You are here:

The Breath of a Nation

Name: The Breath of a Nation
Director: Gregory La Cava
Released: 1919
Duration: 6 min

Representation Score

2.0/10

Limited

1919

Not Rated

Director

Gregory La Cava

Runtime

6 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

New Showbiz Analysis

The Breath of a Nation is a period-specific comedy reflecting the social norms of 1919. It centers on the domestic and social upheaval caused by Prohibition, using a narrow lens of traditional characters and hierarchies. While the film provides a light-hearted perspective on the tension between temperance movements and underground substitutes, it lacks depth in representing diverse identities. It adheres to the demographic standards of the early 20th century, offering limited representation outside a singular, dominant social group. Ultimately, the film serves as a situational comedy rather than a tool for social critique, reinforcing existing power dynamics and traditional roles.

Watch this, not that →

Category Breakdown

Does The Breath of a Nation have LGBTQ+ representation?

Limited

The film does not depict any non-binary gender identities or same-sex relationships. Instead, it focuses on traditional family structures and the social conflicts of the Prohibition era.

How does The Breath of a Nation portray gender?

Fair

Gender roles adhere to a traditional hierarchy where the wife influences the household's moral standing but remains confined to the domestic sphere.

How racially and ethnically diverse is The Breath of a Nation?

Minimal

The story seems centered around a homogeneous social setting with no mention of diverse casts or non-Anglo-Saxon characters.

How does The Breath of a Nation represent religion and culture?

Limited

The film explores the conflict between institutional morality and individual actions through the Temperance movement, creating a situational comedy about social compliance.

Does The Breath of a Nation include disability representation?

Minimal

There is no information available regarding the portrayal of physical, neurodivergent, or sensory disabilities in this production.

Present on Screen

Offers a comedic look at the social tensions and cultural shifts during the onset of Prohibition.

Limited or Absent

Lacks racial and ethnic diversity, focusing on a homogeneous social setting.
Reinforces traditional gender roles and domestic hierarchies.
Provides no representation of LGBTQ+ identities or disabilities.

Official Synopsis

Prohibition has just gone into effect, and Judge Rummy's wife eagerly throws away all of the Judge's liquor. She also plans to have a temperance lecturer use him as an example of the evils of drink. While waiting for the lecturer, Judge Rummy notices that Silk Hat Harry's Soda Fountain is remarkably popular, so he stops in to see what it's all about. He finds out that Harry has developed a substitute for alcoholic drinks, and that Harry's substitute can have quite an effect on those who drink it.

How are these scores produced? →