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Smashing a Jersey Mosquito
(1903) United States of America
B&W : [?] 85 or 90? feet
Directed by Edwin S. Porter
Cast: (unknown)
Edison Manufacturing Company production; distributed by Edison Manufacturing Company and Kleine Optical Company. / Cinematography by Edwin S. Porter. / [?] No copyright registration? Released February 1903. / Standard 35mm spherical 1.33:1 format. / The production was shot at Edison’s 21st Street studio in New York, New York, in the summer or fall of 1902. The film was illegally duplicated and sold in the USA by Lubin Manufacturing Company.
Comedy.
Synopsis: [From Edison promotional materials] A man and his wife are seated at a table in their happy New Jersey home. A huge mosquito appears and buzzes about their heads. The man seizes a broom handle, making a smash at the singing insect. He misses it, hitting his wife a stinging blow that knocks her to the floor. Then they combine their efforts to kill the terrible insect. As they miss the mosquito each time they make a blow, the weapons used hit something else in the room. Pictures, mirrors and other household effects of this kind are quickly demolished. The man then stands upon the table and endeavors to catch it. His wife strikes at it, but hits her husband instead, knocking his feet from under him, smashing the table through which he falls. The woman finally wounds the mosquito, and as it falls to the floor, the man jumps on it, when a terrific explosion takes place, great clouds of malarial gas escaping and wrecking the room. This is a side splitter and will keep any audience in roars of laughter. // [From Lubin promotional materials] Simpkins and his wife are sitting in their library, each reading a newspaper. Suddenly a mosquito of the “Jersey” variety makes his appearance and tackles Simpkins on his bald plate, after which Mr. Mosquito pays his respects to the madam. The twain prepare for action. One seizes a broom and makes a swipe for the skeeter, who evades the blow, which is received with full force by the master of the house. In aiming a blow for the lively insect Mrs. Simpkins destroys a beautiful old painting, the Cuckoo clock and various other ornaments in the room. Finally the boss of the mansion decides to reach the “Skeeter” by climbing on the table, but the table breaks from under him and he is precipitated to the ground with great force, breaking everything in his path in his descent. He captures the invader, however, on the floor, when he jumps on him and an explosion follows, wrecking the balance of the furniture, but Jersey is minus one large and juicy mosquito. Very funny.
Survival status: Print exists in the Library of Congress film archive (American Film Institute collection).
Current rights holder: Public domain [USA].
Keywords: Insects: Mosquitoes - USA: New Jersey
Listing updated: 18 March 2012.
References: Film viewing : Leyda-Before p. 51, 81, 107 : Website-AFI.
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