Summary
- Tearing Down the Spanish Flag is recognized as the first-ever war movie, despite its limitations and controversial nature.
- Unlike modern war movies that focus on personal stories, this film served as propaganda during the Spanish-American War.
- The movie capitalized on the public’s fear and curiosity about the conflict, inspiring other filmmakers to follow suit and drawing audiences into theaters.
Tearing Down the Spanish Flag is the first-ever war movie, but strangely, with only one scene, it caused some controversy. War movies started not long after the creation of motion pictures and have turned into a very successful genre. Tearing Down the Spanish Flag is technically the first war movie, even if it was limited by technology at the time and only had one scene.
Directed by J. Stuart Blackton and Albert E. Smith, Tearing Down the Spanish Flag differs greatly from what is associated with war movies today. War movies such as Dunkirk, Saving Private Ryan, and All Quiet on the Western Front all follow harrowing personal stories. They are emotional films showing the dark side of war. However, when war movies first came into existence they were much more focused on propaganda. Tearing Down the Spanish Flag is the very first example of this, and it certifies it as the first war movie.
When The First War Movie Released & What It’s About
Tearing Down the Spanish Flag was released in 1898 and is a one-scene, 40-second short silent film. In the single scene, the Spanish flag is shown flying, in front of a castle. Then, J. Stuart Blackton’s hands come into frame, pull down the Spanish flag, and then run up the flag of the United States of America in its place. The Stars and Stripes are then filmed flying over Morro Castle indicating the Americans have taken over Cuba from the Spanish.
Blackton and Albert E. Smith filmed and released Tearing Down the Spanish Flag in 1898 as it was the year of the Spanish-American War, which began that April. The topical choice of the movie appealed to audiences as Blackton and Smith made it immediately after America declared war on Spain. Its timing and story classify it as a “war” movie as it was essentially a propaganda movie for the Americans even if there is no aspect of the actual war or fighting.
Why “Tearing Down The Spanish Flag” Was Controversial
Tearing Down the Spanish Flag could be viewed as a form of propaganda due to its nature, but it is especially controversial as it was not made to inspire the people but to capitalize on the conflict. J. Stuart Blackton and Albert E. Smith noticed how the public was eager to read the dramatic events of the conflict in Cuba, and they used this to their advantage (via The Spanish American War on Film). Tearing Down the Spanish Flag was released immediately after the USS Maine was suddenly blown up in February 1898, when it was not part of any battle, and many onboard were killed.
The success of Tearing Down the Spanish Flag releasing immediately after the USS Maine disaster proved Blackton and Smith were right about capitalizing on the audience’s fear and curiosity about the war. Tearing Down the Spanish Flag then inspired other filmmakers to do the same. Tearing Down the Spanish Flag not only capitalized on catastrophe, but it kick-started a new medium that encouraged the audience’s intense passion and fear for the war and drew them into theaters. Tearing Down the Spanish Flag has made history as the first “war” movie, but there were controversies with its release that have continued into the modern age.
Sources: The Philosophy of War Films, The Spanish American War on Film
#Scene #Cinemas #Controversial #125YearOld #War #Movie #Explained