Hypnotizing the Hypnotist

I've never seen Florence Turner - 'the Vitagraph Girl' - before, but on the strength of 'Hypnotising the Hypnotist', would certainly like to see more of her. Her attractively angular, extremely expressive face, sense of fun and physical agility are all here on ample display and the whole cast - which includes a pompous footman who looks remarkably like Sterling Hayden - seem to be enjoying themselves.

The audience certainly did.

An extravaganza comedy thoroughly laughable and enjoyable, and one that was received with warm applause. It deserved to be applauded on account of its quality which is all in the acting. A very well-made-up hypnotist calls on Mr. Brown's sweetheart while Brown is there. Brown is quickly cut out and leaves in dudgeon. Goes to consult a professional hypnotist, but finds him not home. Edges past valet into the hypnotist's library. Finds the great book. "How to Hypnotize from a Distance." Reads for a while, then calls up sweetheart and has her make faces at the other hypnotist. Miss Florence Turner plays the girl and she is rich in it. Brown then comes back with the great book. Heavy battle scene in sweetheart's parlor, ending in a truce with Brown victor. It surely is a worth-while comedy. There's hardly an inch that isn't funny. - The Moving Picture World, December 16, 1911

Florence Turner consults a hypnotist. This annoys her father, Charles Kent, so much he goes to another hypnotist, where he spots a book on hypnotism, and phones home. He hypnotizes Miss Turner into making faces at the hypnotist.

It's a very funny short subject for the Vitagraph Girl, as she makes excellent faces. Kent has a lot of fun with a footman; unlike the other reviewer, I think the footman looks not like Sterling Hayden, but Hugh Laurie. Well, let's agree to disagree.

Kate Price also has a funny bit as the housemaid. This being Vitagraph, any actor, no matter how high ranked, could turn up in a short doing bit parts.