This pointless but energetic little film from Pathe won't win any awards for plot, but it's brief running time means it's a minor diversion that doesn't outstay its welcome. A down-at-heel cellist takes a seat in the middle of a provincial street and begins playing his instrument, much to the annoyance of the residents who begin throwing things out of their windows at him. At one point the film cuts away from the musician to show a group of people passing items up the stairs to throw at him (music obviously has powers to bring a neighbourhood together - especially if it's played badly). Personally, I'd have gone out onto the street and swiped his bow...
3 Reviews
Brickbats And Bouquets
boblipton6 August 2020
A music student carries his cello into a courtyard and begins to play. As he saws away, the tenants show their love of music by showering him with crockery, rotten fruit, and similar testaments to his lack of ability.
This comedy from Pathe is moderately funny, simple and primitive as it is.It's clearly shot on a stage, and although there is a cutaway to the interior of an apartment, where the inhabitants prepare to toss objects at the player, it quickly loses its zest as it goes on and on with its variations on a theme.
This comedy from Pathe is moderately funny, simple and primitive as it is.It's clearly shot on a stage, and although there is a cutaway to the interior of an apartment, where the inhabitants prepare to toss objects at the player, it quickly loses its zest as it goes on and on with its variations on a theme.
Bad Music, Good Filmmaking
Cineanalyst25 May 2012
In this early four-scene Pathé short film, "First Prize in Cello", a bad cellist playing on a street is greeted by occupants of the apartments above with their belongings and other things being thrown at him. The comedy here is the usual, violent, primitive variety of early cinema. A couple things in it stand out, though. This is one of surprisingly many silent films that emphasize music. The sets are rather good and realistic for the time, including the use of linear perspective.
Additionally, there is the most primitive of crosscutting. The film cuts from the outside view of the cellist on the street with stuff being tossed on him, to a view of the occupants inside gathering and throwing it out the window and, then, cuts back to the view of the cellist. That continuity of shots A – B – A is the most basic crosscutting. The year 1907 is quite early for the history of crosscutting (or parallel editing). According to film historians, Pathé, however, was one of the first to employ the technique, and they started to do so around that time. For two other examples of Pathé's early use of crosscutting available on home video, see "The Runaway Horse" (Le cheval emballé, 1908) and "The Physician of the Castle" (Le médecin du château, 1908)—both of which had a demonstrative influence on D.W. Griffith's use of extended crosscutting in his short films.
Additionally, there is the most primitive of crosscutting. The film cuts from the outside view of the cellist on the street with stuff being tossed on him, to a view of the occupants inside gathering and throwing it out the window and, then, cuts back to the view of the cellist. That continuity of shots A – B – A is the most basic crosscutting. The year 1907 is quite early for the history of crosscutting (or parallel editing). According to film historians, Pathé, however, was one of the first to employ the technique, and they started to do so around that time. For two other examples of Pathé's early use of crosscutting available on home video, see "The Runaway Horse" (Le cheval emballé, 1908) and "The Physician of the Castle" (Le médecin du château, 1908)—both of which had a demonstrative influence on D.W. Griffith's use of extended crosscutting in his short films.
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