Way Down East (1920): cast, story & where to watch
1920 · Film · ★ 7
Released in 1920, Way Down East is an action, drama and romance film directed by D.W. Griffith, running about 145 minutes. “A simple story for plain people.” — that tagline sets the tone.
What it’s about. A naive country girl is tricked into a sham marriage by a wealthy womanizer, then must rebuild her life despite the taint of having borne a child out of wedlock.
Who’s in it. Way Down East stars Lillian Gish as Anna Moore, Richard Barthelmess as David Bartlett, Lowell Sherman as Lennox Sanderson and Burr McIntosh as Squire Bartlett, among others.
How it landed. With an audience score of 7.0/10, Way Down East has been warmly received by audiences. It went on to earn $4.5M at the box office.
Where to watch. In US you can stream it on Amazon Prime Video, MGM Plus Roku Premium Channel, MGM Plus and FlixFling and rent or buy it from Amazon Video and FlixFling. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch Way Down East page.
If you liked it. Fans of Way Down East tend to enjoy The Dark Knight, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, Inception and The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.
Frequently asked
- Where can I watch Way Down East (1920)?
- In US, Way Down East is available to stream on Amazon Prime Video, MGM Plus Roku Premium Channel and MGM Plus, and rent or buy from Amazon Video and FlixFling. Availability varies by country — check our where-to-watch page for every region.
- Is Way Down East worth watching?
- Way Down East holds an audience score of 7.0 out of 10, and is a strong pick if you enjoy action, drama and romance. Most viewers rate it highly.
- Who stars in Way Down East?
- Way Down East stars Lillian Gish, Richard Barthelmess, Lowell Sherman, Burr McIntosh and Kate Bruce.
- When was Way Down East released?
- Way Down East was released in 1920, with a runtime of about 145 minutes.