The Life of Charles Peace (1905) watch online HD

This film has been called "The first British fiction film in the real sense of the word", and has been compared with "The Great Train Robbery" in that respect. It lasts 11 minutes (long for its time - 1905) and comprises 10 scenes. It tells the story of the Victorian murderer, Charles Peace, who graduated from burglary to murder, and portrays his flight, arrest, identification and execution. It is thus both a drama and a chase film, and its editing and camera positions ensure a gripping pace throughout. A detailed analysis of the film, and the story of its making will be found in my book, "William Haggar - fairground film-maker", to be published by Accent Press Ltd. in May 2007. For further details, visit www.williamhaggar.co.uk

Was this actually the first British story film as long as a reel? What are we to make of Paul's BUY YOUR OWN CHERRIES! from 1904? Certainly there was nothing new about story films as long as a minute. Melies had been producing them in France as long before as 1899, and THE GREAT TRAIN ROBBERY was released in the US eighteen months before this.

Whether or not it is the first British story film as long as a reel -- a question which seems a trifle specific and nit-picky to me -- this is a well-produced work, covering the crimes of the notorious Charles Peace, who burgled and killed and escaped from the police and died on the gallows. It uses the "chapter heading" style of film making, in which a title tells you what you are about to see, and then shows it. Even so, there are a couple of incidents that look puzzling to me. This indicates that Walter Haggar -- who plays Peace, as well as having written and directed the movie -- expected his audience to know his subject's story, a quarter of a century after he met the hangman.

Or perhaps he anticipated that some one would not be familiar, and ask.... and that would keep people talking about the picture. Haggar was certainly a talented and forward-thinking film maker. I can believe that.