Information
- BFI identifier57643
- Date1903 (Release)
- Production countryUnited Kingdom
- Production company
- SynopsisCOMEDY. Trick. A servant, Mary Jane, starts her early morning chores by attempting to light the fire and to polish a pair of boots. When she examines herself in the mirror she finds she has boot polish over her face. Meanwhile the fire has gone out. She pours paraffin into the grate and puts a match to it. The ensuing explosion projects her up the chimney and into the sky, from where her remains fall to earth. The headstone on her grave reads 'Here lies Mary Jane, who lighted the fire with parrafin'. An old lady and several maids weep in front of the grave. Mary Jane's ghost appears and fightens them off. Clutching a paraffin can, the ghost returns to the grave (248ft). (Shotlist)
- Work historyprobably inspired by Edwin Porter's The Finish of Bridget Mackeen 1901, in turn an elaboration of How Bridget Made the Fire by Biograph.
- Genre
- Subject
- Credits
- Cast
Title
Mary Jane's Mishap; Or, Don't Fool with the Paraffin (Original)
Mary Jane's Mishap (Alternative)
EIDR identifier
10.5240/FC43-1F35-62A8-F23B-E30D-NCategory
FictionThis work is available to view in the Mediatheque at BFI Southbank.
- Collections
- Film / Video
35mm BW Positive - Safety - Silent - Viewing
35mm BW Positive - Safety - Silent - Viewing
35mm BW Positive - Safety - Silent - Viewing
35mm BW Positive - Safety - Silent - Viewing
35mm BW Positive - CTA - Silent - Viewing
35mm BW Positive - Safety - Viewing
view all - StillsPhotograph: film still - Portrait - SPD-2359605
Photograph: film still - Portrait - SPD-2359606
Photograph: film still - Portrait - SPD-2359607
Photograph: film still - Portrait - SPD-2359608
Photograph: film still - Portrait - SPD-2359609
view all - ArticlesFilm History v16 n1 2004 - Articleview all
- +Mary Jane's Mishap; Or, Don't Fool with the Paraffin
Work - 57643 - 1903 (Release)
United Kingdom - Film - Fiction
Hierarchy Display