Cinematic Era: 1909 Vintage

A near-abstract animation telling a simple romantic story through drawings almost entirely composed of heart shapes.

A dramatization of a wedding in 16th-century Russia, between members of two prominent boyar families (based on paintings by Konstantin Makovskii): Three matchmakers first visit the family of the prospective bride, and then do the same with the prospective bridegroom's family. Later, as the time of the wedding draws near, the bride is dressed with great formality and prepared for the ceremony, as the guests get ready to celebrate the upcoming wedding.

Mother in law gets a new set of dentures. Despite being initially happy, the family soon discovers the teeth have a life of their own and jump from their owner's mouth and bite everyone who comes near--from ladies to gentlemen to policemen.

French adaptation of Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Pit and the Pendulum”.

Doctors blow to pieces a patient in a hydrotherapy machine and re-assemble him.

Arnold, reproved by General Washington, decides, with the bitter hatred of a small nature, to betray West Point into the hands of the British, and to that end enters into negotiation with Major Andre, as the representative of the British General.

At a house party, people are dancing.... but one of the guests slips away from his accomplice to go break open a locked cabinet and steal money. three days later, the police have not cracked the case, so it's up to Little Bobby, the Dwarf Detective, to solve the crime.

Flower petals in the background create different shapes while actress Mary Cleo Tarlarini salutes the audience.

During the carnival in Pont Canavese a polenta is prepared in the square and the whole town finds itself rejoicing around the stage and the big pot. The brentatori fill the saucepan with water, the cooks begin the preparation. The passing of the band on a cart cheers the villagers. The steaming polenta is ready: it is overturned on a table and a pennant is planted in the middle: “Ricordo dei Rivarolesi ai Pontesi 1909”. The crowd eagerly awaits the distribution of the rations and begins the binge.

The forest ranger's daughter catches a spouse by hoodwinking Papa who brings in a minister.

A mother punishes her son for eating a plate of cream puffs, unaware that the daughter really did it. As the daughter watches the punishment, she feels guilty, and confesses her misdeed.

In the third installment of the "Mr. and Mrs. Jones" series, Mrs. Jones hosts a luncheon for her Ladies' Temperance League chapter on the condition that her husband, Mr. Jones, stays out of the way, but he manages to secretly drink a decanter of alcohol. When the empty bottle is found, the attendees suspect one of their own is a secret drinker, leading to chaotic accusations before Mr. Jones is exposed as the culprit.

The King and his official astronomer are alone in the study viewing the heavenly bodies through the monstrous telescope. They go out on the balcony and the gay old ruler is much absorbed in the phenomenon, and spends some time in studying the stars and planets. The evening has been well spent with the many mysteries which have made such a deep impression upon the King's mind that they are still with him in his dreams. (Moving Picture World synopsis)

Period piece debuting Matsunosuke Onoe

A story of ancient Rome. The scene of this story is laid in Rome in the days of Nero. Rome has recently suffered conflagrations and other disasters, and Nero, hoping to divert the public wrath from his own misconduct, has encouraged the persecution of the growing sect of Christians. Valerius, the hero of the story, is a young Roman officer of a better nature than the people with whom he is thrown in contact. Leah, the heroine, is a beautiful young woman, and one of the leading spirits of a band of Christians.

First feature film produced by the German pioneer Oskar Messter

Nine scenes based on the stories about Dmitry Donskoy, the hero of the Battle of Kulikovo. The content of the painting is uncomplicated: several Tatars attack the house of a peasant near Moscow, kill his son and take his daughter away with them, and the old man father goes on foot to the Grand Duke to ask for help. Without wasting time, Dmitry and his soldiers rush to avenge the offended.

A rich man, living in a splendid palace, in the city of Jerusalem, with his daughter and many servants, surrounded by every possible luxury, but blind, is healed of his affliction by Christ. Having regained his sight he does not make this known to his household, but quietly observes them for a time and sees how his servants rob him and even his daughter imposes upon him. Discouraged at his findings he goes out upon the highway where he again meets Christ, but this time He is carrying His cross and being led to Calvary. The sight of the suffering Savior teaches him to forgive his offenders.

Two handsome young Americans, cowboys of the "Bar O" ranch, fall in love with Kitty Blair, the pretty daughter of a neighboring ranchman.

Invited by Duke Alfonso II to the court of Ferrara to read his poems, the poet Torquato Tasso finds himself at the center of court intrigue because of his secret love for the Duke’s sister, Eleanora d’Este.

An amusing story of a forgotten dinner date, a pair of slightly cruel friends, and the unfortunate consequences for one well-meaning man forced to eat three meals in a single evening.

Documentary footage of a parade in Antwerp celebrating the annexation of Congo to Belgium.

Paris has the unique distinction of possessing women cabbies; the scheme of making them chauffeurs (or, more properly, "chauffeuses") meets with rather disastrous results, as is shown in this extremely funny picture. Business is bad and one of the female cabbies reads an "ad" in the newspaper calling for women chauffeurs, so she goes to the garage and gets the job. Getting into the auto, she starts out and makes for the railway station, where there is a good opportunity to do a record business. Her first passengers load into the machine and, after giving directions to the lady in charge, she starts down the street.

Lubin's The Doctor's Bride begins as the physician hero marries the daughter of a deceased patient. Accustomed to deprivation and poverty, the heroine is overwhelmed by the doctor's opulent lifestyle. While sleeping in a comfy chair, she dreams that she is lured away from home by a handsome stranger. As punishment for her philandering, she is reduced to the same poverty from whence she came. At this point, she is aroused from her slumbers with a renewed appreciation for her new spouse. The critic for the trade magazine Variety wrote off The Doctor's Bride as just so much "cheap sentiment."

Rare stencil-coloured images of early 20th century Delhi during a Muslim festival.

Romance of a Boot and a Dancing Slipper

The set-up here is that Cretinetti has been invited to a friend's wedding and dressed up in a fine new outfit, which so impresses every woman he sees that they wind up pursuing him en masse -- along with a couple of men.

Jim Flanders, a wealthy ranchman, has a beautiful daughter, Alice, who is loved by Tom Ripley, the foreman of the ranch. The match is objected to by Flanders, who desires his daughter to wed a more cultured and refined man.

Mozart feels compelled to finish a final requiem as he fears death is quickly approaching. Although the doctor has specifically ordered Mozart not to play or compose, Mozart begins a composition after listening to his student play the violin and having visions of three of his operas. After Mozart has finished his requiem a group of friends comes to visit him, and as they sing his last composition to him, Mozart dies.

Jean-Marie Hardouin is an old man who once was notorious because of the iron grip he exerted on his family but now he is lame. He whiles away his days in a chair in the house of his son and daughter-in-law. He has to see how his adulterous daughter-in-law plots to murder her two foster children and her husband. Jean-Marie can't intervene and because he can't talk he can't warn his own family. Misfortune, tragic developments, and a fatal ending dominated many of the early Dutch fiction films.

Man decides to crosss-dress to compete in a beauty pageant, for the 100 pound first prize.

A parlor full of bon vivants pass around an enchanted pair of spectacles that “reveal the personality and pleasures of the one who wears them.”

On a market day in Kernascleden, two Breton women exchange their hair for a few coins. The hair becomes hairpieces. Last scene, an elegant Parisian removes her hat and exposes her generous wig skillfully coiffed.

The bank guard and the director hear mysterious sounds coming from the basement vault, where all the gold is kept, and call in Master detective Pat Corner. Studying a floor plan, Corner quickly discovers a tunnel leading directly into the vault from a nearby pub. The tunnel ends in an old barn where an blind beggar often sleeps. Is he the one rummaging around the vault? (stumfilm.dk)

The American Civil War is the setting for this film which portrays the efforts of a girl, with the aid of her boyfriend, to deliver a message to the Confederate army while the Yankees try prevent them. After disguising themselves as Yankee soldiers, Nan and her young man are recognized, chased, and the young man killed. Nan manages to deliver the message but only after being shot herself, collapsing after the commander is in possession of the important news.

Based on characters from Shakespeare's play: When Juliet's father refuses to let Romeo see her, Romeo resorts to extreme measures.

FRAGMENT. Young Hansen is deeply in love with his boss’s daughter and regularly meets with her in secret. One day, the boss catches them and throws Hansen out on his ear. Hansen goes to the local bar to drown his sorrows. Here he meets a man who gives him some quite special cigars: their smoke seems to have a magical effect. Whenever he puffs smoke into someone’s face, they can be persuaded to do anything. Will his boss also prove susceptible to the magic of the mysterious cigar? Only a fragment of the film survives. The beginning and end are missing. The rest of the plot can be read in the film’s programme. (stumfilm.dk)

A Saturn film directed by Johann Schwarzer.

Part two of Blackton's "The Life of Napoleon". After Waterloo, Napoleon reminisces. His triumphs are seen in flashback. The film ends with the exiled Napoleon overlooking the beach of St. Helena.

Tom and Ethel separately decide to go bathing in a river. Pranksters switch their clothes and they each have to dress up as the opposite sex.

It is almost like meeting the renowned Russian author to see this film, we get such a splendid view of him as he leaves his fine estate, find ourselves within touch of him almost, and near enough to watch his every motion as he bids his secretary good-bye before getting on the train. The view of the surrounding country and the peasant folk who each and every one get a kind look from the author, are also most interesting.

After her mother's heart got stolen by the Devil himself Elsie must travel to his castle in hope of regaining the heart he stole and bringing life to her now cold and uncaring mother.

The earthquake that, on December 28, 1908, destroyed Messina and Reggio Calabria attracted droves of camera operators. We are uncertain of the identity of this film. We wander dismayed through the ruins of the Sicilian city: the port, Piazza Cairoli, the Palazzata. The townsfolk find refuge in first aid tents, search amongst the wreckage for survivors, load carts with household items, carry corpses on stretchers.

On 4 September Frederick Albert Cook (1865-1940) arrived in Copenhagen on the ship 'Hans Egede'. He received a hero's welcome as the first man to set foot on the North Pole. He was greeted by the king, and given an honorary doctorate at the University of Copenhagen. Only a few days later, however, his endeavour was questioned, and in December the University rejected Cook's documentation. Carl Th. Dreyer is seen as one of the journalists taking notes. (DFI)

Three men go out on the ocean in a row boat. There, they see dancing fairies. Then manage to catch one and take her aboard the boat--taking her back to the castle with them. Then, one of the men asks the fairy to marry him and they do so--though something strange occurs right after the ceremony.

Among the tall trees and mountains of the Far West, a father, son and daughter dwell peacefully in their mountain cabin, close to nature, seldom hearing of the great restless world outside, happy in their isolation. Jack, the son, visiting town on business, is tempted into a gambling saloon and takes part in a game of cards. Dalton, a gambler, undertakes to fleece the boy. The result is a fight in which Dalton is shot, and Jack becomes a fugitive.

Cretinetti meddles with things and lands into trouble every time, having his head forged on an anvil and falling into a pit on a construction site.

Pickpock is behind bars. But more elusive than Arsène Lupin, no chain resists him and he plays with policemen like a cat with mice. After having masterfully taken them for a ride, having brought them down to an effigy, he rolls them up and throws them out the window. But the policemen come back to life and the chase goes on. Pickpock, caught a second time, locked up behind heavy bars, finds a new way of escaping and imprisoning in turn the policemen.

Johanna loves poor farmer Joachim, yet marries the wealthy miller. One day, Joachim visits Johanna when he is away. When the miller finds out, he takes revenge.

A haughty politician, on seeing a satirical cartoon in a newspaper, rushes to the paper's offices to shoot the cartoonist. On discovering the cartoonist is a pretty woman, he falls instantly in love and wastes no time in trying to woo her.

The picture shows various kinds of birds in their natural environments, and in their natural colors, and at such close range that the very eyes of the little fledglings in the nest are easily discerned. Every feather seems distinct and the birds seem to be in such relief that it appears as though one could almost reach out and catch them.

Selkirk does its Border traditions proud with a cavalcade of riders and a herculean feat of banner waving.

A smoker falls asleep, and two mischievious fairies play with his pipe. He discovers this, and imprisons them in a cigar box. He removes a flower from the box, which contains a fairy smoking a cigarette. Next, he leaves briefly while his smoking paraphenalia clears itself from the table and the flower reassembles itself into a cigar. He lights the cigar, then breaks a bottle containing the fairy, who interacts with him in various ways reeling from his cigar smoke, building a bonfire that he extinguishes, etc.

Documentary about making cheese in the Netherlands.

Moses uses his last pennies to help a friend in need. 25 years later the men meet again.

Also known as Sherlock Holmes

Road Agents begins as a pair of outlaws prepares to rob a stagecoach. Donning masks and brandishing six-guns, the bad guys relieve the passengers of their valuables and also make off with a box full of payroll money. As the sheriff organizes a posse, the bandits are seen dividing their loot. The greedier of the two crooks beats up his partner and absconds with their ill-gotten gains. The other bandit, thirsting for revenge, joins the sheriff's posse to track down his former chum.

The recorded funeral of Brazil's 6th president, Doctor Afonso Pena.

An adaptation of Balzac's La Grande Bretêche