Two people kiss, and this was one of the first films ever shown commercially to the public. The film is around 18 seconds long, and depicts a re-enactment of the kiss between May Irwin and John Rice from the final scene of the stage musical, "The Widow Jones".
The kissing scene was denounced as shocking and obscene to early moviegoers and caused the Roman Catholic Church to call for censorship and moral reform - because kissing in public at the time could lead to prosecution. As shocking as this seems today (2016), it is quite true.
What is most interesting about this short film, I feel, is that the couple is clearly speaking to each other. Maybe there are lines in the original play. I have no idea. But I am not a lip reader and I cannot make out what is being said... indeed, it is a mystery, and adds a little something to this otherwise (in my opinion) tame picture.
The kissing scene was denounced as shocking and obscene to early moviegoers and caused the Roman Catholic Church to call for censorship and moral reform - because kissing in public at the time could lead to prosecution. As shocking as this seems today (2016), it is quite true.
What is most interesting about this short film, I feel, is that the couple is clearly speaking to each other. Maybe there are lines in the original play. I have no idea. But I am not a lip reader and I cannot make out what is being said... indeed, it is a mystery, and adds a little something to this otherwise (in my opinion) tame picture.