Summary
Amidst the scorching sands and relentless siege of Bethulia, a city teetering on the precipice of annihilation by the Assyrian forces under the formidable general Holofernes, a narrative of audacious faith and desperate patriotism unfurls. This re-contextualized cinematic epic, originally D.W. Griffith’s ambitious 1914 spectacle, plunges into the heart of an ancient struggle for survival. As the populace succumbs to despair, their dwindling resources mirrored by their ebbing hope, the enigmatic and devout widow Judith emerges as their improbable savior. Clad in garments of deceptive allure and armed with an unshakeable conviction, she ventures beyond the besieged walls, a solitary figure destined for the enemy camp. Her mission: to infiltrate the inner sanctum of Holofernes, to charm and disarm the indomitable commander with a calculated blend of piety and seduction, and ultimately, to execute the unthinkable act that will sever the serpent's head, liberating her people from their impending doom. The film meticulously charts her perilous journey, the moral ambiguities of her divine mandate, and the profound, bloody sacrifice demanded by a nation's salvation.
The Biograph Company's reissue of D. W. Griffith's "Judith of Bethulia" (1914), misleadingly re-titled and expanded with previously deleted footage.
