The Scheming Gambler's Paradise

The pioneering French filmmaker Geroges Melies is chiefly remembered for his trick photography today but this film is evidence that he was capable of producing films that didn't rely on special effects to create an impact. The one set-one take story sees a bunch of gamblers and prostitutes enjoying themselves in a gambling den. Their hi-jinks are disrupted by a police raid, but the owners of the establishment are prepared for such raids and the casino is instantly transformed into a clothing store, leaving the police non-plussed by what they find.

The film reminded me firstly of a scene from the Rat Pack movie Robin and the Seven Hoods in which a similar gambling den is transformed into a church hall, and also of Mack Sennett's Keystone Kop movies thanks to the later scene where we see a dozen cops wrestling each other in the dark, each of them believing they have hold of one of the gamblers.

It seems not all of Georges Méliès' films relied solely on camera tricks. In this one, we see a group of men and women gathered around an illegal gambling table. When the police raid the place, everything is transformed into an innocent-looking shop within seconds-without the use of stop tricks.

Instead, the illusion comes from clever stagecraft: props that can be turned, moved, or reconfigured in the blink of an eye. It's a technique likely borrowed from the theatrical world.

But the fun doesn't end there. When a second police raid occurs, things don't go quite as smoothly. A humorous twist follows as the group of officers begins playing around the now-abandoned gambling table.

This is a short film by the French director Méliès and it deserves to be remembered for its clever gags. The film begins in a gambling house that is full of men and prostitutes. However, when the cops come to investigate, the men hide and the walls, furniture, etc. all are quickly transformed into a respectable clothing store (millinary shop). The ways the sets quickly flip over is really cute. Unfortunately, the gag only works so long and eventually all the party animals run away--leaving the gambling accessories behind. And, in a nice twist, the final scene shows all the police gambling away in the place of the previous patrons. For 1905, this is a very clever and watchable film.

If you want to see this film online, go to Google and type in "Méliès" and then click the video button for a long list of his films that are viewable without special software.

Damn, early 20th century France must've been a police state or something! Two police raids in one night?! One might think half of the population works in law enforcement agencies. Sadly, no whacky dancing Devil were present, and the all too famous movie magic were absent too, so I have to cut a few points, but still, yet again a very nice and clever short movie from Méliès. Well done!

This is certainly fun. Some people are running an illegal gambling house. They have made their gaming equipment so it can be neutralized because they are subject to frequent raids by the police. Such a raid takes place and everything goes according to plan, but, unfortunately for gamblers, the police come rolling back in shortly after an initial raid. This time they don't have time and the people run away (except for one man). But there is an interesting conclusion.