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654:. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company, 1987, pp. 46-47. According to this reference, a full 1000-foot reel of film in the silent era had a maximum running time of 15-16 minutes. While silent-film speeds varied, they were generally projected at 16 frames per second, much slower than the 24 frames of later sound films. Reels distributed to theaters, especially the last reels in multi-reel releases, were usually not filled to their maximum capacities.
576:(LAC), or in other major film repositories in the United States, Canada, or Europe. The film is therefore presumed to be lost. A major fire at Edison's Bronx facilities on March 28, 1914 devastated much of the studio, destroying sets, large collections of costumes, production equipment, and "many moving picture feature films". It is quite possible that any master negatives and prints of
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interest and value to the
Dominion of Canada and England." Young's comment proved to be correct, for by October and November 1911, foreign newspapers were already reporting positive responses to the screen drama's presentation in select theaters in England, Ireland, Wales, and France; and by February 1912 the "spectacular picture" was being screened as far away from Edison Studios as
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The picture has bits of historic realism that are quite clever. The "fighting top" of the enemy's ship "The
Redoubtable" was an extremely well conceived and well executed scene and has the merit of being in the story of it well sustained by historical tradition. The scene on board the "Victory" when,
527:
would have strong appeal in foreign markets, especially in Canada. "The sentiment of the
Canadian public", he observed, "is that too much Yankee heroism at present is being exhibited in the animated picture theaters in Canada", noting that "Edison's 'The Battle of Trafalgar,' etc., will be of great
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only continued to improve in later issues of the trade journal. It was so impressed with the "excellent" film that it even promoted the idea of utilizing it in classrooms: "It is a historic picture of unusual educational value and would be useful anywhere in teaching history." Evidently, some
477:
after so many hours of bloody fighting the fortunes of war went with the
British, is stirring in the picture, as it must have been in reality. The death of Nelson was an affecting scene and to an Englishman must bring to mind one of the proudest moments in the history of his country.
256:
in London in the weeks prior to the conflict. There he reveals his "wonderful plan of attack" against the French fleet, which was supported by warships of its
Spanish ally. After discussing the daring plan, Nelson and his fellow officers raise their drinking glasses to
522:
that his wife, who reviewed the picture, thought it "was about the best battle scene and military reel she has looked at in many days", adding that "Because it was historical in character she raved about it." In
Chicago, film reviewer Charles A. Young, predicted that
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Later footage from other silent productions that include portrayals of the Battle of
Trafalgar should not be confused with this 1911 Edison release. Two of those subsequent releases are much longer, far more elaborate British films. One, titled
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and finally, after several rehearsals, ordered the scene taken. A few days later the scene was shown in the studio dark room. Then, for the first time, Dawley was horrified to see an anxious super, standing on the quarterdeck, pick up a
330:. There in the film's final scenes, described as replete with "grandeur" and "pathos", the heroic admiral dies, but not until Hardy brings him news of the British fleet's overwhelming defeat of Napoleon's Franco-Spanish fleet.
306:". Scenes then transitioned to the flagship's decks being cleared for action, followed by footage showing the battle itself with "the firing of the guns", "ships caught on fire", and close-up views of the battered
608:. Both of these British films survive, and each contains scenes of the 1805 battle that in style and general content are likely very similar to some scenes in this Edison version, including rudimentary
454:
anchor supposed to weigh something like a ton. With one hand the zealous extra hurled it over the side. There was nothing to do but to retake the whole scene. But the anxious extra wasn't in the retake.
486:
learning centers detected the same potential of using the film as a learning tool for young students. In
November 1919, more than eight years after the motion picture's release, the public library in
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that employed the use of miniature models and painted silhouettes of warships, small-scale explosions, and tight camera framing to simulate the opposing fleets bombarding one another.
290:), who appears as a vision with "beautiful scenic and photographic effect". Advancing to the next day, the film depicted Nelson making a final entry in his personal diary and later on
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in its
September 9 pre-release review describes the Edison Company's film as "altogether creditable" and expresses admiration for the production's attention to detail in its sets:
421:, an Australian actor and featured Edison player at the time of this production's development, recalled how a mistake in a major scene by one of those inexperienced extras or "
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as part of its "Movies for children" series on
Saturday afternoons and promoted it as "a vivid story of Admiral Nelson's last battle, which is full of thrilling scenes."
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282:. It is the day before the battle and officers are writing letters, perhaps their final messages, to their families and sweethearts. Lieutenant Prescott (
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Historical Newspapers, Ann Arbor, Michigan; subscription access through The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Library, June 5, 2010.
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In the months after its release in September 1911, the film received positive reviews both nationally and internationally. The New York-based
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The ship's surgeon (actor Charles Ogle) standing over the dying Nelson (Sydney Booth) with Captain Hardy (James Gordon) kneeling next to him
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This film is described in 1911 trade publications as "a powerful historical drama" of the famous battle off the coast of Spain, at
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298:) and other officers once the long line of enemy vessels is sighted on the horizon. Next, "splendidly portrayed" in the film,
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are hoisted aloft to relay the admiral's own simple but inspiring message to his crews across the British fleet: "
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were various Bronx residents hastily gathered by the studio from surrounding neighborhoods. In 1917,
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magazine (Chicago, Illinois), January 1919, p. 10. Internet Archive. Retrieved June 7, 2020.
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The sets for staging the production, including basic replicas of several deck areas on
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Copies of the silent British biopics of Nelson can be viewed on the streaming service
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who performed as crewmen aboard the British flagship and on the French vessel
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Edison film-set recreation of Nelson (fifth from right) with his officers on
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916:, Gran Bretaña, PELICULAS MUDAS / Silent cinema, uploaded January 30, 2018;
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giving commands. Suddenly, Nelson drops to his knees, struck down by a
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of Admiral Nelson (Sydney Booth) presenting his battle plan in London
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No copy of this production is listed in the film collection of the
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A month after the film's release, the "Western Correspondent" for
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over the combined naval forces of France and Spain during the
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in France, French distributors changed the film's title to
755:, October 7, 1911, p. 40. Internet Archive. June 6, 2020.
598:. The other silent film, also a biopic and simply titled
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and Britain's anticipated success against French Emperor
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film that portrayed the 1805 victory of Great Britain’s
544:"Lost" film status and later British silent productions
896:(BFI), London, United Kingdom. Retrieved June 6, 2020.
765:"Ottawa, Ill., Library Shows Films for the Juveniles"
641:, San Francisco, California. Retrieved June 6, 2020.
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shot by a sniper aboard the adjacent French warship
814:"Behind The Footlights / The Battle of Trafalgar",
629:"Data from Manufacturers' List of Releases /Edison"
271:The photoplay then shifted to scenes at sea aboard
912:Nelson; The Story of England's Immortal Naval Hero
587:Nelson; The Story of England's Immortal Naval Hero
580:stored there were among the losses in that fire.
445:Dawley had been imploring the extras to register
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304:England expects that every man will do his duty
604:, is a four-reeler released in 1926. It stars
637:(New York, N.Y.), September 23, 1911, p. 33.
564:, in the collection of moving images at the
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532:. It is noteworthy that in marketing
847:(Mumbai), February 10, 1912, p. 10.
816:South Wales Sentinel and Labour News
749:"'The Battle of Trafalgar' (Edison)"
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147:1000 feet (approximately 15 minutes)
1092:English-language action drama films
1052:Lost American adventure drama films
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347:Sydney Booth as Admiral Lord Nelson
294:bidding farewell to Captain Hardy (
220:The film starred Sydney Booth with
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1032:Films directed by J. Searle Dawley
880:, March 29, 1914, p. 13. ProQuest.
733:"THE BATTLE OF TRAFALGAR (Edison)"
14:
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540:("The Death of Admiral Nelson").
401:, were built in New York City at
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1047:Films shot in New York City
997:American action drama films
574:Library and Archives Canada
208:was also depicted in this "
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824:HathiTrust Digital Library
797:Young, Charles A. (1911).
538:La Mort de l'Amiral Nelson
530:Bombay (now Mumbai), India
381:as Lieutenant Prescott's "
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799:"Among the Chicago Shows"
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676:The Moving Picture World
483:The Moving Picture World
469:The Moving Picture World
372:, ship's surgeon on HMS
114:The General Film Company
1007:American war epic films
942:The Battle of Trafalgar
835:"Pictures At Rotunda",
700:The Battle of Trafalgar
578:The Battle of Trafalgar
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1017:Battle of Trafalgar
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415:Redoubtable
353:as Captain
322:Redoubtable
316:musket ball
312:quarterdeck
278:, Nelson's
250:Lord Nelson
165:intertitles
62:Produced by
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962:1911 films
956:Categories
616:References
440:was filmed
390:Production
210:one-reeler
206:sea battle
191:Royal Navy
131:1911-09-22
91:Production
54:Written by
36:Film still
720:Photoplay
594:starring
503:poop deck
447:animation
396:HMS
383:Affianced
273:HMS
187:docudrama
93:companies
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849:ProQuest
520:Arkansas
280:flagship
160:Language
72:Starring
907:YouTube
507:Victory
505:on HMS
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398:Victory
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328:cockpit
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152:Country
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921:(1926)
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