''Isn't Life Wonderful'' is a 1924 American silent romantic drama film directed by

D. W. Griffith David Wark Griffith (January 22, 1875 – July 23, 1948) was an American film director. Considered one of the most influential figures in the history of the motion picture, he pioneered many aspects of film editing and expanded the art of the na ...

for his company D. W. Griffith Productions, and distributed by United Artists. It was based on the short story "Isn’t Life Wonderful?" in the 1923 book ''Defeat'' by Geoffrey Moss and it was also released under the alternative title ''Dawn''.

Plot

As described in a review in a film magazine, among the thousands of refugees who flocked to Berlin was the family of a Polish professor (Alderson) and the days following the war show them in a terrific struggle for mere existence. They manage to get a place to live but their combined resources and the high prices of food during the Great Inflation result in their only being able to get a potato apiece and for long periods they have to subsist on horse turnips. Despite this, the love of one son, Paul (Hamilton), for his cousin Inga (Dempster) is so great that they determine to overcome all obstacles. Inga works overtime in another place and collects a pitiful supply of things for their new home, while Paul alone builds a little hut and finds a little allotment where he grows enough potatoes to keep him through the winter. All is rosy and they start out to harvest their little crop, but are followed by workmen who temporarily made beasts through their hunger and suffering of their families rob them of all. The world looks black, but Inga rises to the occasion and makes Paul realize that they still have each other, and that after all “Isn’t Life Wonderful.”

Cast

Production

Most of the scenes were filmed in Germany and Austria. Only one was filmed in New York at the studio. The film stars Carol Dempster and Neil Hamilton. The film was a failure at the box office, and led to Griffith leaving United Artists shortly after its run in theaters.

Reception

The film did receive some positive critical notices at the time, but its stock has risen considerably since; it has for some decades been considered one of Griffith's greatest films.

Legacy

The title of the film was spoofed in the

Charley Chase Charles Joseph Parrott (October 20, 1893 – June 20, 1940), known professionally as Charley Chase, was an American comedian, actor, screenwriter and film director. He worked for many pioneering comedy studios but is chiefly associated with pro ...

comedy '' Isn't Life Terrible'' (1925).

Preservation

Prints of ''Isn't Life Wonderful'' are held by the

UCLA Film and Television Archive The UCLA Film & Television Archive is a visual arts organization focused on the preservation, study, and appreciation of film and television, based at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Also a nonprofit exhibition venue, the ar ...

Cinematek CINEMATEK ( Dutch: Koninklijk Belgisch Filmarchief; French: Cinémathèque royale de Belgique; English: Royal Belgian Film Archive) is a film archive in Brussels, Belgium. The archive was established in 1938 under the name Royal Belgian Film Ar ...

(Brussels, Belgium), Filmoteka Narodowa (Warsaw, Poland),

Museum of Modern Art The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) is an art museum located in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, on 53rd Street (Manhattan), 53rd Street between Fifth Avenue, Fifth and Sixth Avenues. It plays a major role in developing and collecting modern art, ...

Arhiva Națională de Filme Arhiva Națională de Filme is a film archive located in Bucharest, Romania. It is a member of the Association of European Film Archives and Cinematheques. References External links * http://www.anf-cinemateca.ro Film archives in Eu ...

(Bucharest, Romania), George Eastman Museum Motion Picture Collection, and

Danish Film Institute The Danish Film Institute ( da, Det Danske Filminstitut) is the national Danish agency responsible for supporting and encouraging film and cinema culture, and for conserving these in the national interest. Also known as ''Filmhuset'' ("the film ...

(Copenhagen, Denmark).Library of Congress American Silent Feature Film Survival Database: ''Isn't Life Wonderful''
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References

External links

* * * (30 minute abridgement) {{D. W. Griffith 1924 films American silent feature films 1920s English-language films American black-and-white films Films directed by D. W. Griffith 1924 drama films Films set in Germany American drama films Films scored by Louis Silvers 1920s American films Silent American drama films