LES QUATRE PETITS TAILLEURS (1910)
aka The Four Little Tailors
Article 4250 by Dave Sindelar
Date: 6-15-2013
Directed by Emile Cohl
Cast unknown
Country: France
What it is: Whimsical sewing short
Four tailors have a competition exhibiting their sewing techniques; the victor wins the hand of a beautiful woman.
The fantastic content isn’t apparent in the plot description, but, given that the director is Emile Cohl, it will come as no surprise that when it does show up, it will involve animation. In this case, some of the tailors use magical sewing techniques where the threads and needles sew of their own volition; the most interesting bit has one of the tailors mending the wing on a fly. Most of the short is live action, and one of the twists of the story is finding out which tailor wins. The animation sequences are the definite highlight here; the rest is mildly entertaining whimsy.