Best Picture 1903
by logandarko | created - 09 Mar 2012 | updated - 02 Mar 2014 | Public- Genres
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1. The Great Train Robbery (1903)
TV-G | 11 min | Short, Action, Adventure
A group of bandits stage a brazen train hold-up, only to find a determined posse hot on their heels.
Director: Edwin S. Porter | Stars: Gilbert M. 'Broncho Billy' Anderson, A.C. Abadie, George Barnes, Justus D. Barnes
Votes: 20,982
2. The Life and Passion of Jesus Christ (1903)
45 min | Biography, Drama
The story of Jesus Christ from the proclamation of his Nativity to his crucifixion. Impressive scenes and dynamism of the actors prelude to the Italian colossal movies of the silent period.
Directors: Lucien Nonguet, Ferdinand Zecca | Stars: Madame Moreau, Monsieur Moreau
Votes: 674
3. The Kingdom of the Fairies (1903)
Not Rated | 16 min | Short, Adventure, Fantasy
In this spectacular free adaptation of the popular theatre play "La Biche au Bois", the valiant Prince Bel-Azor pursues a baleful old witch to her impregnable castle, to save the beautiful young Princess Azurine.
Director: Georges Méliès | Stars: Georges Méliès, Marguerite Thévenard, Bleuette Bernon, André Deed
Votes: 1,818
4. The Music Lover (1903)
3 min | Short, Comedy, Music
The leader of a marching band demonstrates an unusual way of writing music.
Director: Georges Méliès | Star: Georges Méliès
Votes: 1,938
5. The Cake-Walk Infernal (1903)
Not Rated | 5 min | Short, Fantasy, Horror
Deep into a vast cavern of the pitch-black inferno, a couple of professional dancers demonstrate the cakewalk that is currently so much in vogue, and now, everyone in the once-gloomy underworld is doing the crazy dance. Who is the best?
Director: Georges Méliès | Star: Georges Méliès
Votes: 1,198
6. Alice in Wonderland (1903)
9 min | Short, Family, Fantasy
This is the first movie version of the famous story. Alice dozes in a garden, awakened by a dithering white rabbit in waistcoat with pocket watch. She follows him down a hole and finds herself in a hall of many doors.
Directors: Cecil M. Hepworth, Percy Stow | Stars: May Clark, Cecil M. Hepworth, Blair, Geoffrey Faithfull
Votes: 2,881
7. Uncle Tom's Cabin (I) (1903)
Not Rated | 13 min | Short, Drama
Based on the novel by Harriet Beecher Stowe: Eliza, a slave who has a young child, pleads with Tom, another slave, to escape with her. Tom does not leave, but Eliza flees with her child. ... See full summary »
Director: Edwin S. Porter
Votes: 532
8. The Enchanted Well (1903)
Not Rated | 4 min | Fantasy, Drama, Short
Denied a handout, a witch exacts vengeance by cursing the village well.
Director: Georges Méliès | Star: Georges Méliès
Votes: 482
9. The Damnation of Faust (1903)
6 min | Short, Fantasy
Scenes. 1. The Route to the Depths of Perdition (a Dazzingly Sensational New Effect.) 2. The Fantastical Ride. 3. The Gloomy Pass. 4. The Stream. 5. The Entrance to the Lower Regions. 6. ... See full summary »
Director: Georges Méliès | Star: Georges Méliès
Votes: 464
10. The Infernal Cauldron (1903)
2 min | Short, Horror
Two demons throw helpless captives into a boiling cauldron, and then try to summon forth their spirits.
Director: Georges Méliès | Star: Georges Méliès
Votes: 2,309
11. Daylight Burglary (1903)
5 min | Short, Crime, Drama
A thief jumps a fence and removes the shutter from a house. He enters, but a lad who's witnessed the crime runs off to hail the coppers.
Director: Frank S. Mottershaw
Votes: 448
12. Jupiter's Thunderballs (1903)
Not Rated | 4 min | Short, Fantasy
Brief "trick film" in which Zeus and two other gods romp with dancing girls on Olympian clouds.
Director: Georges Méliès | Star: Georges Méliès
Votes: 448
13. Mary Jane's Mishap (1903)
4 min | Short, Comedy
Smith casts his wife as a sluttish housewife who is mutilated by lighting her oven with paraffin.
Director: George Albert Smith | Star: Laura Bayley
Votes: 1,038
14. The Magic Lantern (1903)
Not Rated | 5 min | Short, Comedy, Fantasy
In this brief "trick film" two clowns assemble an enormous magic lantern which first projects moving images, then emits dancing girls.
Director: Georges Méliès | Star: Zizi Papillon
Votes: 810
15. The Monster (1903)
Not Rated | 3 min | Short, Fantasy, Horror
Against a moonlit Egyptian backdrop duly encompassing the Sphinx, a narrator explains how a prince hires a mystic to bring back his beloved late wife.
Director: Georges Méliès | Star: Georges Méliès
Votes: 1,336
16. Misfortune Never Comes Alone (1903)
Not Rated | 3 min | Short, Comedy
The scene takes place in front of a barrack, where a young soldier is on duty --most laughable and comical.
Director: Georges Méliès | Star: Georges Méliès
Votes: 287
17. Extraordinary Illusions (1903)
Not Rated | 2 min | Short, Comedy
Pioneer filmmaker Georges Méliès performs his cine-magic act.
Director: Georges Méliès | Star: Georges Méliès
Votes: 416
18. The Poachers (1903)
3 min | Short, Action, Crime
Three hunters surprise two poachers in the act. The hunters take umbrage and give chase over fences and through fields. The hunters fire away, but the poachers have guns as well, and a ... See full summary »
Director: William Haggar | Stars: Sid Griffiths, Will Haggar Jr., Walter Haggar
Votes: 436
19. A Chess Dispute (1903)
Not Rated | 1 min | Short, Comedy
A stationary camera looks on as two dapper gents play a game of chess. One drinks and smokes, and when he looks away, his opponent moves two pieces. A fight ensues, first with the squirting... See full summary »
Director: Robert W. Paul | Star: Alfred Collins
Votes: 728
20. Prolific Magic Egg (1903)
2 min | Short, Fantasy
A human skeleton is placed upon a table by an attendant. When the attendant leaves the room the skeleton begins kicking his legs and throwing his arms about and suddenly turns into a ... See full summary »
Director: Georges Méliès | Star: Georges Méliès
Votes: 295
21. What Happened in the Tunnel (1903)
Not Rated | 1 min | Comedy, Short
A woman riding a train must contend with the unwelcome advances of a male passenger.
Director: Edwin S. Porter | Stars: Gilbert M. 'Broncho Billy' Anderson, Bertha Regustus
Votes: 375
22. Life of an American Fireman (1903)
Not Rated | 6 min | Short, Action
A fireman rushes into a carriage to rescue a woman from a house fire. He breaks the windowpanes and carries the woman to safety; after dangerous and uncertain moments he also saves the woman's son.
Directors: George S. Fleming, Edwin S. Porter | Stars: Edwin S. Porter, Vivian Vaughan, Arthur White, James H. White
Votes: 2,702
23. Ten Ladies in One Umbrella (1903)
Not Rated | 4 min | Short, Comedy, Fantasy
The scene is similar to that seen at Coney Island, where a number of shows are constantly going on. A Juggler enters, dressed in promenade costume, with an overcoat hanging over his arm, a ... See full summary »
Director: Georges Méliès | Star: Georges Méliès
Votes: 367
24. An Extraordinary Cab Accident (1903)
Not Rated | 1 min | Short, Comedy
A man and a woman talk beside a street near a corner where a cop stands. Just as a horse-drawn cart rounds the corner, the man backs off the sidewalk saying good-by to his companion. The ... See full summary »
Directors: Walter R. Booth, Robert W. Paul
Votes: 553
25. New York City 'Ghetto' Fish Market (1903)
Not Rated | 2 min | Documentary, Short
A fine panoramic view of this busy market on a Friday morning. Immense throngs of people are passing along the stands and making their purchases of fish. A great character-study. - from the Edison Catalog
Director: Edwin S. Porter
Votes: 259
26. Rube and Mandy at Coney Island (1903)
12 min | Comedy, Short
The first scene shows a country couple entering Steeplechase Park. They proceed to amuse themselves on the steeplechase, rope bridge, the "Down and Out" and riding the bulls. The scene then... See full summary »
Director: Edwin S. Porter
Votes: 132
27. Down the Hudson (1903)
3 min | Documentary, Short
Film taken from a boat heading down the Hudson is shown at varying speeds, often giving a sense of rapid transit. We see empty hills sweeping by, then a steamboat passes. A few houses ... See full summary »
Directors: Frederick S. Armitage, A.E. Weed
Votes: 240
28. The Sick Kitten (1903)
1 min | Short, Comedy, Family
A girl gives a spoonful of medicine to a kitten.
Director: George Albert Smith
Votes: 1,152
29. Robinson Crusoe (1902)
14 min | Short, Drama
Robinson Crusoe and Friday fight with hostile natives, and eventually retire to their jungle cottage to relax.
Director: Georges Méliès | Stars: André Deed, Georges Méliès
Votes: 455
30. Subub Surprises the Burglar (1903)
1 min | Short, Comedy
Shows a bedroom and a man asleep in bed. A burglar cautiously raises the window, climbs in, and proceeds to go through the man's clothes. The man awakes, pulls a lever, which closes him up ... See full summary »
Director: Edwin S. Porter
Votes: 285
31. Skyscrapers of New York City, from the North River (1903)
Not Rated | 3 min | Short, Documentary
This short film shows a panoramic view of Manhattan Island, as it appeared in 1903. The island is viewed from the North River (Hudson River), and the view moves down the west side of the ... See full summary »
Director: J.B. Smith
Votes: 586
32. Comment monsieur prend son bain (1903)
Not Rated | 1 min | Short, Comedy
An uncharacteristic "trick" film from Alice Guy. The fellow prepares for his bath. And prepares. And prepares.
Director: Alice Guy | Star: Ferdinand Zecca
Votes: 254
33. At the Foot of the Flatiron (1903)
Not Rated | 2 min | Short, Documentary
It's a very windy day, and the pedestrians passing by the Flatiron Building are having considerable difficulty in keeping their hats from flying off.
Director: A.E. Weed
Votes: 196
34. Emigrants Landing at Ellis Island (1903)
2 min | Documentary, Short
Shows a large open barge loaded with people of every nationality, disembarking at Ellis Island, N. Y. A most interesting and typical scene.
Director: A.C. Abadie
Votes: 261
35. The Gay Shoe Clerk (1903)
Unrated | 1 min | Comedy, Short
A woman being fitted for shoes exposes her ankle to the shoe clerk, who is intrigued. He kisses her, but her chaperone hits him with her umbrella.
Director: Edwin S. Porter | Star: Edward Boulden
Votes: 1,183
36. The Mystical Flame (1903)
2 min | Short, Fantasy
A juggler enters upon the scene, picks up a skull, throws it into the air, catches it in his hands, where it is transformed into a handkerchief. The handkerchief, after being twirled about ... See full summary »
Director: Georges Méliès | Stars: Jules-Eugène Legris, Georges Méliès
Votes: 197
37. Move On (1903)
Unrated | 1 min | Short
Push-cart vendors are told to move on by a policeman.
Director: A.C. Abadie
Votes: 250
39. Street Car Chivalry (I) (1903)
1 min | Comedy, Short
Men on the streetcar offer their seats to pretty women, but not to an ugly woman.
Votes: 91
41. From Show Girl to Burlesque Queen (1903)
Not Rated | 1 min | Short
A woman in fancy dress enters a dressing room and begins to disrobe. She removes a coat, a top, and her skirt. As she starts to remove her chemise in front of the camera, she thinks the ... See full summary »
Director: A.E. Weed
Votes: 379
42. A Romance of the Rail (1903)
4 min | Short, Comedy, Romance
An engaged couple, dressed in white, meet each other at a train station. When the train arrives, they get on board, and they enjoy the sights from the platform on the last car. The workers ... See full summary »
Director: Edwin S. Porter | Star: Marie Murray
Votes: 391
43. Electrocuting an Elephant (1903)
Not Rated | 1 min | Documentary, Short, Horror
The execution of Topsy, a female elephant, in a publicity stunt advertising the opening of Luna Park on Coney Island. Topsy was originally owned by Forepaugh Circus where she killed a ... See full summary »
Director: Edwin S. Porter | Stars: Carl Goliath, Topsy
Votes: 1,926
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