Director Griffith""s original budget of $40,000 (expanded o $60,000) quickly ballooned, so Griffith appealed to businessmen and other investors to help finance the film - that eventually cost $110,000! The propagandistic film was one of the biggest box-office money-makers in the history of film, partly due to its exorbitant charge of $2 per ticket - unheard of at the time.Ulmer.Its heme of the horrors of war would be echoed in his later films.He was obviously influenced by his previous work with German director F.W.Murnau (and his filmNosferatu (1922)), and by Fritz Lang""s filmMetropolis (1927).Art-deco sets by art director Charles D.Hall, and stark B/W photography by John Mescall evoke the proper atmosphere.Some reviewers have considered it thefirstAmerican psychological horror film, with dark sexual repression, twisted relationships, and aberrant behavior (Satanism (devil worship), black mass orgies, necrophilia, pedophilia, sadistic revenge, murder and incest).Hmmm.I""d like to see my old woman throwing things around.It""s disgraceful.Never heard of such goings-off, on.You know, if my ball-and-chain ever talked o me, if she even dared to raise her...Do you know what I""d say?...I""d say.Hello, honey.I...(He does a double-take) Well, you think it over.I""ll see you in the morning.(Stan meekly rises and dutifully follows after his wife.)The next day, they devise a plan so they can sneak off to the convention.Ollie fakes illness ("a severe nervous breakdown") to his wife, mostly as a result of his fight with her.When infractions were suspected, two other Educational Decrees were ordered: All students had to submit to questioning about suspected illicit activities, and Those wishing to join the Inquisitorial Squad for Extra Credit could sign up in the High Inquisitor""s Office.Tardy and on her way to pick up Earl, she doesn""t even notice the bashful and surprised George sitting in a high-backed chair:Angela: Course I""m always late.