. . . for real, as in a snuff film (see the Edison exploitation flick titled THE LONE FISHERMAN), and maybe there is not a triple sex slaying (FOUR GIRLS A-SWIMMING, or something like that). Perhaps the only negative thing Mr. Light Bulb was trying to teach the kids of 1903 with TURNING THE TABLES was that if you get in a tight spot with a uniformed police officer, just get out of it with a little assault and battery. At the end of this 74.66 piece all eight of the juvenile delinquents seem to be getting off Scott Free, perhaps a turning point in American criminology (since by the time the Hayes Code required all crooks in American cinema to go straight to hell by the end of their films, it was like trying to close the barn door after Edison had let all the dogs out). According to the DVD talking head expert who comes with TURNING THE TABLES, such anti-social behavior and scoffing at authority was all Edison knew. For example, from 1895 to 1906 his movie studio mostly lost money due to much better products being offered by fresher, younger minds, but by 1907 he'd become cock of the walk by hiring every Johnny Cochran he could get his hands on to put 99% of his competition out of business through bogus copyright lawsuits, which is why all American movie conglomerates, internet companies, software providers, and media celebrities are still lawsuit\copyright infringement crazed to this very day!
2 Reviews
Mildly Interesting For Its Social Context
Snow Leopard18 October 2005
This short comedy feature is of some historical interest for its social context, in that the basic perspective is still a very common one in movies. Filmed in Wilmington, Delaware, it was made originally to provide some locally-produced features for a summer motion picture series nearby. So presumably the material was also chosen in the hope that audiences would identify with it.
The feature starts with a group of boys swimming in a small lake, in clear violation of a 'No Bathing Allowed' sign. They then have a slapstick confrontation with a police officer that, while light-hearted, clearly shows sympathy for the youngsters. The local, summertime setting was probably a good bet to be popular for its original purpose.
From a viewpoint over a century later, it reminds us that some social perspectives are common in any era, as similar scenes are still common in contemporary movies, the only difference being that they are no longer considered substantial enough to be a main feature in themselves. The movie itself is really only of passing interest, but even insubstantial features like this sometimes help us to get a better feel for long-ago eras.
The feature starts with a group of boys swimming in a small lake, in clear violation of a 'No Bathing Allowed' sign. They then have a slapstick confrontation with a police officer that, while light-hearted, clearly shows sympathy for the youngsters. The local, summertime setting was probably a good bet to be popular for its original purpose.
From a viewpoint over a century later, it reminds us that some social perspectives are common in any era, as similar scenes are still common in contemporary movies, the only difference being that they are no longer considered substantial enough to be a main feature in themselves. The movie itself is really only of passing interest, but even insubstantial features like this sometimes help us to get a better feel for long-ago eras.
See also
Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews
