Mr. Flip

Plot

Mr. Flip follows the comedic misadventures of a lecherous man who cannot resist flirting with every woman he encounters. The film consists of a series of vignettes where Mr. Flip attempts to woo various female characters, including a secretary, a telephone operator, and a manicurist. Each time he makes inappropriate advances, he receives increasingly humiliating punishments that escalate in comedic fashion. The film culminates in Mr. Flip receiving a pie to the face, being covered in shaving cream, and getting sprayed with seltzer water, serving as his just desserts for his persistent womanizing behavior.

Historical Background

Mr. Flip was produced in 1909, during a pivotal period in American cinema history. This era saw the transition from novelty films to more sophisticated storytelling, with filmmakers developing techniques that would become standard in the industry. The film emerged just as the nickelodeon boom was transforming moviegoing into a popular form of entertainment for working-class Americans. In 1909, the film industry was still centered in Chicago and the East Coast, with Hollywood yet to become the dominant production center. The Progressive Era's social reforms influenced the film's moral message about inappropriate behavior and its consequences. This was also the year that D.W. Griffith began his directorial career at Biograph Studios, marking the beginning of more sophisticated filmmaking techniques. Mr. Flip represents the type of simple, effective comedy that appealed to early cinema audiences who were still being introduced to the possibilities of the medium.

Making Of

Mr. Flip was created during the formative years of American cinema when filmmakers were still developing the language of motion pictures. Director Gilbert M. Anderson, who co-founded Essanay Studios with George K. Spoor, brought his experience as an actor and director to this early comedy. The film was shot quickly on Essanay's Chicago studio sets, utilizing the limited resources available to early filmmakers. Ben Turpin, who had previously worked in vaudeville, brought his physical comedy skills to the role. The production team had to carefully coordinate the timing of the various gags, particularly the pie throwing and seltzer spraying, to ensure they would read well on camera. The film's straightforward approach to comedy—showing a character receiving his comeuppance for inappropriate behavior—reflected the simple moral storytelling common in early American films.

Visual Style

The cinematography in Mr. Flip reflects the techniques common in 1909, featuring static camera positions typical of early cinema. The film was likely shot with a hand-cranked camera, resulting in the slightly variable frame rates characteristic of the era. The lighting was basic, utilizing natural light from studio windows supplemented by arc lights when necessary. The composition follows the theatrical tradition of placing the action centrally within the frame, ensuring all gags were clearly visible to the audience. The camera work is straightforward and functional, prioritizing clarity over artistic expression. The film uses medium shots to capture both the characters' expressions and the physical comedy, a practical choice that worked well for the simple narrative. The cinematography effectively serves the comedy by ensuring each gag is visible and comprehensible.

Innovations

Mr. Flip demonstrates several technical achievements for its time, particularly in the execution of physical comedy gags. The coordination required for the pie throwing and seltzer spraying sequences represents early special effects work. The film's editing, while simple by modern standards, shows an understanding of comedic timing through the arrangement of shots. The production team successfully captured multiple practical effects on camera, a notable achievement given the technical limitations of 1909 filmmaking equipment. The film's clear storytelling through visual action demonstrates the emerging language of cinema. The preservation of the film itself is a technical achievement, as many films from this era have been lost due to the unstable nature of early film stock.

Music

As a silent film, Mr. Flip had no synchronized soundtrack. During its original theatrical run, the film would have been accompanied by live music, typically a pianist or small theater orchestra. The musical accompaniment would have been improvised or selected from stock music libraries, with the tempo and mood matching the on-screen action. Comedic moments like the pie throwing would have been emphasized with playful, upbeat music. The musical score would have helped convey the film's tone and enhance the audience's emotional response to the comedy. In modern screenings, the film is often accompanied by period-appropriate music or newly composed scores that attempt to recreate the experience of early cinema exhibition.

Memorable Scenes

• The iconic final sequence where Mr. Flip simultaneously receives a pie in the face, is covered in shaving cream, and gets sprayed with seltzer water, representing the culmination of all his comedic punishments.

What Critics Said

Contemporary critical reception of Mr. Flip is difficult to document due to the limited film criticism of the era, but trade publications of the time generally praised its effective comedy. The Moving Picture World, one of the leading industry journals of 1909, noted the film's successful execution of physical comedy gags. Modern film historians recognize Mr. Flip as an important early example of American slapstick comedy and a significant film in the development of the genre. Critics today appreciate the film for its historical value in establishing comedy tropes that would become cinema staples. The film is often cited in discussions about the origins of the 'pie in the face' gag and its lasting impact on comedy cinema. While not as sophisticated as later comedies, Mr. Flip is acknowledged for its role in shaping the language of silent film comedy.

What Audiences Thought

Mr. Flip was well-received by audiences of 1909, who found its simple humor and clear moral message entertaining. The film's physical comedy was particularly effective for the diverse immigrant audiences who frequented nickelodeons, as it required no English language skills to understand. The escalating series of punishments for Mr. Flip's inappropriate behavior provided satisfying catharsis for viewers. The film's short length (6 minutes) made it ideal for the varied programming of early movie theaters, where it could be shown alongside newsreels, dramas, and other shorts. Audiences of the era appreciated Ben Turpin's expressive performance, which helped establish his popularity as a comedy actor. The film's success demonstrated the commercial viability of comedy shorts, encouraging more production in this genre.

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