Those Country Kids - 1914

Country: United States

Language: English

Stars: Roscoe 'Fatty' Arbuckle, Mabel Normand and Al St. John

Release Date: 20 August 1914 (USA)

Production Co: Keystone Film Company

Sound Mix: Silent

Color: Black and White

Genres: Short | Comedy

The Gusher - 1913

Country: United States

Language: English

Director: Mack Sennett

Stars: Ford Sterling, Mabel Normand and Charles Inslee

Release Date: 15 December 1913 (USA)

Production Co: Keystone Film Company

Sound Mix: Silent

Color: Black and White

Genres: Comedy | Short

When Mack Sennett formed Keystone in 1912 he took Mabel Normand with him. The studio was built in Edendale near down-town Los Angeles. "The Gusher" is one of the many, many movies he made at this time.

Mabel has two suitors - an oily con man, whom she mocks in a very funny scene where she is shown twiddling a fake moustache and making her feelings very clearly felt. Even in this early comedy her natural fun comes through. The one she really loves is clumsy yokel Ford Sterling, who is determined to buy an oil well that the con man has for sale. The conman gets a local fellow to pour oil over the property. Ford falls for it and buys it - Mabel and he are to be married. Then the fellow confesses that it was just a scam - there was no oil. Of course, the next minute oil really is discovered and Ford and Mabel are over-joyed. Just as they are about to get married the conman comes back on the scene. He throws a lighted match on the oil and the screen spectacularly erupts in a crimson fire ball. Everyone then gets in on the act - there are all the townsfolk, Mabel in her wedding veil, the Keystone Cops make a brief appearance, Mabel has to fend off the con- man's oily advances and Ford has to stop falling over his own feet.

The film ends on a positive note. The fire is still polluting the skies but Ford has proved he is a man and not a mouse by fighting the conman and protecting Mabel's honour.

Her Torpedoed Love - 1917

Country: United States

Director: Frank Griffin

Stars: Louise Fazenda, Ford Sterling and Wayland Trask

Release Date: 13 May 1917 (USA)

Production Co: Keystone Film Company, Triangle Film Corporation

Sound Mix: Silent

Color: Black and White

Plot Keywords: Two Reeler

Genres: Short | Comedy

Getting Evidence - 1906

Country: United States

Language: English

Director: Edwin S. Porter

Stars: Paul Panzer

Release Date: October 1906 (USA)

Also known as: Getting Evidence, Showing the Trials and Tribulations of a Private Detective (USA - long title)

Filming Locations: Asbury Park, New Jersey, USA; New York City, New York, USA

Production Co: Edison Manufacturing Company

Runtime: 14 min

Sound Mix: Silent

Color: Black and White

Plot Keywords: Cuckold

Genres: Short | Comedy

A jealous husband arrives in the office of Hawkshaw, a private detective. The husband is certain that his wife is being unfaithful, and he wants the detective to produce photographic evidence. The detective tails the wife, and thinks he has caught her, but a sudden mishap prevents him from getting a photo. Despite this and further setbacks, the dedicated detective presses on, determined to fulfill his assignment.

Connections

Featured in Edison: The Invention of the Movies (2005) (Video). The entire film is included on the DVD

A Strong Revenge - 1913

Country: United States

Language: English (intertitles)

Director: Mack Sennett

Stars: Mack Sennett, Mabel Normand and Ford Sterling

Release Date: 10 March 1913 (USA)

Also known as: The Rivals (USA - reissue title); The Shoemaker's Revenge (USA - working title)

Production Co: Keystone Film Company

Sound Mix: Silent

Color: Black and White

Genres: Short | Comedy

That Little Band of Gold - 1915

Country: United States

Language: English

Stars: Roscoe 'Fatty' Arbuckle, Mabel Normand and Phyllis Allen

Release Date:15 March 1915 (USA)

Also known as: Before and After Marriage (USA - working title), For Better or Worse (undefined)

Production Co: Keystone Film Company

Runtime: 25 min (2005 alternate version)

Sound Mix: Silent

Color: Black and White

Plot Keywords: Opera | Divorce | Alimony | Kiss | Flirtation  | Mother In Law | Ring | Jealousy | Drunkenness | Tattletale | Mother Daughter Relationship | Wedding | Engagement | Maid | Restaurant | Wine | Smoking | Butler

Genres: Comedy | Short

A happy young couple become engaged, and soon afterwards they are married. But after their marriage, the husband begins to stay out carousing with his friends, leaving his wife at home with her mother. Then, when the three of them go to the opera together, the husband spots one of his friends in another box. Soon the domestic difficulties reach their peak.