Griffith used historical events to comment on contemporary events. In this case, he used the French Revolution to comment upon the rise of Bolshevism. The movie is about class conflict. It speaks for inter-class understanding and against destructive hatred. This was the last Griffith movie to star the Gish sisters. It is often thought to be Griffith's last big moneymaker. The movie is a remake of the lost "The Two Orphans" (1915) starring Theda Bara.