Mechanical Miniatures

Series

Series Name: Eve And Everybody’s Film Review

Issue

Issue No.

499

Date Released

25 Dec 1930

Length of issue (in feet)

750

Stories in this Issue:

Story

Story No. within this Issue

2 / 6

Summary

NoS synopsis: "Just puppets, but with all the skill of controlled fingers". Two puppets on strings are made to fence - one wears a skirt or kilt, the other a suit of armour. They are framed within a little puppet theatre setting. The Scottish (?) puppet knocks the other down then does a little jig. "To the rescue! (And the defeat of the villing!)". A maiden in distress sits on a bench. An unsavoury character - possibly supposed to be Indian - threatens the woman with a knife. A puppet in Harlequin outfit comes to her rescue. "Although the art of the puppet show is as old as time itself, the controlling of those many cords is anything but simple - long practice is essential." The villain is scared off - the Harlequin and the damsel have a little dance. Through a dissolve the puppeteers are revealed holding the strings. C/U of woman operating one of the puppets. C/U of bearded man operating another. C/U of all three then pan down to the moving puppets. M/S of puppeteer with a collection of puppets hanging up.

Researcher Comments

A short handwritten shot list is present in the Pathe boxfile.

Keywords

Performing arts

Footage sources

Pathe Re-issue

Written sources

Pathe Inventory File Tin No.202
British Pathe Database 1997 Reference No. EP202
Pathe Eve 494-515 Boxfile Issue sheet

Credits:

Production Co.: British Pathe Ltd.

Length of story (in feet)

158

This series is held by:

Film Archive

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Notes: Pathe now also handles the Reuters Historical Collection, which includes the British Paramount, Empire British, Gaumont Graphic and Gaumont British newsreels.
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Record Stats