L'Auberge du Bon Repos
Encyclopedia
L'Auberge du Bon Repos (The Inn Where No Man Rests) is a 1903 silent
French
comedy film
directed by Georges Méliès
set in an inn
. The film addresses the state of the drunken mind with light heartedness.
, his coat and his shoes. The servant places these things upon a clothes-rack in such a way that they resemble the outlines of the back of an old codger. The servant withdraws. A comedic scene follows when the drunken chap tries to light his pipe from a candlestick
. The candlestick rises in the air, and the flame is put out by a portrait placed in a frame on the wall. The guest lights the candle, and he tries to light his pipe again. A second time the candlestick rises up, and the personage in the picture having become animated swallows candle and candlestick. The fellow jumps backward, bumps up against the clothes-rack. Taking his clothes for an intruder he kicks at them. The boots become animated, and kick him in return. The fellow, enraged, throws himself upon the clothes-rack, which he imagines to be a person, struggles with it and rolls upon the floor, entangled among all his clothes.
He restores everything to its former place, but his boots began to dance about the room. The poor drunk man chases after them, but the boots ascend the wall and disappear in the ceiling.
Tired he goes to bed. Immediately the bed begins to dance wildly about the room, then falls upon him, burying him among the covers, mattress and the pieces of the bed. He extricates himself in a rage, restores everything to order again, but just as he attempts to get into bed he finds himself suddenly thrown under it. He crawls out of bed and spies the moon
through the casement window
. Believing that he has discovered an enemy he strikes the window with a broom, and the window bursts into pieces. The moon reappears on the dial of a clock; then suddenly it assumes the face of a grinning clown. The drunken fellow starts back; he stumbles against a valise. With a kick he sends the valise into the air, where it assumes the form of a demon, whom the fellow tries to catch. The furniture
, the washbowl, the pitcher break into pieces.
Awakened by the mid-night disturbances, the hotel manager and all the guests, enter the room. Stormy explanations follow, and a battle ensues. The people follow one another, leaping through windows, pictures and mirrors. The proprietor is hit on the head by a board laden with all sorts of objects, and a large portrait
falls upon his head. Finally at the moment when the drunken fellow is on the point of being seized, he disappears through a casement and takes refuge on the roof, to the astonishment of all.
Silent film
A silent film is a film with no synchronized recorded sound, especially with no spoken dialogue. In silent films for entertainment the dialogue is transmitted through muted gestures, pantomime and title cards...
French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
comedy film
Comedy film
Comedy film is a genre of film in which the main emphasis is on humour. They are designed to elicit laughter from the audience. Comedies are mostly light-hearted dramas and are made to amuse and entertain the audiences...
directed by Georges Méliès
Georges Méliès
Georges Méliès , full name Marie-Georges-Jean Méliès, was a French filmmaker famous for leading many technical and narrative developments in the earliest cinema. He was very innovative in the use of special effects...
set in an inn
INN
InterNetNews is a Usenet news server package, originally released by Rich Salz in 1991, and presented at the Summer 1992 USENIX conference in San Antonio, Texas...
. The film addresses the state of the drunken mind with light heartedness.
Synopsis
The film begins in the interior bedroom of an inn. There enters a traveler, slightly intoxicated, accompanied by a porter, who carries his baggage. The traveler takes off his hatHat
A hat is a head covering. It can be worn for protection against the elements, for ceremonial or religious reasons, for safety, or as a fashion accessory. In the past, hats were an indicator of social status...
, his coat and his shoes. The servant places these things upon a clothes-rack in such a way that they resemble the outlines of the back of an old codger. The servant withdraws. A comedic scene follows when the drunken chap tries to light his pipe from a candlestick
Candlestick
A candlestick, chamberstick, or candelabrum is a holder for one or more candles, used for illumination, rituals, or decorative purposes. The name 'candlestick' derives from the fact that it is usually tall and stick-shaped.Candlesticks are also called candle holders...
. The candlestick rises in the air, and the flame is put out by a portrait placed in a frame on the wall. The guest lights the candle, and he tries to light his pipe again. A second time the candlestick rises up, and the personage in the picture having become animated swallows candle and candlestick. The fellow jumps backward, bumps up against the clothes-rack. Taking his clothes for an intruder he kicks at them. The boots become animated, and kick him in return. The fellow, enraged, throws himself upon the clothes-rack, which he imagines to be a person, struggles with it and rolls upon the floor, entangled among all his clothes.
He restores everything to its former place, but his boots began to dance about the room. The poor drunk man chases after them, but the boots ascend the wall and disappear in the ceiling.
Tired he goes to bed. Immediately the bed begins to dance wildly about the room, then falls upon him, burying him among the covers, mattress and the pieces of the bed. He extricates himself in a rage, restores everything to order again, but just as he attempts to get into bed he finds himself suddenly thrown under it. He crawls out of bed and spies the moon
Moon
The Moon is Earth's only known natural satellite,There are a number of near-Earth asteroids including 3753 Cruithne that are co-orbital with Earth: their orbits bring them close to Earth for periods of time but then alter in the long term . These are quasi-satellites and not true moons. For more...
through the casement window
Casement window
A casement window is a window that is attached to its frame by one or more hinges. Casement windows are hinged at the side. A casement window (or casement) is a window that is attached to its frame by one or more hinges. Casement windows are hinged at the side. A casement window (or casement) is a...
. Believing that he has discovered an enemy he strikes the window with a broom, and the window bursts into pieces. The moon reappears on the dial of a clock; then suddenly it assumes the face of a grinning clown. The drunken fellow starts back; he stumbles against a valise. With a kick he sends the valise into the air, where it assumes the form of a demon, whom the fellow tries to catch. The furniture
Furniture
Furniture is the mass noun for the movable objects intended to support various human activities such as seating and sleeping in beds, to hold objects at a convenient height for work using horizontal surfaces above the ground, or to store things...
, the washbowl, the pitcher break into pieces.
Awakened by the mid-night disturbances, the hotel manager and all the guests, enter the room. Stormy explanations follow, and a battle ensues. The people follow one another, leaping through windows, pictures and mirrors. The proprietor is hit on the head by a board laden with all sorts of objects, and a large portrait
Portrait
thumb|250px|right|Portrait of [[Thomas Jefferson]] by [[Rembrandt Peale]], 1805. [[New-York Historical Society]].A portrait is a painting, photograph, sculpture, or other artistic representation of a person, in which the face and its expression is predominant. The intent is to display the likeness,...
falls upon his head. Finally at the moment when the drunken fellow is on the point of being seized, he disappears through a casement and takes refuge on the roof, to the astonishment of all.