How Jones Lost His Roll - 1905

Country: United States

Language: English

Director: Edwin S. Porter

Release Date: May 1905 (USA)

Production Co: Edison Manufacturing Company

Sound Mix: Silent

Color: Black and White

Plot Keywords: Neighbor | Dinner | Miser | Skinflint | Cigar Smoking  | Card Playing | Cardsharp | Card Scam | Wearing Barrel | Cheating | Lighting Someone's Cigar | Handshake | Playing Card | Card Shark | Dinner Invitation | Card Cheat | Mirror | Invitation | Cheating At Cards | Suburbia

Genres: Comedy | Short

Jones is on his way home, carrying a roll of money, when he meets a neighbor who is a notorious miser. The neighbor unexpectedly invites Jones to dinner, and serves him a large meal with plenty of wine. After dinner, the neighbor suggests a way of passing the time - and soon his real intentions become clear. 

Trivia

This film is notable for its early use of animation, which is limited strictly to the intertitles. A jumble of letters from off-screen appears and forms the words and sentences. One of the intertitles also features two pictures of hands performing a very crude animated handshake.  

Yes, Yes, Nanette - 1925

Country: United States

Language: English

Directors: Clarence Hennecke, Stan Laurel

Writer: Carl Harbaugh

Stars: James Finlayson, Grant Gorman and Jack Gavin

Release Date: 19 July 1925 (USA)

Also known as: Ja, Ja, Nanette (Netherlands - DVD title)

Production Co: Hal Roach Studios

Sound Mix: Silent

Color: Black and White

Plot Keywords: Dog | Letter | Wig | Collapsing Chair | William Jennings Bryan  | Cigar Smoking | Family Relationships | Hal Roach | Husband Wife Relationship | Family Home | Piano | Character Name In Title

Genres: Family | Short | Comedy

Nanette sends a letter to her family telling of her new husband, Hillory. When Hillory arrives to meet the family, he gets insulted by each member, including the dog, and loses his wig. After having dinner with the family, Nanette's former lover returns, and Hillory must confront him. 

Trivia

The title is a spoof of the name of a hugely successful Broadway musical from 1925, "No, No, Nanette". 

The Battle Royal - 1916

Country: United States

Director: Willard Louis

Stars: Oliver Hardy, Billy Ruge and Elsie MacLeod

Release Date: 13 April 1916 (USA)

Also known as: A Battle Royal (USA - alternative title)

Filming Locations: Jacksonville, Florida, USA

Production Co: Vim Comedy Film Company

Sound Mix: Silent

Color: Black and White

Plot Keywords: Hill | Neighbor | Kentucky | Bootlegger | Backwoods  |  Still | Illegal Still | Rifle | Chop Down Tree | Off Screen Narration | Feuding Families | Whiskey | White Lightning | Alcohol | One Reeler | Treasury Agent

Genres: Comedy | Short

In the hills of Kentucky, the Plumps and the Runts are neighbors and bootleggers. Peter Plump is in love with one of the Runts, and her brother is in love with one of the Plumps. The courting and the spooning go well until Peter and his future brother-in-law hook the same fish and start a fight over whose it is. The fracas escalates, and soon the two families are shooting at each other. If love can't bring the two sides back together, what can?