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For the Cause of Suffrage
(1909) United States of America
B&W : One reel / 905 feet
Directed by Gaston Méliès
Cast: Francis Ford [Mr. Duff]
Méliès Star-Film [American] production; distributed by Gaston Méliès through Enterprise Optical Company. / Produced by Gaston Méliès. / © 13 October 1909 by Georges Méliès [J133027]. Released 20 October 1909. / Standard 35mm spherical 1.33:1 format.
Comedy.
Synopsis: [?] [From The Moving Picture World]? Mrs. Duff has invited to lunch the celebrated Mrs. Mary Talker, the champion suffragist, who is to make a speech at a meeting on the same day. The board of suffragists have also been invited and are present. The maid, who waits at table, resembles a man in gait and manners. The unhappy Mr. Duff attempts to take part in the general conversation, but his wife severely admonishes him. In three instances he is told to keep silent, and the guests are shocked at the presumption on the part of Mr. Duff. The meeting admitting of no delay, they hurry over their lunch and depart. Mr. Duff is ready to accompany them, but Mrs. Duff commands him to remain in the house and await her return. The unfortunate husband goes into the kitchen and tells the woman cook of his great disappointment. The cook is a large Irishwoman who does not in the least understand what women suffragists mean. She keenly shows her displeasure to the maid, of whose manners she does not approve, and when the latter makes any remarks, threatens her with an iron. She gives Mr. Duff advice. He should no longer stand the tyrannical domination of his wife, and should find out for himself what is being discussed at the meetings of the suffragists. Alas! he cannot attend, as men are debarred. The good woman has an idea! She will lend him her clothes and he will go to the meeting. He accepts. The woman’s clothes are much too large for him. Mr. Duff is very slender. They, however, fill up the waist with any old things they find handy, and the cook takes off her wig and puts it on Mr. Duff’s head. There is yet to do away with the whiskers, and although this is a great sacrifice on his part, with a few strokes of a razor he cuts them off. Mr. Duff, minus this ornament which heretofore revealed his sex, leaves for the meeting. Nothing is more laughable than the gathering of the suffragists. The orator, Mrs. Mary Talker, is dressed like a man. She is repeatedly interrupted in her speech by one of the persons present, and the latter is finally called upon to speak. Mr. Duff ascends the tribune and carries the audience to such a pitch of excitement by his theories, which are contrary to those of the suffragists, that he is obliged to escape, and jumps out of the window. Then begins a most exciting pursuit; every moment it seems that Mr. Duff is to be overtaken by his pursuers; he tries to explain, and in his excitement he does not perceive that he has reached the end of a pier, and falls backwards into the water. His wife follows. Fortunately, someone in a motor boat catches sight of the couple as they fall, and noticing the excitement of the pursuers, who hesitate to throw themselves in the river, he hastens to the spot and rescues Mr. Duff, who has fainted, and his wife, who is very much alive. The crowd cheers the man who has saved the couple from drowning. Mr. Duff is very sick in bed. He is surrounded by all the suffragists of note and his wife gives him some nourishment, whilst one of the ladies reads something which will teach him quiet and resignation.
Reviews: [The Moving Picture World, 6 November 1909, page ?] While one is almost ready to deplore the production of more films of the roughhouse order, it must still be admitted that this subject has been well chosen and that it is a travesty upon a topic which is unquestionably engrossing a good deal of attention at present. It need not be accepted as in any sense an even fair representation of those who represent the suffrage movement, and that they lay themselves open to just such exaggerated misrepresentations by their often unsupported and insupportable argument and actions. That Mr. Duff should be under the domination of a woman of his wife’s Amazonian characteristics is not to be accepted as a travesty. It is quite likely to be true, and in this respect, at least, the picture is not overdrawn. But the scene in the meeting where the disguised Mr. Duff interrupts and is compelled to make an unceremonious exit to save himself from bodily harm, is funny, and the tumble from the pier, with the gathering about the unfortunate man’s bedside, are hits which raise a laugh. If these things are to be done, they should be done by producers as capable as the Melies Company.
Survival status: (unknown)
Current rights holder: Public domain [USA].
Keywords: Suffrage
Listing updated: 26 May 2024.
References: Sloan-Loud pp. 105, 148; Thompson-Star p. 227 : ClasIm-226 p. 54 : Website-AFI; Website-IMDb.
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