Although the nudity was tastefully done (it was passed by The National Board of Censors), it was still banned in Ohio and caused riots in New York. The mayor of Boston demanded that every frame displaying the naked figure of Truth be hand-painted to clothe the unidentified actress who portrayed her. (One historian suggested that Lois Weber herself played the part.)
The film and the technique were widely admired at the time for its extraordinary use of multiple exposures and intricate editing, and it propelled Lois Weber to the front ranks of silent directors. The use in the film of traveling double exposure sequences of the woman is considered impressive for 1915.
It took 100 years for the film to be shown in Ipswich, Suffolk. After lobbying by the Suffolk silents Society, the local council granted the film a 12A certificate.
Most of the film survives, though some scenes have suffered from some serious nitrate decomposition in places, especially at the beginning, and cannot be restored. A print of the film is kept in the Library of Congress.
This was a shocking and controversial film whose release was held up for many months by the difficulty of distributing a film with full nudity. Lois Weber's sincerity and reputation allowed her to use something that in the hands of a male director would have been considered scandalous and immoral.