All Films

Trick Donkey

1903 • 1 min

This is a funny one. A clown first enters with an apparently docile donkey. A colored man follows and is assisted by the clown to mount on the donkey's back. He thinks he can manage him but the donkey thinks not, and after vainly trying to throw him off backward and failing in this, he changes his tactics and pitches the coon over his head. The man tries to mount him again, but all to no purpose, and some ludicrous positions and actions are witnessed. - Lubin Catalog

Comedy Cake Walk

1903 • 1 min • United States of America

Amusing cake walk of three men and two women (colored) in costume, showing the usual antics that occur in affairs of this kind.

A Daring Daylight Burglary

1903 • 4 min • United Kingdom

A thief jumps a fence and removes the shutter from a house. He enters, but a lad who's witnessed the crime runs off to hail the coppers. The first officer on the scene climbs the fence, enters the house, and is soon fighting with the thief on the roof. Falling from the roof, the officer is injured and requires an ambulance. Meanwhile, the thief flees, pursued by more men in blue.

Beautiful Helena

1903 • 2 min • Sweden

One of the first Swedish sound films, the audio has been lost though.

Man Overboard! 'Indiana'

1903 • 1 min • United States of America

The USS Indiana stages a rescue operation of a crewman that's fallen overboard.

Carl Neubronner mit Tochter Ilse

1903 • 1 min

"Carl Neubronner with his Daughter Ilse" shows Julius Neubronner's son at play with his daughter. Lying on his back, Carl balances the child on his feet, then the child does a forward roll.

New York City 'Ghetto' Fish Market

1903 • 3 min • United States of America

A fine panoramic view of this busy market on a Friday morning. Immense throngs of people are passing along the stands and making their purchases of fish.

The Wintry Alps

1903 • 5 min • United Kingdom

Scenes from a series filmed for Charles Urban by mountain expert Frank Ormiston-Smith, including The Battle of the Snow, Ski Jumping in the Alps, and Outing of the Ski Club.

La Sylphide

1903 • 1 min • Denmark

Solo from 'La sylphide' (1836), ballet by August Bournonville. Performed by Ellen Price (1878-1968), soloist from 1903. Ellen Price's dancing in Hans Beck's ballet 'The Little Mermaid' (1909) was the inspiration for Edvard Eriksen's statue of the same name (1911). (Stumfilm.DK)

How the Old Woman Caught the Omnibus

1903 • 2 min • United Kingdom

An elderly woman is determined to board an omnibus that does not want to stop for her.

The Gay Shoe Clerk

1903 • 1 min • United States of America

A woman being fitted for shoes exposes her ankle to the shoe clerk, who is intrigued. He kisses her, but her chaperone hits him with her umbrella.

Desperate Poaching Affray

1903 • 3 min • United Kingdom

Three hunters surprise two poachers in the act. The hunters take umbrage and give chase over fences and through fields. The hunters fire away, but the poachers have guns as well, and a fight ensues with casualties for the hunters. Two cops appear and so do dogs as the chase continues. Will the poachers escape, or will they, like the game they were after, be trapped?

Edward VII Visits Belfast

1903 • 1 min • United Kingdom

The King's first visit to Ireland's second city - where he unveils Belfast's iconic Queen Victoria statue.

Turning the Tables

1903 • 1 min • United States of America

A policeman confronts a group of boys who have ignored a 'No Bathing Allowed' sign.

Subub Surprises the Burglar

1903 • 1 min • United States of America

Shows a bedroom and a man asleep in bed. A burglar cautiously raises the window, climbs in, and proceeds to go through the man's clothes...

Mary Jane's Mishap

1903 • 4 min • United Kingdom

Mary Jane tries to light the oven. When she's unsuccessful, she plays around, getting black boot polish on her face. She mugs before a mirror. Then, it's back to work. When the stove still won't light, she pours in paraffin, winks at the camera, and lights a match. Kaboom! Is there any rest for the foolish, even in the grave?

The Enchanted Well

1903 • 3 min • France

A witch curses a town's well.

The Sick Kitten

1903 • 1 min • United Kingdom

A simple scene of two rather flamboyantly-dressed Edwardian children attempting to feed a spoonful of medicine to a sick kitten. The film is important for being one of the earliest films to cut to a close-up, then back again to the same medium shot as before.

Ten Ladies in an Umbrella

1903 • 3 min • France

The scene is similar to that seen at Coney Island, where a number of shows are constantly going on.

The Drawing Lesson

1903 • 2 min • France

In a corner of the garden we see an ornamental fountain. An old professor comes along, looking for a nice spot where he can teach his pupils. Finding the fountain to his liking he goes after his scholars. A mysterious person who has noticed the old man, by means of a balloon, a handkerchief and a coat, constructs a peculiar figure, doing a lot of tricks at the same time.

The Infernal Cake-Walk

1903 • 6 min • France

Pluto, having seen the earth, comes back home amazed at the success of that well-known dance, the "cake-walk." He has brought back with him two noted well-known dancers, who start their favorite dance amidst the flames.

The Ballet Master's Dream

1903 • 2 min • France

It's late in the evening, and the ballet master's bed has been prepared for him. But he cannot take his mind off of his work, and instead of going to sleep he paces the floor and tries out dance steps. Finally, he goes to bed and falls asleep, but ballet dominates even his dreams. He sees two dancers who seem to come right into his room as they perform, and that's just the beginning.

Faust in the Underworld

1903 • 7 min • France

The German legend of a scholar's unholy pact with the Devil would have been very familiar to most moviegoers (at least European ones), so Georges Méliès' early cinematic treatment likely got away with simply offering a fancifully illustrated late episode without the earlier narrative context (however, spoken narration provides some of the latter in this restored print). Tempted by Mephistopheles with all kinds of dancing and ethereal babes, Faust is at first excited and then terrified by the sight of various demons and monsters. The painted-set designers really went hog wild on this one, depicting the (sometimes sexy) torments of subterranean Hell with in bold terms (even when ballerinas prance in the foreground). (Dennis Harvey, Fandor)

The Marvellous Wreath

1903 • 4 min • France

A magician performs tricks with a marvelous wreath.