Jack and the Beanstalk (1902 film)
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| Jack and the Beanstalk | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Edwin S. Porter |
| Produced by | Edison Studios |
| Starring | See below |
| Cinematography | Edwin S. Porter |
Release date |
|
Running time | 10 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Jack and the Beanstalk is a 1902 American silent trick film directed by Edwin S. Porter. With ten sequential shots, Jack and the Beanstalk was twice as long as any previous studio film. According to Porter, "It took in the neighborhood of six weeks in the spring of 1902 to successfully make this photograph."[1]
In this earliest known filmed adaptation of the classic fairy tale, Jack first trades his cow for the bean. His mother then makes him drop them in the front yard, and go to his room. As he sleeps, Jack is visited by a fairy who shows him glimpses of what will await him when he ascends the bean stalk. In this version, Jack is the son of a deposed king.
When Jack wakes up, he finds the beanstalk has grown and he climbs to the top where he enters the giant's home. The giant finds Jack, who narrowly escapes. The giant chases Jack down the bean stalk, but Jack is able to cut it down before the giant can get to safety. He falls and is killed. Jack celebrates. The fairy then reveals that Jack may return home as a prince.
Cast
| Actors | Characters |
|---|---|
| James H. White | Farmer |
| Thomas White | Jack |
| Elsie Ferguson | Fairy |
