''Le coucher de la mariée'' or ''Bedtime for the Bride'' or ''The Bridegroom's Dilemma'' is a French erotic short film considered to be one of the first

erotic films Sex in film, the presentation of aspects of sexuality in film, specially human sexuality, has been controversial since the development of the medium. Films which display or suggest sexual behavior have been criticized by religious groups or hav ...

made. The film was first screened in Paris in November 1896, within a year of the first public screening of a projected motion picture. The film was produced by

Eugène Pirou Louis Eugène Pirou (26 September 1841 – 30 September 1909) was a French photographer and filmmaker, known primarily for his portraits of celebrities and scenes from the Paris Commune. He was awarded a gold medal at the Exposition Universell ...

and directed by

Albert Kirchner Albert Kirchner (1860–1902), better known under the pseudonym Léar, was a French photographer, manufacturer, exhibitor,Richard Abel''Encyclopedia of early cinema'' Taylor & Francis, 2005, , p.518 and filmmaker who is noted for producing severa ...

under the pseudonym "Léar".

Plot

A newlywed couple is in front of their wedding-bed after their wedding. The husband goes into raptures in front of his new wife, who simpers. She then asks him to withdraw while she undresses and he puts a folding screen between them. She removes one by one the many layers of clothes she wears — a jacket, a dress, underskirts, sub-underskirts, a blouse. The husband does not stay in place, sometimes mopping his front, sometimes reading a newspaper, sometimes having lecherous looks above the folding screen. The actors send numerous glances towards the camera.

History of the movie

The original film has been estimated to be around seven minutes long, but it had degraded to a poor condition in the French Film Archives until it was found in 1996. Only two minutes of the film have survived, which includes the undressing sequence. The film was shot in a theater set, and featured actress Louise WillyRichard Abel
''Encyclopedia of early cinema''
Taylor & Francis, 2005, , p. 518 who performs the

striptease A striptease is an erotic or exotic dance in which the performer gradually undresses, either partly or completely, in a seductive and sexually suggestive manner. The person who performs a striptease is commonly known as a "stripper" or an "exo ...

. It is the direct adaptation of a theater show with the same name and the same cast. The show was very popular at the time, at Olympia Theater (Paris). It was a

pantomime Pantomime (; informally panto) is a type of musical comedy stage production designed for family entertainment. It was developed in England and is performed throughout the United Kingdom, Ireland and (to a lesser extent) in other English-speakin ...

, quite risqué, but still not explicit as the actress was not nude. However, because only two minutes have survived from the original seven minutes, it is impossible to see more than the striptease.

References

External links

* 1896 films 1890s pornographic films French silent short films French black-and-white films Lost French films French pornographic films 1896 short films 1890s lost films 1890s French films {{1890s-France-film-stub

Plot

History of the movie

See also

References

External links