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Going to Bed with Difficulties

Original title: Le Déshabillage impossible
  • 1900
  • Not Rated
  • 2m
IMDb RATING
6.6/10
934
YOUR RATING
Georges Méliès in Going to Bed with Difficulties (1900)
ComedyFantasyShort

As if by magic, a weary traveller trying to undress, is foiled by his mutinous clothes as they teleport and multiply before his eyes, refusing to stay on the clothing rack.As if by magic, a weary traveller trying to undress, is foiled by his mutinous clothes as they teleport and multiply before his eyes, refusing to stay on the clothing rack.As if by magic, a weary traveller trying to undress, is foiled by his mutinous clothes as they teleport and multiply before his eyes, refusing to stay on the clothing rack.

  • Director
    • Georges Méliès
  • Star
    • Georges Méliès
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    6.6/10
    934
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Georges Méliès
    • Star
      • Georges Méliès
    • 10User reviews
    • 5Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • Photos3

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    Top cast1

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    Georges Méliès
    Georges Méliès
    • The Man
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • Georges Méliès
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews10

    6.6934
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    Featured reviews

    8boblipton

    Where Did You Get that Hat?

    Melies gives his audience another variation of his most popular and imitated -- including by him -- story of L'AUBERGE MYSTERIEUSE, as a man tries to get undressed for bed and new clothing keeps reappearing on him, particularly a long series of most unflattering headgear. Melies' comic agitation as he tries harder and harder to prepare for bed is wonderful.

    This is one of the many previously lost or infrequently seen Melies pictures that have been made available by Serge Bromberg, David Shepherd and a myriad of other hands in the newly issued DVD set GEORGES MELIES: FIRST WIZARD OF CINEMA. Required viewing for anyone interested in the history of movies ..... and a lot of fun.
    2Tera-Jones

    Dumb - Just Dumb

    A guy takes of his clothing to get some sleep and as fast as he takes them off more clothing appears on his body. Original idea but dumb.

    2/10
    7planktonrules

    Pretty funny...even when you watch it today.

    This is not the only film like this that Georges Méliès made. Using the same exact techniques, he did the same. What the film consists of is a guy TRYING to take off his clothes, but every time he takes off a set of clothing, a new one, as if by magic, appeared on him! As the film progresses and this has happened MANY times, he becomes progressively more aggrevated. And, when he tries to go to bed..well you can probably guess what happens!

    This is a cute little film and pretty good stuff considering it was made in 1900. Of course, to achieve the effect, the camera would be turned off...the man would take off or add a new set of clothes...then the camera would be restarted. But the relatively seamless fashion and sheer number of changes make this one a winner. Quite clever.
    Cineanalyst

    Intricate Trickery

    This trick film, "Going to Bed Under Difficulties", from cinema magician pioneer Georges Méliès is especially intricate. Numerous substitution-splices were required to achieve the continual appearance of more clothing on the weary traveller (of course, played by the director), as he futilely tries to undress. To make matters worse, his bed floats away. The effect remains impressive today, as well as amusing, thanks to Méliès's comedic ingenuity behind and in front of the camera.

    "Going to Bed Under Difficulties" is an early and one of the better entries in the subgenre of a weary traveller suffering tricks at an inn, a formula from which Méliès made many films. The success of this particular trick film is demonstrated by the fact that other early filmmakers stole the idea and made their own imitations of it. Walter Booth and R.W. Paul's version, "Undressing Extraordinary" (1901) and Gaumont's Alice Guy's "How Monsieur Takes His Bath" (Comment Monsieur prend son bain) (1903) have also both been available in DVD compilations. A glance at other titles from the era suggests that other early producers did likewise. Moreover, remakes and dupes of many of Méliès's films can be found in the history of early cinema—further evidence that he was the most innovative filmmaker at the turn of the 20th century.
    Michael_Elliott

    Going To Bed Under Difficulties

    Going To Bed Under Difficulties (1900)

    *** 1/2 (out of 4)

    aka Le Deshabillage impossible

    This film here is pretty much just one gag but what an incredibly looking gag it is. A man gets home and can't wait to go to bed but first he must get undressed but each time he gets a new piece of clothing off a new one comes back on him. We've seen this type of joke from Melies before in the terms of someone trying to get undressed but can't but the joke here is expanded and is done at such a high rate of speed you can't help but just sit there and be amazed at what you're watching. I'm still not quite sure how Melies managed to do all of these magic tricks and the stuff on display here is among the best work of his career.

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    Short

    Storyline

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    Did you know

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    • Trivia
      Star Film 312 - 313.
    • Connections
      Remade as Comment monsieur prend son bain (1903)

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • 1903 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • France
    • Language
      • None
    • Also known as
      • Going to Bed Under Difficulties
    • Production companies
      • Georges Méliès
      • Star-Film
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

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    • Runtime
      • 2m
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Sound mix
      • Silent

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