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Miss Annette Kellerman
(1909) United States of America
B&W : Split-reel / 539 feet
Directed by (unknown)
Cast: Annette Kellerman [herself]
The Vitagraph Company of America production; distributed by The Vitagraph Company of America. / Released 2 November 1909; in a split-reel with Adele’s Wash Day (1909). / Standard 35mm spherical 1.33:1 format.
[?] Documentary?
Synopsis: [?] [From The Moving Picture World]? In her physical culture, diabolo, fancy diving and swimming, in the music halls Miss Annette Kellerman commands one of the highest salaries ever paid a single entertainer and is regarded by her managers as one of the most potent box office attractions ever presented, to which fact they gave legal testimony when rival managers sought for her services last spring. In addition to being one of the most perfectly formed women who ever trod a stage, Miss Kellerman is singularly versatile, for she is a champion swimmer, a diver of exceptional ability, one of the best diabolo players in the world and a physical culture expert of note. In this series of views all of her gifts are exploited to greater advantage than they possibly can he shown in the narrow confines of the stage or in the constricted quarters of her stage tank. Those most familiar with her public appearances declare this subject to be a vast improvement upon her regular performance, for the physical disadvantages of the stage are overcome and the act is seen at its best. She opens with the physical culture exercises by means of which she preserves the perfection of her form. Next she is seen upon the lawn of a country residence playing at diabolo, that fascinating Parisian fad with her Diabolo Club of young women. The third section of the film is devoted to her short dives and fancy swimming in the huge tank which forms a part of the Vitagraph studio equipment. Here she is seen to the utmost advantage in the famous black tights upon which the sun glints lovingly as she emerges from the water for a new dive. The dripping silk of the fleshings appears almost iridescent as the angle of reflection is changed with each sinuous move, and in the water the dashes of light as the body is raised above the surface suggests some silver-scaled mermaid disporting herself in her element. A scenic and spectacular investment adds to the picturesqueness of the pictures which is lacking in her stage performance. The last section of the film is devoted to her famous high dives, few of which may be shown to advantage in the theater. These were taken at the seashore and she dives into the ocean instead of into a tank, permitting far greater freedom of movement. Perfection of photography, artistic coloring in monochrome and extreme care in arrangement make this a truly notable film, which will be even more appreciated than the work of the fair natatorialist as seen in theaters.
Reviews: [The Moving Picture World, 3 September 1909, page ?] Some of the daily papers last week carried an item to the effect that Annette Kellerman would be prevented from posing for the Vitagraph Company of America by legal action or managerial pressure. The best answer to this is found in the fact that workmen at the Vitagraph studio are at present engaged in the construction of a new tank twelve feet deep, into which Miss Kellerman will be able to make her most difficult dives. The regular tank is but five feet in depth, and does not permit her to make some of her best dives. The new tank will enable her to exhaust her repertoire of fancy diving.
Survival status: The film is presumed lost.
Current rights holder: Public domain [USA].
Listing updated: 11 June 2024.
References: Website-AFI; Website-IMDb : with additional information provided by Mary Cade.
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