Not much beyond people in 1906 fooling around in the snow, riding sleighs and throwing snowballs. The only positive is that it does engage many camera angles and pushes the limits at that time.
9 Reviews
Lots of Action but Really Repetitive
Hitchcoc22 December 2020
Not a lot of plot...like many films of the day.
planktonrules22 December 2021
Back in the early days of cinema, filmmakers really hadn't imagined the sorts of stories they were capable of making. As a result, most films made from the late 1880s to about 1910 had little in the way of plot and many were non-fiction...such as showing folks feeding their baby or trains arriving at stations. And, they were, as a result, pretty dull...though folks at the time loved them because the medium was so new. "A Winter Straw Ride" is typical of these, as it really doesn't have a lot in the way of plot...just folks frolicking about and taking a sleigh ride.
The best way to enjoy this one is not to expect a lot and just enjoy the window back into 1906...to a different way of life. Otherwise, you'll probably find this slow going.
The best way to enjoy this one is not to expect a lot and just enjoy the window back into 1906...to a different way of life. Otherwise, you'll probably find this slow going.
Edison short
SnoopyStyle20 December 2021
A group of people boards two horse drawn sleights to have a fun day out. This is an Edison short. There is movement here. There is some action. It's outdoors. It could do with some character work. It would nice if it concentrates on one character, maybe a pretty girl. All in all, this is a fine short for the arcade crowd.
Simple, Pleasant Feature With Good Photography
Snow Leopard16 March 2006
This short feature is quite simple, but it's pleasant and fun to watch, and it includes some good outdoors photography by Edwin S. Porter. It has plenty of energy, and the actors all look as if they had a good time making the movie.
The story starts out with two groups of young women going on a 'straw ride' in the snow, with things gradually becoming increasingly boisterous as numerous other persons join in. Except perhaps for the clothing styles and the horse-drawn vehicles, it could have been filmed today, since these kinds of antics in the snow are common in pretty much any time and place that has a cold winter.
In fact, it has the spontaneous feel of a home movie, except that the photography is generally of such good quality that at least some of the action must have been planned. Porter does a good job in catching almost all of the activity, and in setting up a good contrast between the bright snow and the dark clothes worn by most of the cast. To be sure, there's nothing especially new or challenging about the production, but it's an enjoyable little feature that's certainly worth spending a few minutes to watch.
The story starts out with two groups of young women going on a 'straw ride' in the snow, with things gradually becoming increasingly boisterous as numerous other persons join in. Except perhaps for the clothing styles and the horse-drawn vehicles, it could have been filmed today, since these kinds of antics in the snow are common in pretty much any time and place that has a cold winter.
In fact, it has the spontaneous feel of a home movie, except that the photography is generally of such good quality that at least some of the action must have been planned. Porter does a good job in catching almost all of the activity, and in setting up a good contrast between the bright snow and the dark clothes worn by most of the cast. To be sure, there's nothing especially new or challenging about the production, but it's an enjoyable little feature that's certainly worth spending a few minutes to watch.
Hysterically bad
preppy-327 December 2003
Two horse-drawn carriages take a bunch of grinning, hyperactive bad actors prancing through the snow. Then they all "accidentally" and "hysterically" fall out of the carriages. It all ends up with them running through the snow like a bunch of idiots pelting each other with snowballs.
At first I thought this was kidding. Then when I realized it was serious I was helpless with laughter. Worth seeing ONLY because it's so bad it's good! There was a very neat sequence--when you see the women sliding down a hill with their skirts billowing out--it looks very unusual and quite neat. Otherwise, a mess.
At first I thought this was kidding. Then when I realized it was serious I was helpless with laughter. Worth seeing ONLY because it's so bad it's good! There was a very neat sequence--when you see the women sliding down a hill with their skirts billowing out--it looks very unusual and quite neat. Otherwise, a mess.
Ennergetic comedy
JoeytheBrit24 October 2009
I quite liked this film, which was co-directed and shot by Edwin S. Porter and Wallace McCutcheon, both of whom were already old hands at movie-making by 1906. It's noticeable that a great deal of thought went into camera positioning for this film - even though the camera tends to linger too long on many shots, waiting for the last person to move out of shot before it moves on to the next scene.
Where the film is at its strongest is in the way it captures the youthful energy and vibrant high spirits of the youngsters (although it might be a frightening thing to see them charging towards you across a snowy landscape).
Where the film is at its strongest is in the way it captures the youthful energy and vibrant high spirits of the youngsters (although it might be a frightening thing to see them charging towards you across a snowy landscape).
With Snowballs
boblipton24 December 2022
Do they still have hay rides? They did when I was a child, sixty or so years ago, particularly during the summer. You'd climb into a horse-drawn wagon cushioned with -- unsurprisingly -- hay, and head out on a balmy summer night. Here we witness the wintertime equivalent, with a sleigh and adults going out, throwing snow balls, and generally having the sort of good time we had as children, all ending in a chase down a country road and over the snow-covered countryside.
It's a very pleasant movie, and the performers are warmly dressed and look as if they are having a good time. I hope they did.
It's a very pleasant movie, and the performers are warmly dressed and look as if they are having a good time. I hope they did.
An Ancient Frosty Flick
Ron Oliver29 December 2001
The students from a young ladies' school enjoy A WINTER STRAW RIDE through the snowy countryside, eventually exacting revenge upon the young gentlemen who pelted them with snowballs.
This little film, from the Edison Manufacturing Company, is a very amusing look back at an innocent bygone era. Notice how the girls manage to fall decorously out of the wagons whenever the camera is pointed their way. That camera was under the co-direction of the celebrated Edwin S. Porter, one of the great names in early cinema history.
Al Kryszak provided the score for the video compilation A Christmas Past, in which this film appears.
This little film, from the Edison Manufacturing Company, is a very amusing look back at an innocent bygone era. Notice how the girls manage to fall decorously out of the wagons whenever the camera is pointed their way. That camera was under the co-direction of the celebrated Edwin S. Porter, one of the great names in early cinema history.
Al Kryszak provided the score for the video compilation A Christmas Past, in which this film appears.
Nice Fun
Michael_Elliott29 December 2008
Winter Straw Ride, A (1906)
*** (out of 4)
Edison short has a group of women leaving a church for a straw ride in the snow but during their journey they're involved in a wreck and must walk back. On the way back they decide to have some fun, which includes a snowball fight as well as casual wrestling. This is a pretty fun short that manages to be both charming and funny. It's doubtful any of the women here were trained actors but it's clear they're having a good time playing around in front of the camera. There's certainly nothing new or challenging in the way the movie was filmed but Porter keeps the action moving and it never gets boring.
*** (out of 4)
Edison short has a group of women leaving a church for a straw ride in the snow but during their journey they're involved in a wreck and must walk back. On the way back they decide to have some fun, which includes a snowball fight as well as casual wrestling. This is a pretty fun short that manages to be both charming and funny. It's doubtful any of the women here were trained actors but it's clear they're having a good time playing around in front of the camera. There's certainly nothing new or challenging in the way the movie was filmed but Porter keeps the action moving and it never gets boring.
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