Classic Movies

Two men work in a large garden, one of them watering with a hose and wearing a boater. A young man in apron and cap sneaks into the scene, hides behind a bush, and kinks the hose. The man in the boater can't figure out what's going on, and before too long, he's soaked. He gives chase. Will he catch the prankster, and if he does, what punishment will he meet out -- IMDB Produced by James Bamforth Production company Bamforth Company Release date December 1899 Running time 1 min 9 secs Country United Kingdom Language Silent

Sherlock Holmes enters his drawing room to find it being burgled, but on confronting the villain is surprised when the latter disappears. Holmes initially attempts to ignore the event by lighting a cigar, but upon the thief's reappearance, Holmes tries to reclaim the sack of stolen goods, drawing a pistol from his dressing gown pocket and firing it at the intruder, who disappears. After Holmes recovers his property, the bag vanishes from his hand into that of the thief, who promptly disappears through a window. At this point the movie ends abruptly with Holmes looking "baffled" -- IMDB Directed by Arthur Marvin Cinematography Arthur Marvin Distributed by American Mutoscope and Biograph Company Running time 30 seconds Country United States Language Silent

A band-leader assembles an orchestra by mystifying means -- IMDB Directed by Georges Méliès Starring Georges Méliès Release date 1900 Running time 40 meters (approx. 1.5 minutes) Country France Language Silent film

A divinely inspired peasant woman becomes an army captain for France and then is martyred after she is captured -- IMDB Directed by Georges Méliès Written by Georges Méliès Produced by Georges Méliès Starring Jeanne Calvière Georges Méliès Jeanne d'Alcy Cinematography Leclerc Production company Star Film Company Release date November 11, 1900 Running time 10 minutes Country France Language Silent

A man dreams he is flirting with an attractive young lady, then he wakes up in bed next to his wife -- IMDB Directed by George Albert Smith Produced by George Albert Smith Starring Tom Green Laura Bayley Cinematography George Albert Smith Production company G.A. Smith Distributed by Warwick Trading Company Release date August 1900 Running time 1 minute 16 secs Country United Kingdom Language Silent

In one glorious point-of-view shot, a vehicle dashes full-speed into an ill-starred passer-by -- IMDB Directed by Cecil M. Hepworth Produced by Cecil M. Hepworth Starring May Clark Cecil M. Hepworth Cinematography Cecil M. Hepworth Edited by Cecil M. Hepworth Production company Hepworth Manufacturing Company Release date July 1900 Running time 1 minute Country United Kingdom Language Silent Film

A boy looks through glasses at various objects, seen magnified -- IMDB Directed by George Albert Smith Starring Harold Smith Production company G.A. Smith Distributed by Warwick Trading Company Release date November 1900 Running time 1 min 20 secs Country United Kingdom Language Silent

As if by magic, a weary traveller trying to undress, is foiled by his mutinous clothes as they teleport and multiply before his eyes, refusing to stay on the clothing rack -- IMDB Directed by Georges Méliès Release date 1900 Running time 1 min, 30 secs Country France Language Silent

Marguerite is seated before the fireplace, Faust standing by her side. Mephistopheles enters and offers his sword to Faust, commanding him to behead the fair Marguerite. Faust refuses, whereupon Mephistopheles draws the sword across the throat of the lady and she suddenly disappears and Faust is seated in her place -- IMDB Directed by Edwin S. Porter Production company Edison Manufacturing Company Release date February 28, 1900 Running time 57 seconds Country USA Language Silent

A man and two women sit down to eat dinner, but several unexpected surprises prevent them from their repast: the legs of the table grow, the table disappears into the floor, and a ghostly spirit appears and takes possession of the man -- IMDB Directed by Georges Méliès Production company Star Film Company Release date 1900 Country France Language Silent

As two couples enjoy their evening promenade in a nice but rickety open motor car, without notice, an explosion blows the vehicle to smithereens -- IMDB Directed by Cecil M. Hepworth Starring Cecil M. Hepworth Henry Lawley Production company Hepworth Manufacturing Company Release date 1900 Running time 1 min 45 secs Country United Kingdom Language Silent

A cartoonist defies reality when he draws objects that become three-dimensional after he lifts them off his sketch pad -- IMDB Produced by Vitagraph Studios Thomas Edison Starring J. Stuart Blackton Distributed by Edison Studios Release date November 16, 1900 Running time 1:30 Country United States Languages Silent film English intertitles

A fat policeman finds a crippled beggar is a fraud, and chases him -- IMDB Directed by Cecil Hepworth Distributed by Hepworth Manufacturing Company Release date November 1900 (UK)[1] Running time 58 seconds Country United Kingdom

The titles tell us this film is based on an incident in the Boxer Rebellion. A man tries to defend a woman and a large house against Chinese attackers. They attack with swords, guns, and paddles. He's over-matched. What will become of the mission, its defenders, and its occupants -- IMDB Directed by James Williamson Produced by James Williamson Starring Mr. James Mr. Lepard Florence Williamson Cinematography James Williamson Production company Williamson Kinematograph Company Release date 17 November 1900 Running time 1 min 25 secs Country United Kingdom Language Silent

An elderly gentleman in a silk hat sits on a stool in front of a store on the main street of town. He has a telescope that he focuses on the ankle of a young woman who is a short distance away. Her husband catches the gent looking. What will the two men now do -- IMDB Directed by George Albert Smith Produced by George Albert Smith Cinematography George Albert Smith Production company G. A. Smith Distributed by Warwick Trading Company Release date September 1900 Running time 59 seconds Country United Kingdom Language Silent

A winner and sure to please. In front of one of the largest newspaper offices is a hot air shaft through which immense volumes of air are forced by a blower. Ladies in crossing this shaft often have their clothes slightly disarranged. A young man is escorting a young lady and talking very earnestly. They walk slowly along until they stand directly over the air shaft. The young lady's skirts are suddenly raised to an almost unreasonable height, greatly to her horror and much to the amusement of the newsboys, bootblacks, and passersby -- IMDB Directed by George S. Fleming Edwin S. Porter Starring A. C. Abadie Florence Georgie Cinematography Edwin S. Porter Release date August 1901 Running time 77 seconds Country United States

Here we present a picture that simply convulses an audience with laughter. The scene opens in the bedroom of a hotel. A traveler appears, evidently a "little worse for wear." After stretching and yawning, he proceeds to disrobe. He throws off his coat and vest, but to his surprise and anguish, he suddenly finds himself clothed in a continental uniform. He throws this off in anger, but immediately a policeman's costume flies on him. This is in turn thrown aside in great rage and he finds himself clothed in a soldier's uniform. At last, thinking himself successful, he makes for the bed and finds a skeleton complacently resting on his pillow. The bed suddenly disappears, leaving him seated on the floor, and great quantities of bed clothes rain down from the ceiling. The picture ends leaving the audience simply convulsed in laughter -- IMDB Directed by Walter R. Booth Produced by Robert W. Paul Production company Paul's Animatograph Works Release date 1901 Running time 3 minutes 10 secs Country United Kingdom Language Silent

A hungry vagabond snatches a wrapped leg of lamb and jumps into a large wooden barrel to hide. Will he get away scot-free -- IMDB Directed by James Williamson Produced by James Williamson Starring Sam Dalton Cinematography James Williamson Production company Williamson Kinematograph Company Release date October 1901 Running time 1 min 6 secs Country United Kingdom Language Silent

Time-lapse photography is used to show the manual dismantling and demolition of New York's Star Theatre over a period of about 30 days -- IMDB Directed by F.S. Armitage Produced by American Mutoscope and Biograph Company Cinematography F.S. Armitage Release date 1901 Running time 1 minute 58 seconds Country United States Language Silent film

It's Christmas Eve. The miser Scrooge and his assistant Bob Cratchit finish their work in the office and go home. When Scrooge is going to open his front door, he sees the face of Marley's ghost in the door knocker. Inside he takes on his night dress, eats his supper, and falls asleep at the table. Marly's ghost shows Scrooge a vision of himself at a Christmas in the past. Then the ghost escorts him to the present Christmas, and the homes and families of Bob Cratchit and Fred, where Scrooge sees Bob and Fred drink to him in his absence. At last the ghost shows Scrooge the Christmas that might be. Here Scrooge has to face his own grave and the death of Tiny Tim. Confronted with this Scrooge regrets his callousness and egoism -- IMDB Directed by Walter R. Booth Written by J.C. Buckstone Based on A Christmas Carol 1843 novella by Charles Dickens Produced by Robert W. Paul Starring Daniel Smith Production company Paul's Animatograph Works Release date November 1901 Running time 6 mins 20 secs Country United Kingdom

A black miner makes an intriguing addition to an already captivating film of coal workers up from their pit. Showman Albert Sedgwick, conspicuously raffish in homburg and moustache, bestrides and controls this film. Sedgwick has 'planted' the poster board advertising the show in which it's to be screened - as well as, probably, the Afro-Caribbean man whose presence in Edwardian Lancashire so surprises us. And he is choreographing, right before our eyes, the procession of colliers for the camera -- BFI

Produced by Edison Manufacturing Company Starring William McKinley Cinematography attributed to Edwin S. Porter and James H. White[1] Release date March 16, 1901 Country United States Language Silent film

A hotel porter tries in his spare time to find out the secrets of the guests in looking through the keyholes of the different rooms. He must see very funny things, judging from his facial expressions -- IMDB Directed by Ferdinand Zecca Cinematography Ferdinand Zecca Production company Pathé Frères Distributed by Pathé Company Release date 1901 Running time Approximately 2 minutes Country France Language Silent

Directed by James Kenyon Sagar Mitchell Produced by James Kenyon Sagar Mitchell Cinematography James Kenyon Sagar Mitchell Production company Mitchell & Kenyon Release date 3 July 1901 Running time 2 mins Country United Kingdom Language Silent

A chemist carries out a bizarre experiment with his own head -- IMDB Directed by Georges Méliès Starring Georges Méliès Production company Star Film Company Release date 1901 Running time 3 minutes Country France Language Silent