Movie 10min

The Living Doll (1908)

Original title: La Poupée Vivante
A Christmas picture story that combines American sentiment and ideas with the magic art of the French producer
Not rated.

Facts
Director Georges Méliès
Country France
Language French
Titles
(Original) La Poupée Vivante
Production
Distribution
(France) Star-Film
Categories
Black and White Christmas Christmas Movie Church Fantasy Gift Kidnapping Lost Film Short Silent Film St. Nicholas Toy
Descriptions

Christmas Eve, Polly, a little girl, is in great excitement. She wishes to get so many toys from Santa Clans! She hangs her stockings on the mantelpiece, says her prayers, bids her mother good-night, and goes to bed. As soon as she is sleeping, two kidnappers come into her bedroom, take her and bring her into a miserable cellar. The man quarrels with the woman and reproaches her for having taken the little girl. Polly cries very much from fright. The kidnappers, fearing the police, take her away from the cellar. While she is out with them, she runs away and gets lost in a forest. The snow falls. She remembers the tale of Tom Thumb and she climbs a big tree and sees in the distance a church illuminated for the midnight mass. She goes there directly. The beadle will not let her in. but a kind woman sends her to the gallery. She notices a beautiful colored window and admires it. Suddenly the window turns like a wheel and disappears and in its place Santa Clans is there loaded with toys. He smiles at her, calls her and then invites her to visit his palace. He then vanishes. Again she sees a vision of children finding their Christmas presents, and sees the angels blessing her. She leaves the church and goes to Santa Claus' palace. Everything was beautiful. Polly is delighted to see such wonders. She finds a big box which contains a doll as large as herself. She undresses the doll, takes her clothes, puts them on and goes into the box herself. Santa Claus appears and is very busy getting ready to distribute the toys in his aeroplane loaded by angels. They take the box containing Polly and put it with the other presents. The aeroplane loaded with toys goes over the city, stops at the different chimneys and leaves the toys. The box containing Polly is put down a chimney and placed with the other presents. Polly is so glad to find herself at home, she leaves her box and dances about the room. At this moment the nurse awakens Polly and the child finds it was only a dream. She runs downstairs and finds her parents waiting for her near her stockings and she soon forgets the dream. The last scene shows her with Santa Clans, who is saying farewell to all and giving them toys, candies, etc. Polly also sends kisses to everybody.

Source: Moving Picture World


On Christmas Eve, a young girl, Polly, is excited to find out what Santa Claus will bring her during the night. As soon as she falls asleep, a pair of kidnappers arrive and carry Polly away. Escaping them, she becomes lost in a snowy forest. She climbs a tree and sees a far-off church lit up for Midnight Mass. Arriving at the church, Polly admires a stained glass window. Magically it spins and disappears to reveal visions of Santa, children finding Christmas presents, and angels bestowing blessings. Leaving the church, Polly finds the way to Santa's palace.

In the palace, where angels are loading an airplane full of toys for Santa to deliver, Polly finds an enormous box holding a doll as large as she is. Polly puts on the doll's clothes and takes its place in the box, which is loaded into the airplane and sets off. Polly's box is dropped down a chimney and into her own house. Polly wakes up to realise her whole adventure had been a dream—but the giant doll she had imagined is there among her gifts, waiting for her. A final scene shows Polly and Santa Claus together: he is bestowing gifts and she is blowing kisses goodbye.

Source: Wikipedia, 08.07 2023

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Cast
Unavailbale.
Crew
Georges Méliès - Director