A House Divided (1913)
Directed by Alice Guy-Blaché
Genres - Comedy, Romance |
Sub-Genres - Comedy of Errors, Romantic Comedy |
Run Time - 13 min. |
Countries - United States |
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Synopsis by Bruce Calvert
This is a fairly amusing one-reeler about a couple who both suspect each other of infidelity, so they agree to separate but live in the same house together. Of course, it's all a misunderstanding, as a perfume salesman has spilled some perfume on the husband's suit -- while the cook's boyfriend has left his work gloves in the house. The couple will only communicate with written notes. This causes complications when the wife's mother shows up, they host a dinner party, and they think a burglar is in the basement. Overall, it was a pretty good 14 minutes packed with comedy and 1913 social comment on marriage. Director Alice Guy-Blaché was probably the first woman filmmaker, directing hundreds of short films in France and later in the United States.
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Themes
Keywords
extramarital-affair, love, misunderstanding, salesperson, separation, suspicion