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Le Rêve d’un maitre de ballet
Also known as The Ballet Master’s Dream in the USA : [Le rêve du maitre de ballet]
(1903) France
B&W : 155 feet
Directed by Georges Méliès
Cast: Georges Méliès [Signor Saltarello, the dance master], Zizi Papillon
Méliès Star-Film production. / Produced by Georges Méliès. / [?] 35mm spherical format? / The film was © 4 December 1903 in the USA by Georges Méliès [H38792, H38794], and released on 9 December 1903.
Comedy.
Synopsis: [From Méliès promotional materials] The stage-setting represents a bedroom. An Italian ballet master, Signor Saltarello, undresses while his maid prepares the bed and wishes him a good night. As he is absorbed in the study of a new step for a ballet which he is about to compose, he makes several trials of steps and goes to bed dissatisfied at not having found the one desired. He falls asleep while beating time and dreams. Two dancers appear in a vision and dance at first upon his bed, then upon the floor. These two dancers are merged into one, who executes a very remarkable step in an eccentric dance. When she has finished her turn she falls into the arms of the ballet master, who in his dream prepares to kiss her, but just as Saltarello presses his lips to hers she vanishes and the mother of the dancer appears in the place of the daughter. In his rage the ballet master gives the old woman a sound thrashing upon his bed. He rolls to the floor while administering terrific blows and he awakes with a leap to find that he is drubbing his pillow and bolster. At the noise from the great commotion the maid returns to ask if her master has not become insane. The ballet master, recognizing that it was all a dream, nearly bursts with laughter. // Additional synopsis available in Niver-Early p. 21.
Survival status: Prints exist in the Library of Congress film archive (paper print collection) [35mm paper positive, 16mm reduction preservation negative, 16mm reduction preservation positive].
Current rights holder: (unknown)
Listing updated: 6 November 2009.
References: Niver-Early p. 21 : Website-AFI.
Home video: DVD.
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