Movie 12min

Grandmother's Story (1908)

Original title: Conte de la grand mère et rêve de l'enfant
An old lady reads a book of fairy tales to her granddaughter, but the time comes to go to sleep and, once asleep, the child is led by an angel in a fairy world.
Rating:

Facts
Director Georges Méliès
Country France
Language French
Titles
(Original) Conte de la grand mère et rêve de l'enfant
(Alternative) Au Pays des Jouets
(Alternative) Contes de la Grand-Mère et Rêve de l'Enfant
(Alternative) Tale of the Grandmother and the Child's Dream
Production
Distribution
Categories
Adventure Angels Black and White Children Dancing Dreams Fairy Tale Fantasy Grandmother Miracles Short Silent Film Trick Film
Descriptions

The old granny reads to a little girl from a book, and between paragraphs she tells the child of the wonders of Fairyland. Then, the child tiring, she places it affectionately in bed, and after prayers the little girl falls to sleep. Suddenly the child sees a guardian fairy appear from a cross and she is invited to take a stroll to the land of child's wonders. The fairy takes her little hand and begins to lead her through wonderful grottoes of mystic design and awe-inspiring grandeur, until they come to a great land where there are wonderful toys innumerable and defying description, which go through their various movements in an almost human way. From Toyland the fairy leads the little girl to the realm of King Sweet, where all is fruit and candy. From there the wondering child is taken to another land where sweet flowers and trees and ferns, hanging plants, hedges and bowers nod and smile and beckon her onward. The child is entranced by the beauty of it all, but is also tired by her journey and sits down to rest. Soon she nods off to sleep; but her exclamations of joy and wonderment are not silenced, and grandmother, hearing her voice, comes to her side, and the little girl finds herself back in her own little bed again.

Source: Moving Picture World


Only about 5 minutes of this film has survived.


A grandmother reads a story to her grandson at night before putting him to bed. The child dreams that an angel comes to fetch him to lead him to the Land of Toys, then a fairy shows him the garden of the butterfly ladies. The little boy wakes up and reaches for the wall, but there is nothing.

Source: Lobster Films, Translated


The film begins with a grandmother reading a story to a small child before tucking him or her into bed (it's a bit difficult to tell which the tot is). No sooner has the mite fallen asleep than s/he begins dreaming of an angel standing over his/her bed and whisking him/her off to a land of giant toys. The kid wanders around for a bit before being led away by a lady who takes him/her to a jungle or forest where other young ladies dressed as butterflies dance around a bit.

Source: TMDB

Similar movies
The Hindoo Fakir
1902
The Hindoo Fakir
The Hindoo Fakir (1902)
66%
1902
The Clock-Maker's Secret
1907
The Clock-Maker's Secret
The Clock-Maker's Secret (1907)
64%
1907 9min
Deux bons coeurs d'apaches
1910
Deux bons coeurs d'apaches
Deux bons coeurs d'apaches (1910)
59%
1910 4min
Devil's Pot
1903
Devil's Pot
Devil's Pot (1903)
58%
1903 2min
L'ange De Noël
1907
L'ange De Noël
L'ange De Noël (1907)
57%
1907 5min
Le Grotte Du Diable
1898
Le Grotte Du Diable
Le Grotte Du Diable (1898)
57%
1898
Cast
André Méliès - The Child
Crew
Georges Méliès - Director
Reviews
by
Gravatar
From Angel to Fairy

The subtext of a film like this even if it is not intended is that angels are as fairy tales as fairies, and here, in the beginning, an angel appears, that then in the end is transformed into a fairy - as the angel brings the child to fairyland. The story is unclear, as to why the child has this experience, but as a fairytale film into a "real" dreamland, it may be magical to child audiences. Too bad the majority of the film is lacking, as this is something different from Melies at the time.