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The Deaf-Mute Ball
Also known as [The Deaf Mutes’ Ball]
(1907) United States of America
B&W : One reel
Directed by Joseph A. Golden
Cast: (unknown)
American Mutoscope & Biograph Company production; distributed by American Mutoscope & Biograph Company. / Released August 1907. / [?] Biograph 35mm spherical format?
Comedy.
Synopsis: [?] [From The Moving Picture World]? Two deaf-mutes attend a masquerade ball; one made up as a Polar bear, the other as an Italian bear-trainer. After the ball, having unduly indulged in the hopped beverage, they start for home. On the way they become separated, and the human bear, bereft of his powers of communication in sign language, being securely fastened up in the costume, with his hands encased in the claws, terrorizes passers-by. His plight is sad indeed, for his ability is misjudged, and he is given a wide berth by all; even brave coppers desert their post of duty at his approach, and he wanders about, utterly helpless, due to his inability to break the fastenings of his costume. At length his companion appears and they start once more homeward, stopping on the way to get just one more drink. As they enter the saloon the barkeeper becomes panic-stricken and makes a hasty exit, followed by the imitation trainer, who endeavors to explain. While they are gone a drunk enters, and although he may have in his time seen snakes, this is his first case of “bears,” so he dashes wildly out of the place, no doubt to take the pledge for life. The barkeeper, assured of the harmlessness of the bruin, returns and kicks him out into the street. Further on they try to enlist the services of the driver of a horse and wagon, but he skidoos in a hurry, leaving his team at their disposal. In this they drive to their apartment house. Here his Polar majesty gets into the wrong flat, and, thoroughly exhausted from his labyrinthine journey, throws himself upon the bed, almost paralyzing with fright the man who, wrapped in the arms of Morpheus, awakens to find himself in the fleecy embrace of a bear. He gives alarm and a squad of police answer his summons and drag our masquerading friend to the bear pit of Central Park, where he is about to be incarcerated, when his chum rushes up and in sign language explains matters, thus saving him from an awful fate. This may be a bit of nature faking, but it is funny enough to arouse the risibility of a marble statue.
Survival status: Print exists.
Current rights holder: Public domain [USA].
Keywords: Deaf persons
Listing updated: 5 November 2022.
References: Leyda-Before p. 129; Usai-Griffith-1 p. 13 : Website-IMDb.
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