D: Edwin Porter / 10m

Cast: Thomas White

The first screen adaptation of the British fairy tale, Jack and the Beanstalk is a charming retelling presented in nine scenes and one tableau.  There is a pantomime cow that Jack (White) sells for the magic beans – at one point it butts the farmer selling it – his mother’s disappointment at Jack’s trade, the growing of the beanstalk, Jack’s ascent, his encounter with the giant (actually a tall man in comparison to Jack), his descent, and the hacking of the beanstalk thus causing the giant’s demise.

For its time, Jack and the Beanstalk must have been quite impressive.  Films were rarely this long, and the idea of a developed narrative was some years away.  There were other adaptations of literary stories but this one is superior in many ways, not least because of its length, and despite its painted backdrops and stage bound production.  The special effects are similar to those imagined and developed by Georges Méliès – not unusual as Porter had been pirating his work for some time – and while the giant isn’t as fearsome as perhaps he should have been, Porter still manages to instil a real sense of menace when Jack hides from him.  There’s also a nice element of dubious morality, as this adaptation shies away from any condemnation of Jack for stealing the golden eggs and causing the giant’s death; in effect he gets away with it, and all with help from some kind of approving fairy godmother.

Many of the techniques used in Jack and the Beanstalk were still being perfected, and as a glimpse back to a time when cinema was finding its feet and beginning to realise its potential as more than just a passing fancy, an “opium for the masses”, this movie is invaluable at showing just how advanced movies had become in such a short space of time.

Rating: 8/10 – far more than an historical curio, this is an entertaining and instructive movie that still resonates today as a simple tale – for the most part – simply told.