The first all time blockbuster hit of the world cinema must be “The Birth of the Nation”, a highly controversial film which was highly successful and impactful but which has not aged well at all.
The Birth of the Nation was released in 1915 as a revivalist film which talked about the Reconstruction era after the American Civil War of 1860s which led to the emancipation of slaves particularly in the Southern part of America. For many revovalists and supermacists Reconstruction was a devastating time where the “barbaric” blacks were demanding equality and trying to control the society. There were some ultra right groups that emerged during this period which engaged in violence against the blacks. One of the most significant group among them was the KKK (KU KLUX KLAN). But KKK largely withered away by 20th century beginning but this film Birth of the Nation brought back KKK and their anti reconstruction movement in USA.
The film portrayed KKK as a heroic force who fought against the Blacks who committed all sorts of unspeakable crimes against men, women and children. On the positive side Birth of The Nation introduced new cinematic grammar and techniques to cinema including mounted action set pieces, lighting and editing techniques and the use of live orchestra for background score.
The film broke all the records of the industry and it remained one of the most expensive and highest earning films of the time. The Birth of a Nation, costing an unprecedented and, many believed, thoroughly foolhardy $110,000, eventually returned $20 million and more. The actual figure is hard to calculate because the film was distributed on a "states' rights" basis in which licenses to show the film were sold outright. The actual cash generated by The Birth of a Nation may have been as much as $50 million to $100 million, an almost inconceivable amount for such an early film.