The Man with the Dolls - Production & Contact Info (original) (raw)

A frumpy old professor, an enthusiastic collector of dolls of all nations and periods, gets into his head that if he only tries hard enough he will be able to infuse life into the pretty playthings. We see him now in his study surrounded ...See moreA frumpy old professor, an enthusiastic collector of dolls of all nations and periods, gets into his head that if he only tries hard enough he will be able to infuse life into the pretty playthings. We see him now in his study surrounded by quantities of smiling dollies, the largest and most beautiful of which he holds in his hands. After making mysterious passes over its head and looking intently into its eyes he stands in an expectant attitude waiting to see a gleam of intelligence light up its countenance. But of course he waits in vain; in spite all the hooks he has read and all the experiments he has made the only thing he has accomplished thus fails to make himself ridiculous and unbearable in the eyes of everyone and to cause his wife, who naturally resents his giving so much time and attention to the dumb and lifeless figures, no end of unhappiness. She hits upon a plan to win back her husband's affection and make him forget all about his foolish hobby. So stealing into the study, she picks up the large, beautiful doll, her husband's special treasure, and going to a costumer's she procures a complete costume, which is almost a counterpart of the doll's, shoes, hat and all. In the next scene, a great, long, narrow box is being carried into the professor's house and when he spies the words "Poupée Française" (French doll) marked on the cover he sends all the servants flying and proceeds to open it himself. Standing it up on end he takes off the wrappings and removes the cover and a cry of joy escapes him as he looks upon the most beautiful, perfect doll he ever laid eyes on. Catching it by the arm he places it on the couch, and seems disappointed at first that it should act just like any other doll, with one foot stuck stiffly out and hands that one could not mistake for wooden hands. However, he will give it a treatment and see what can be done. The very first pass of his hands seems to have effect, the doll's eyelids move, she makes a little step, then another, and then twirls round in response to his command. At last she sits down and smiles up into his face, and wild with delight the old fellow hurries out to get her some refreshment. The minute his back is turned, up jumps Miss Dolly (in reality his wife) and clasps her hands with joy at the success of her trick. When the old man comes back, his hopes are dashed to the ground, because in place of the beautiful creature he left on the chair he finds only the old staring doll in pink, but before he recovers from his surprise he hears a noise, and turning sees the lid of the French doll's box moving. Rushing over, he takes off the lid with trembling fingers, when out jumps his wife in her usual dress and embraces him fondly. Recognizing her now to be the beautiful doll, he kisses her and promises to give up his foolish hobby and devote himself always to the sweetest little woman in the world. Written by Moving Picture World synopsis See less