The Most Expensive Film in the Northwest
Dr. H. S. Clemmer pays a record-breaking $20,000 to bring the controversial film 'The Birth of a Nation' to the local theater.
To bring the film spectacle, 'The Birth of the Nation' or 'The Clansman' to the Clemmer theatre, is costing Dr. H. S. Clemmer $20,000, the largest price ever paid for a motion picture in the Northwest, according to Dr. Clemmer. He saw the picture in Los Angeles on a recent visit with the Spokane Ad Club, and was so impressed that he determined to bring it north, regardless of expense.
“He was so impressed that he determined to bring it north, regardless of expense.”
While this film was a technical milestone in cinema history, it is also infamous for its virulent racism and for inciting the resurgence of the Ku Klux Klan. This report captures the moment the film arrived in Washington, signaling how local boosters prioritized 'spectacle' over the immense social harm the propaganda would cause.
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