The Misfortunes of Mr. And Mrs. Mott on their Trip to Tahiti

director: Gaston Méliès

original title: The Misfortunes of Mr. And Mrs. Mott on their Trip to Tahiti

country: French Polynesia, United States

year: 1912

running time: 8 min.

synopsis

All three films from Tahiti are probably only fragments of their original versions. However, this one is unique in many ways. Gaston Méliès describes in a letter to his son that he came up with Mr. and Mrs. Mott so he could start filming during the voyage and document the progress of the journey. We then see the first shots of Papeete, the capital of Tahiti. These are of great value, as in 1912 the town still had less than four thousand inhabitants. The fictional plot is more of an excuse to film, and because the couple are on a tourist trip, the film predominantly contains authentic footage – for example of the Tahitian queen, the fashion of the time or the streets and shops.

biography

Gaston Méliès (1852-1915), the brother of the more famous Georges, was primarily his sales representative in the United States. However, he has been directing films himself since 1903. He was first celebrated by American audiences. In the years 1912-13 he traveled the world and shot documentary films with staged scenes in exotic environments.

more about film

director:

Gaston Méliès

back to listing