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peterjohnyorke
Reviews
The Washerwoman, the Tramp and the Bike (1903)
A film by William Haggar?
This film exists in the film catalogues for 1903, but its author is unknown. It may therefore be the same as "The Tramp and the Washerwoman" by William Haggar, released in 1903 - for that film, a comedy about the tramp, "Dusty Rhodes", stealing women's undies from a washing line, concludes when Bridget, the maid chasing him, cannons into a cyclist, whereupon Dusty promptly pinches the bike and rides off on it. Clearly, therefore, the Haggar film may by identical with this one. For further details of Haggar's life and films, see my book, "William Haggar, fairground film-maker, to be published by Accent Press Ltd. on 8 May 2007.
The Sign of the Cross (1932)
The earlier "Sign of the Cross"
"The Sign of the Cross" was originally a play by Wilson Barrett, who had bought the English rights to "Quo Vadis" from Henrik Sienkiewicz and shortened and simplified the plot. My great-grandfather William Haggar's theatrical company performed the play in the 1890s, changing the title to "The Shadow of the Cross" to avoid having to pay a copyright fee of £3 3s. per performance. When William went into making films to show to his own audiences on the fairgrounds, after three years of gradually lengthening films, in 1904 he made "The Sign of the Cross", in an epic 700 feet (lasting about 11 minutes), which A.C. Bromhead, the founder of Gaumont-GB, later recalled, in a lecture to the British Kinematograph Society, amazed everyone by its length. William's film was then duped and shown in the USA in 1905 by Sigmund Lubin. For a biography of William Haggar and more details of his film career, see my book, "William Haggar, fairground film-maker", to be published in May 2007 by Accent Press Ltd., and visit www.williamhaggar.co.uk
D.T.'s, or the Effect of Drink (1905)
A Trick Film by William Haggar
DTs, or The Effects of Drink (aka The Effects of Too Much Scotch) was made by William Haggar in 1905, perhaps to cash in on the Welsh Religious Revival led by Evan Thomas, who visited Aberdare that autumn. The film employs trick photography, the plot being that when a drunken man returns home, he sees his furniture and bedding turn into "monsters" and throw him onto the floor. Further details are given in my book, "William Haggar, fairground film-maker" which will be published by Accent Press Ltd. on 8 May 2007. The book takes the form of a biography of William Haggar, compiled from published and unpublished family memoirs, and newspaper reports of the time. For further information, visit www.williamhaggar.co.uk
Maria Marten (1908)
The Red Barn Crime
"The Red Barn Crime" or "Maria Marten" was a film lasting about 10 minutes made by William Haggar in 1908. The cast included my grandmother, Violet Haggar, as Maria, and my great uncle Walter Haggar as William Corder. The plot concerned Maria's disappearance, and the discovery of her body as a consequence of her mother's dream of her in the red barn. William Corder was convicted and hanged for Maria's murder. "The Resd Barn Crime" was advertised for sale in "The Era" by the film dealers Walter Tyler. For further details, see my book, "William Haggar,fairground film-maker, which will be published by Accent Press Ltd. on 8 May 2007.For more details, visit www.williamhaggar.co.uk.
Ingomar, the Barbarian (1908)
Another "Ingomar" by William Haggar
"Ingomar the Barbarian" is the title of a film said to have been made by my great-grandfather, William Haggar. "Ingomar" the novel had been made into a stage play,popular in late Victorian England, which was acted by Haggar's theatrical company and many others. William Haggar filmed various of his company's plays between 1901 and 1908. Several of his films were shown in the United States (including "The Poachers", "A duel with knives" and "The Sign of the Cross" (the latter probably pirated by Lubin)), and it is interesting to speculate whether Griffith's "Ingomar" was based on, or inspired by Haggar's. For further details, see my forthcoming book, "William Haggar - fairground filmmaker" which is to be published by Accent Press Ltd. on 8 May 2007.
The Wild Man of Borneo (1902)
One of William Haggar's earliest films
The Wild Man of Borneo was one of William Haggar's earliest films. It was made in 1902, and was one of four short scenes from plays, the others being "The Two Orphans", "True as Steel" and "The Maniac's Guillotine" which were marketed by Charles Urban's Warwick Trading Co. under the Catalogue Heading "Dramatised Series" (Catalogue nos. 6948, 6949, 6950 and 6951). They were advertised in "The Era" with the "Haggar Prohibition" to the effect that "Our Patron" had exclusive rights in Wales. For further details, see my book, "William Haggar, fairground film-maker, which is to be published by Accent Press Ltd. on 8 May 2007, and visit www.williamhaggar.co.uk
Weary Willie and Tired Tim: The Gunpowder Plot (1903)
One of William Haggar's early comedies
This film, which unfortunately does not survive, is one of William Haggar's early comedies. He was to make a series of Weary Willie and Tired Tim films, featuring his sons Walter as Weary Willie and Jim as Tired Tim. Other titles include Weary Willie and Tired Tim turned barbers, and Weary Willie and Tired Tim at the races. The characters were based on those in a comic strip by Tom Browne, one of England's earliest comic strips. Many other early film-makers made films about these two comic characters. For further details, see my book, William Haggar, fairground film-maker, to be published by Accent Press Ltd. in May 2007. For further details, visit www.williamhaggar.co.uk
Duel Scene from 'The Two Orphans' (1902)
An early filmed drama
This film, which does not survive, was one of four completed by William Haggar in 1902 with actors from his theatrical company: the others include "The Wild Man of Borneo" which The Warwick Trading Co. describes in its catalogue as "A duel between a knight and a hermit in a forest". These four films were among William Haggar's earliest experiments with filmed dramas, and were to lead on to his better known film, "The Life of Charles Peace" and "The Sign of the Cross". The four films were sold on the open market by William's friend Charles Urban, at that time Managing Director of The Warwick Trading Co. For further details, see my book, William Haggar, fairground film-maker, to be published by Accent Press Ltd. in May 2007. For more information, visit www.williamhaggar.co.uk
A Desperate Poaching Affray (1903)
"The first chase film"
"We believe that "The Poachers" (as the film was known by the Haggar family and in the USA)"was the first chase film" ("World's Fair", August 1914). US Film historians have commented that "The Poachers helped to set the pattern for subsequent chase films in the USA". The film sold 470 copies - more than any other film on record. It was made with a tame rabbit and a coconut-shy net,on the hills above the Rhondda Valley, according to Walter Haggar,who took part in it as one of the gamekeepers. Gaumont-British marketed in for over a year: it is in their catalogues from June 1903 to July 1904.For more details, see my book, "William Haggar, fairground film-maker", to be published by Accent Press Ltd. in May 2007, and visit www.williamhaggar.co.uk
"Planktonrules'" comment of September 2006, it seems to me, is made with the benefit of far too much hindsight. William Haggar was quite isolated in South Wales, and may never have heard of Melies at the time when he made "Desperate Poaching Affray", which was, in any case, one of the longest British films when it was produced. This film was made principally for William's own fairground audience: he knew what they liked, and supplied it. "Anything good was marketed" commented his son Walter, and "The Poachers" (as it was renamed for selling in the USA) was so good that it sold 480 copies worldwide, more than any other recorded film.
The Life of Charles Peace (1905)
A pioneering chase drama
This film has been called "The first British fiction film in the real sense of the word", and has been compared with "The Great Train Robbery" in that respect. It lasts 11 minutes (long for its time - 1905) and comprises 10 scenes. It tells the story of the Victorian murderer, Charles Peace, who graduated from burglary to murder, and portrays his flight, arrest, identification and execution. It is thus both a drama and a chase film, and its editing and camera positions ensure a gripping pace throughout. A detailed analysis of the film, and the story of its making will be found in my book, "William Haggar - fairground film-maker", to be published by Accent Press Ltd. in May 2007. For further details, visit www.williamhaggar.co.uk
The Maid of Cefn Ydfa (1914)
Excellent film of Edwardian Theatre Company
This film was made in 1912/13 by William Haggar and his son Will Haggar Junior, using Will Junior's theatrical company, including Will's wife, Jenny Lindon, as Ann Thomas (the Maid), Will Junior as her lover, Will Hopkins, Will Fyffe, the future Music Hall star, as Lewis Bach, and Jennie Haggar as Ann's maid Gwenny. The film was made entirely out of doors, in locations at and near Pontardulais. It was given its first performance in Aberdare in December 1914. It is an excellent record of an Edwardian theatrical company performing its party piece, in silence, but taking advantage of the extra dimension of film. Last reviewed in Cardiff in 1938, the film was put away in a family cupboard, rediscovered in 1984, and conserved. 38 minutes out of its original 50 minutes survives.For further details, see my book, "William Haggar - fairground film-maker", to be published by Accent Press Ltd (qv) in May 2007. For further details, visit www.williamhaggar.co.uk