The Curtain Pole

About the production

This film was shot during Griffith's early period at Biograph when he was rapidly developing his directorial techniques. The film showcases Griffith's growing mastery of chase sequences and spatial continuity, which would become hallmarks of his later work. The production utilized actual New York City streets for the chaotic chase scenes, giving the film an authentic urban atmosphere that was relatively innovative for the time.

Themes

Themes & topics

Historical background

Production circa 1909 meant fixed cameras, intertitles or early sound rigs, and studio economies that shaped every scene in The Curtain Pole.

Why this film matters

Reference works on 1909 cinema cite The Curtain Pole when tracing genre and regional production patterns.

Making of

The Curtain Pole was produced during a remarkably creative period at the Biograph studio when D.W. Griffith was making multiple films per week. The film was shot on location in New York City and Fort Lee, New Jersey, which were the centers of American film production before Hollywood. The chaotic street scenes required the cast and crew to work quickly and discreetly, as they often filmed without official permits. Mack Sennett, who would later revolutionize comedy filmmaking, was still a performer at this stage of his career and brought his physical comedy skills to the role. The film's chase sequence was groundbreaking for its time, showing Griffith's developing understanding of cinematic rhythm and continuity. The production team had to carefully coordinate the increasingly complex chase scenes, which involved more and more extras as the protagonist's entourage of pursuers grew larger throughout the film.

What critics said

Trade papers near 1909 listed The Curtain Pole as program material rather than headline art cinema.

Did you know?

• This film features one of cinema's earliest chase sequences, a technique that D.W. Griffith would perfect and popularize throughout his career.
• Mack Sennett, who plays the gentleman with the curtain pole, would later become famous as the 'King of Comedy' and founder of Keystone Studios.
• Florence Lawrence, often called 'The First Movie Star,' appears in this film during her peak period at Biograph before her public identity was revealed.
• The film demonstrates Griffith's early experimentation with spatial continuity and cross-cutting between the protagonist and his growing group of pursuers.
• The curtain pole gag became a recurring trope in silent comedy, influencing numerous later films including Charlie Chaplin's work.
• This was one of over 400 short films Griffith directed for Biograph between 1908 and 1913.
• The film was shot in just one or two days, as was typical for Biograph productions of this era.
• The street scenes were filmed guerrilla-style on actual New York streets, without permits or controlled sets.
• The 'movie magic' escape at the end was achieved through simple editing techniques that were innovative for 1909.
• Harry Solter, who also appears in the film, was married to Florence Lawrence and both were important figures in early Biograph productions.

Visual style

The cinematography in The Curtain Pole was typical of Biograph productions of 1909, using stationary cameras for most scenes with occasional panning to follow the action. The film was shot on 35mm film with the distinctive Biograph format that used a larger frame size than standard. G.W. Bitzer, Griffith's regular cinematographer, likely handled the camera work. The urban location shooting provided authentic backgrounds that added realism to the comedy. The cinematography effectively captured the increasing chaos of the chase sequence, using wide shots to show the growing crowd of pursuers following the protagonist with his unwieldy pole. The visual composition emphasized the contrast between the elegant drawing room setting and the chaotic street scenes.

Innovations

The Curtain Pole demonstrates several technical achievements for its time, particularly in its execution of chase sequences and spatial continuity. The film showcases Griffith's developing understanding of editing rhythm, particularly in how he builds tension during the increasingly chaotic chase scenes. The coordination of multiple extras and props in the street scenes represents an early example of complex action staging. The film's use of actual urban locations for comedy rather than studio sets was relatively innovative. The 'movie magic' escape at the end, while simple by modern standards, represents early experimentation with editing tricks that would become more sophisticated in later films.

Music

As a silent film, The Curtain Pole had no synchronized soundtrack. During its original theatrical run, it would have been accompanied by live music, typically a pianist or small orchestra in nickelodeon theaters. The musical accompaniment would have been improvised or selected from standard repertoire to match the on-screen action, with faster, more frantic music during the chase sequences. Modern screenings of the film often feature newly composed scores or period-appropriate music from the early 20th century. The lack of intertitles in this early film means the visual comedy had to carry the entire narrative without textual assistance.

Famous quotes

(Silent film - no dialogue quotes available)

Memorable scenes

• The escalating chase sequence through New York streets where the gentleman with the oversized curtain pole accumulates an ever-growing crowd of angry pursuers, creating increasingly chaotic situations as the pole knocks over vendors, pedestrians, and street displays in a masterful display of early physical comedy and spatial choreography.

What audiences thought

The Curtain Pole was likely well-received by nickelodeon audiences of 1909, who enjoyed the escalating chaos and physical comedy. The film's simple premise and visual gags made it accessible to the diverse urban audiences of early American cinemas. The chase sequence, in particular, would have been exciting for viewers still experiencing the novelty of motion pictures. Audience reactions from this period are not well-documented, but the film's survival and inclusion in film archives suggest it was considered successful enough to preserve. Modern audiences viewing the film in retrospectives and early cinema festivals often appreciate its historical significance and find charm in its straightforward comedic approach.

Film connections

Influenced by

• French comedy films of Georges Méliès
• English chase comedies
• Stage farce traditions
• Slapstick comedy theater

This film influenced

• Chase comedies of the 1910s
• Mack Sennett's Keystone comedies
• Charlie Chaplin's chase sequences
• Buster Keaton's physical comedies

Film restoration

The Curtain Pole is preserved in the film archives of the Museum of Modern Art and the Library of Congress. The film has survived in reasonably good condition considering its age, though like most films from this period, it shows signs of deterioration. It has been included in various DVD collections of early cinema and D.W. Griffith's work, helping ensure its accessibility to modern audiences. The film's preservation is part of the broader effort to save America's cinematic heritage from the silent era.

Where to watch

• The film is available on various DVD collections of D.W. Griffith's early work
• It can be found on some streaming services specializing in classic cinema
• The Library of Congress website occasionally features it in online exhibitions
• Film archives and museums with early cinema collections may have viewing copies
• Some public domain film websites host the movie