A critical study of the background of D.W. Griffith's film masterpiece, the 1916 epic Intolerance. The most expensive ($2,000,000) film made prior to 1920, Intolerance was critically acclaimed and is now considered a classic.

The book traces the artistic and political influences that shaped the director's vision, discusses the influences of the Progressive movement, and connects the film to the social and political climate of the early 20th century.