The plot alone is enough to ensure a place for this early Vitagraph feature on a list of true motion picture curiosities. At a Florida seaside resort a young bride-to-be swallows a magic African seed which allows her to change gender in every way except outward appearance, much to the dismay of her fiancé (played by comedian/director Sidney Drew), who soon finds both himself and his future wife flirting with the same women! The sexual role reversal device (Drew is later 'transformed' into a woman) wears thin after all the expected gestures are exhausted, but the pantomime skill of Edith Storey as the bride-turned-bachelor is right on target and still funny after more than 95 years, exhibiting just the right attitude of male arrogance and confidence. Drew showed remarkable judgment for an actor/director by allowing her most of the limelight, and the sunny location photography along the Atlantic seaside was fairly advanced for its day.
Review of A Florida Enchantment
