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The Kleptomaniac
Also known as The Thief in the USA
(1905) United States of America
B&W : 670 feet
Directed by Edwin S. Porter
Cast: W.H. Rising (Will Rising), Aline Boyd, Phineas Nairs, Jane Stewart, George Voijere, Ann Egleston, Helen Courtney
Edison Manufacturing Company production; distributed by Edison Manufacturing Company and Kleine Optical Company. / Cinematography by Edwin S. Porter. / © 4 February 1905 by Thomas A. Edison [H56408, H56409, H56410, H56411, H56412, H56413, H56414, H56415, H56416, H56417, H56418]. Released February 1905. / Standard 35mm spherical 1.33:1 format. / The film includes a main title card.
Drama: Social.
Synopsis: Parallel social commentary story of wealthy kleptomaniac woman who is caught stealing in a department store and is released while poverty-striken mother of two is caught stealing bread and is convicted by the same magistrate. // [From Kleine promotional materials] A well-dressed young lady sets out from her father’s mansion to do some shopping. Her coupe sets her down in front of one of New York’s best known department stores, which she enters. In front of one of the counters we see her stealing articles and hiding them in her muff. She is caught and arrested. A poor woman is next shown stealing food for her children. She is detected, arrested, and both she and the society girl are brought before the same judge. The one is convicted of stealing and sent to jail, the other is called a “Kleptomaniac” and placed in the hands of her friends for their tender ministrations.
Survival status: Print exists in the Library of Congress film archive (paper print collection) [35mm paper positive].
Current rights holder: Public domain [USA].
Keywords: Animals: Horses - Baskets - Buildings - Carriages - Children: Waifs - Crime: Shoplifting, Theft - Department stores: Floorwalkers - Food: Bread - Grocery stores - Handkerchiefs - Injustice - Law: Enforcement (Police: Detectives: Arrests, Patrol wagons, Police stations), Judicial (Courtrooms, Judges, Lawyers) - Offices - Poverty - Secretaries - Shawls - Signage - Snow - Street scenes - Tableaus - Wagons
Listing updated: 5 June 2012.
References: Film viewing : Bohn-Light p. 19; Everson-American pp. 40, 41; Fell-History pp. 24, 47, 49-50; Leyda-Before pp. 58, 125; Musser-Before pp. 11, 20; Musser-Emerge p. 5; Niver-First pp. 21, 82, 85; Robinson-Palace pp. 124, 125; Shipman-Cinema p. 34; Sinyard-Silent p. 15; Sklar-Movie pp. 27, 109; Sloan-Loud pp. 17-19, 21, 27, 34, 42, 44, 89, 149 : Website-AFI.
Home video: DVD.
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