Friday, November 18, 2011

"One Very Fine Lady", 1908 (Friday Video)


Susan reporting:

"Head-turning" is generally a complement, but in this very short French film, the lady in the title literally causes heads to turn with amusing - if disastrous - results. The work of director Louis Feauillade (1873-1925), this film and others like it are considered predecessors to the Keystone Kops-style of slapstick that would soon be produced in Hollywood. It's also something of a fashion piece: the lady's extravagant hat and equally extravagant corseting are the height of Edwardian style. No wonder she leaves such mayhem in her wake!
Many thanks to Heather A. Vaughan and her excellent blog Fashion Historia for sharing this video.
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4 comments:

  1. FannyNovember 18, 2011 at 1:29 AM

    Hahaha, wonderful!

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  2. MrsC (Maryanne)November 18, 2011 at 3:59 AM

    Hilarious! She's not sashaying along either that's a determined stride!

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  3. SharonNovember 19, 2011 at 8:07 PM

    That's the thing I have noticed about early films--the wiggling walk which we consider sexy is not seen at all before the hobble-skirt fashions of 1912-14. But once it arrives, it stays.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Elizabeth Varadan, AuthorDecember 2, 2011 at 1:38 PM

    I didn't have time to watch this until today, but it was great. I just had to laugh all the way through. Thanks.

    ReplyDelete

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