Matrimonys Speed Limit (1913)
In the National Film Registry
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14m
Fraunie loses fortune, fakes inheritance to marry by noon, proposes to everyone, true love wins.
Matrimony's Speed Limit (1913), directed by Alice Guy-Blaché, offers a glimpse into the early days of cinematic experimentation. This silent film playfully breaks away from the staged theatricality that dominated the era.
The camera ventures outdoors, capturing the bustling city streets as the frantic protagonist races against time to find a wife. This focus on movement and everyday life reflects the influence of the "actuality" films gaining popularity at the time.
However, Guy-Blaché doesn't simply document reality. She employs slapstick humor and exaggerated scenarios, blurring the lines between documentary and farce. The film's unexpected conclusion, with its underlying racial prejudice, further challenges audiences' expectations and reflects the complex social issues of the period.
Matrimony's Speed Limit stands as a testament to the innovative spirit of early cinema, where directors like Guy-Blaché were actively pushing the boundaries of the new art form.
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