(1899) First ever Shakespeare film. King John.

King John: A Flickering Fragment of Cinematic History

In the annals of film history, King John (1899) holds a place of peculiar significance. Believed to be the very first film adaptation of a Shakespearean play, it is not a film in the way we understand it today, but rather a brief, tantalizing glimpse into the birth of cinematic storytelling.

Produced by the British Mutoscope and Biograph Company and directed by Walter Pfeffer Dando and William K.L. Dickson, this landmark film consisted of a single scene: King John's death throes from Shakespeare's historical play. Starring the renowned stage actor Herbert Beerbohm Tree, it captured no more than a minute of action. Yet, this fragment represented a bold step – an attempt to translate the grandiosity and poetry of the stage onto the fledgling medium of film.

Context is crucial. In 1899, cinema was in its infancy. Films were short, silent spectacles, designed as novelty acts rather than full-fledged narratives. The idea of preserving a theatrical performance for posterity was radical and technologically challenging. The Mutoscope, an early motion picture device, relied on a flip-book style presentation rather than the projected film we are accustomed to.

Tree's performance as the dying King is our only window into the film. The surviving footage showcases King John in his final moments, writhing in agony as the poison coursing through his veins takes its toll. Tree, a master of physical acting, employs exaggerated gestures to communicate the King's suffering and desperation.

While devoid of sound and limited in scope, this scene is a fascinating historical document. It hints at the expressive potential of film, even in its most primitive state. Tree's performance, while adhering to the theatrical style of the time, demonstrates how physicality could translate pain, fear, and the imminence of death onto a new visual medium.

King John also offers insight into the early fascination with Shakespeare as a source of cinematic material. Despite the limitations of silent film, filmmakers recognized the power and universal themes within Shakespeare's works. This film marks the beginning of a long and complex relationship between Shakespeare and cinema, a relationship that continues to evolve and inspire today.

Beyond the technical limitations, there are intriguing questions within this fragment. How was this scene staged and shot? Was there music or a live narrator to accompany it? How did audiences of 1899, largely unfamiliar with motion pictures, react to witnessing this iconic Shakespearean moment on screen?

The film might be criticized by today's standards. Modern audiences accustomed to nuanced acting might find the style overly dramatic. The lack of dialogue reduces the complexity of Shakespeare's work. Yet, judging King John solely by contemporary standards misses the point.

Legacy and Importance

The true significance of King John lies in its pioneering spirit. It represents a critical turning point where theater and film collided, ushering in an era of experimentation that would forever change how stories were told. While the film itself may only be a flicker in time, it illuminates the very beginnings of our enduring fascination with capturing performances, adapting classic works, and exploring the endless possibilities of the moving image.

Music: Chausson, Op.21