace, often completing multiple films in a single week. The film was shot quickly, as was typical for Biograph productions of the era, with minimal rehearsal and often improvised blocking. Henry B. Walthall, who had worked with Griffith before, brought a naturalistic quality to his portrayal of the conflicted young soldier. The battle scenes were filmed using local extras and whatever props were available, demonstrating Griffith's ability to create compelling drama with limited resources. The film's emotional climax, where the mother closes the shutters, was achieved through careful staging and the expressive performances of the actors, who had to convey complex emotions without dialogue.

Visual Style

The cinematography of The House with Closed Shutters, handled by Biograph's regular cameramen (likely G.W. Bitzer or Arthur Marvin), demonstrates the technical standards of the 1910 era. The film employs static camera positions typical of the period, but Griffith was already beginning to vary shot distances for emotional effect. The use of close-ups on the actors' faces during key emotional moments was innovative for the time. The battle scenes utilize medium shots to capture the action while maintaining clarity. The iconic shots of the closed shutters serve as powerful visual metaphors for the family's isolation and secret. The lighting, primarily natural and available light, creates a somber mood appropriate to the film's tragic themes. The cinematography, while technically simple by modern standards, effectively serves the narrative and emotional needs of the story.

Innovations

While The House with Closed Shutters does not feature groundbreaking technical innovations, it demonstrates D.W. Griffith's growing mastery of emerging film techniques. The film makes effective use of cross-cutting between the brother at home and the sister in battle, creating dramatic tension and parallel action. Griffith's use of the close-up for emotional emphasis, particularly on the actors' faces during key moments, was still relatively innovative in 1910. The film's narrative structure, with its clear cause-and-effect progression and emotional buildup, shows the sophistication Griffith was bringing to film storytelling. The effective use of props (the shutters) as visual metaphors demonstrates Griffith's understanding of cinematic symbolism. The film also showcases Griffith's ability to elicit naturalistic performances from his actors, a skill that set his work apart from many contemporary productions.

Music

As a silent film, The House with Closed Shutters would have been accompanied by live musical performance during its original theatrical run. The typical accompaniment would have consisted of a pianist or small ensemble playing popular and classical pieces selected to match the mood of each scene. For emotional moments, performers might have used pieces like 'Hearts and Flowers' or other sentimental melodies popular in the early 1910s. The battle scenes would have been accompanied by more dramatic, martial music. The specific musical selections would have varied by theater and performer, as no standardized score was provided by Biograph. Modern screenings of the film often feature newly composed scores or carefully selected period-appropriate music to recreate the authentic silent film experience.

Memorable Scenes

• The sister's transformation as she dons her brother's uniform, determined to protect the family honor
• The powerful sequence of the mother methodically closing each shutter, sealing the house and the family secret from the world
• The emotional confrontation between the brother and his childhood friends when the truth is finally revealed
• The sister's final moments on the battlefield, fighting bravely in her brother's place
• The opening battle scene where the young soldier breaks and runs, setting the tragic events in motion

What Critics Said

Contemporary reviews of The House with Closed Shutters were generally positive, with critics noting Griffith's skill in handling emotional material and the convincing performances of the cast. The trade publication The Moving Picture World praised the film's 'powerful dramatic situations' and 'excellent acting.' Modern critics and film historians view the film as an important example of Griffith's early work, demonstrating his developing command of cinematic techniques. The film is often cited in scholarly discussions of Griffith's treatment of themes involving honor, sacrifice, and family dynamics. While not as well-known as some of Griffith's later epics, The House with Closed Shutters is regarded by film historians as a significant work in the director's early filmography and an important artifact from the transitional period of American cinema.

What Audiences Thought

The House with Closed Shutters was well-received by audiences of 1910, who were increasingly drawn to films with strong emotional narratives and clear moral themes. The film's Civil War setting resonated with American viewers, many of whom had family connections to the war. The sister's sacrifice and the mother's devotion to family honor struck a chord with early 20th century audiences who valued these Victorian-era ideals. The film's dramatic tension and emotional climax provided the kind of cathartic experience that nickelodeon audiences of the era sought. Like many Biograph productions of the period, the film circulated widely through the General Film Company's distribution network, reaching audiences across the United States and helping to establish D.W. Griffith as a director whose films could be relied upon for quality entertainment.

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