Film, Video A frontier flirtation Frontier flirtation, or, How the tenderfoot won out / How the tenderfoot won out

About this Item

Title
A frontier flirtation
Other Title
Frontier flirtation, or, How the tenderfoot won out
How the tenderfoot won out
Summary
Opens on a stage with a painted backdrop of a forest or garden. On a park bench center stage sits a well-dressed woman with a dark veil obscuring her face, holding an open parasol overhead and a closed fan in her lap. A mustached cowboy enters, dressed in fringed chaps, boots, Western hat, neck kerchief, and pistol belt. When he spies the woman, he primps for a moment, arranging his mustache, and then approaches her. The cowboy takes off his hat and bows, then leans into the bench to talk with her. She rebuffs his numerous attempts to take her hand, but finally allows him to lift her veil. The cowboy reacts in horror as an animal face, perhaps a monkey's, is revealed, and then runs off the stage. A stylish gentleman in a suit with a straw boater and cane enters and sits familiarly beside the woman. He reaches over and removes what proves to be a mask as he and the now-beautiful woman have a good laugh. At one point, the gentleman gives her a kiss on the cheek.
"A Western cowboy attempts to flirt with a veiled young lady sitting on a bench in the garden. After considerable persuasion she is induced to raise her veil, but to the cowboy's amazement she reveals a hideous face. The cowboy leaves in disgust, but his place is quickly taken by a dapper Eastern youth who removes the mask from the girl's face, and the two enjoy a hearty laugh over the cowboy's discomfiture. 52 feet"--Biograph bulletins 1896-1908.
Contributor Names
Bitzer, G. W., 1872-1944, camera.
American Mutoscope and Biograph Company.
Paper Print Collection (Library of Congress)
Created / Published
United States : American Mutoscope & Biograph Company, 1903.
Subject Headings
-  Practical jokes--Humor
-  Flirting--Humor
-  Cowboys--Humor
-  Disguise--Humor
Genre
Comedy films
Silent films
Short films
Fiction films
Notes
-  H36403 U.S. Copyright Office
-  Copyright: American Mutoscope & Biograph Co.; 1Oct1903; H36403.
-  Original main title lacking.
-  Camera, G.W. "Billy" Bitzer.
-  Duration: 0:48 at 16 fps.
-  Filmed September 24, 1903, in the Biograph studio, New York City.
-  Biograph production no. 2579.
-  Paper print shelf number (LC 0526) was changed when the paper prints were re-housed.
-  Additional holdings for this title may be available. Contact reference librarian.
-  Available also through the Library of Congress Web site as digital files.
-  Sources used: Copyright catalog, motion pictures, 1894-1912; Niver, K. Early motion pictures, p. 113; AFI catalog: film beginnings, 1893-1910, p. 386; Biograph bulletins 1896-1908, 1971, p. 126, 196; Biograph production logs, v. 2, p. 8-9.
-  Early motion pictures : the Paper Print Collection in the Library of Congress / by Kemp R. Niver. Library of Congress. 1985.
-  35 mm viewing print renumbered: FEC 2181 to FYA 3747.
-  Paper print roll lacking suffix.
Medium
viewing print 1 film reel of 1 (19 ft.) : si., b&w ; 16 mm.
viewing print 1 film reel of 1 (48 ft.) : si., b&w ; 35 mm.
dupe neg pic 1 film reel of 1 (19 ft.) : si., b&w ; 16 mm.
dupe neg pic 1 film reel of 1 (48 ft.) : si., b&w ; 35 mm.
paper pos 1 roll of 1 (ca. 50 ft.) : b&w ; 35 mm.
paper pos (copy 2) 1 roll of 1 (ca. 50 ft.) : b&w ; 35 mm.
Call Number/Physical Location
FLA 3540 (viewing print)
FYA 3747 (viewing print)
FRA 0816 (dupe neg pic)
FPE 7682 (dupe neg pic)
FRB 1902 (master pos pic)
Box 0570 (paper pos)
Box 5667D (paper pos, copy 2)
Source Collection
Niver (Kemp) Collection (Library of Congress)
Repository
Library of Congress Motion Picture, Broadcasting and Recorded Sound Division Washington, D.C. 20540 USA dcu
Digital Id
http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.mbrsmi/varsmp.0526
Library of Congress Control Number
96521785
Language
English
Online Format
video
image
Description
Opens on a stage with a painted backdrop of a forest or garden. On a park bench center stage sits a well-dressed woman with a dark veil obscuring her face, holding an open parasol overhead and a closed fan in her lap. A mustached cowboy enters, dressed in fringed chaps, boots, Western hat, neck kerchief, and pistol belt. When he spies the woman, he primps for a moment, arranging his mustache, and then approaches her. The cowboy takes off his hat and bows, then leans into the bench to talk with her. She rebuffs his numerous attempts to take her hand, but finally allows him to lift her veil. The cowboy reacts in horror as an animal face, perhaps a monkey's, is revealed, and then runs off the stage. A stylish gentleman in a suit with a straw boater and cane enters and sits familiarly beside the woman. He reaches over and removes what proves to be a mask as he and the now-beautiful woman have a good laugh. At one point, the gentleman gives her a kiss on the cheek. "A Western cowboy attempts to flirt with a veiled young lady sitting on a bench in the garden. After considerable persuasion she is induced to raise her veil, but to the cowboy's amazement she reveals a hideous face. The cowboy leaves in disgust, but his place is quickly taken by a dapper Eastern youth who removes the mask from the girl's face, and the two enjoy a hearty laugh over the cowboy's discomfiture. 52 feet"--Biograph bulletins 1896-1908.
LCCN Permalink
https://lccn.loc.gov/96521785
Additional Metadata Formats
MARCXML Record
MODS Record
Dublin Core Record

Rights & Access

The Library of Congress American Variety Stage collection is in the public domain and is free to use and reuse.

Credit Line: Library of Congress, Motion Picture, Broadcasting, and Recorded Sound Division

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Cite This Item

Citations are generated automatically from bibliographic data as a convenience, and may not be complete or accurate.

Chicago citation style:

Bitzer, G. W., Camera, American Mutoscope And Biograph Company, and Paper Print Collection. A Frontier Flirtation. United States: American Mutoscope & Biograph Company, 1903. Video. https://www.loc.gov/item/96521785/.

APA citation style:

Bitzer, G. W., American Mutoscope And Biograph Company & Paper Print Collection. (1903) A Frontier Flirtation. United States: American Mutoscope & Biograph Company. [Video] Retrieved from the Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/item/96521785/.

MLA citation style:

Bitzer, G. W., Camera, American Mutoscope And Biograph Company, and Paper Print Collection. A Frontier Flirtation. United States: American Mutoscope & Biograph Company, 1903. Video. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, <www.loc.gov/item/96521785/>.