A Florida Enchantment (1914)

A young woman discovers a seed that can make women act like men and men act like women. She decides to take one, then slips one to her maid and another to her fiancé. The fun begins.

Director:

Sidney Drew

Writers:

Marguerite Bertsch, Archibald Clavering Gunter (novel),

Stars:

Sidney Drew, Edith Storey, Charles Kent

Cast

Cast overview:
Sidney Drew	...	Dr. Fred Cassadene
Edith Storey	...	Miss Lillian Travers
Charles Kent	...	Major Horton
Mrs. Sidney Drew	...	Bessie Horton (as Jane Morrow)
Ada Gifford	...	Mrs. Stella Lovejoy
Ethel Lloyd	...	Jane
Lillian Burns	...	Malvina
Grace Stevens	...	Miss Constancia Oglethorpe
Allan Campbell	...	Mr. Stockton Remington
Cortland Van Deusen	...	Charley Wilkes
Frank O'Neil	...	Gustavus Duncan

Storyline

A young woman discovers a seed that can make women act like men and men act like women. She decides to take one, then slips one to her maid and another to her fiancé. The fun begins.

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Plot Keywords:

lesbian kiss | gay interest | magic seed | mulatto | chest | 

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Genres:

Comedy

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Certificate:

Unrated

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

10 August 1914 (USA)

Filming Locations:

St. Augustine, Florida, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Vitagraph Company of America

Technical Specs

Runtime:

63 min

Sound Mix:

Silent

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Connections

Featured in The Celluloid Closet (1995)

User Reviews

gender-bent comedy predates 'Birth of a Nation'

The plot alone is enough to ensure a place for this early Vitagraph feature on a list of true motion picture curiosities. At a Florida seaside resort a young bride-to-be swallows a magic African seed which allows her to change gender in every way except outward appearance, much to the dismay of her fiancé (played by comedian/director Sidney Drew), who soon finds both himself and his future wife flirting with the same women! The sexual role reversal device (Drew is later 'transformed' into a woman) wears thin after all the expected gestures are exhausted, but the pantomime skill of Edith Storey as the bride-turned-bachelor is right on target and still funny after more than 95 years, exhibiting just the right attitude of male arrogance and confidence. Drew showed remarkable judgment for an actor/director by allowing her most of the limelight, and the sunny location photography along the Atlantic seaside was fairly advanced for its day.