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| Mary Jane's Mishap George Albert Smith | 1903 | 4 mins 8 secs Mary Jane comes sleepily into the kitchen in the morning. She tries to light the fire, then cleans the boots, getting black polish on her face. The fire has not taken so she pours on paraffin with explosive consequences. A brief scene shows her projected from the chimney. In the graveyard four women come to visit the grave as the groundsman sweeps up. The ghost of Mary Jane rises from the grave as everyone flees. This film packs in most of G A Smith's technical repertoire. The first two thirds of the film intercuts long shot and medium shot, ending with a jump cut on the flash in which Mary Jane vanishes. A following rooftop scene uses a life-size set but probably a dummy being pulled up from the chimney. The shot of the headstone is effectively an intertitle, complete with pun: 'rest in pieces'. This transitions with a wipe to the graveyard scene. Double exposure is used for the ghost of Mary Jane. |
Page created 5 February 2009
Film: public domain; Text © David Fisher