Grandma's Reading Glass

Grandma's Reading Glass is a 1900 British short silent drama film, directed by George Albert Smith, featuring a young Willy who borrows a huge magnifying glass to focus on various objects, which was shot to demonstrate the new technique of close-up. The film, according to Michael Brooke of BFI Screenonline, "was one of the first films to cut between medium shot and point-of-view close-up.

"The close-ups themselves were simulated by photographing the relevant objects inside a black circular mask fixed in front of the camera lens," according to Michael Brooke, "which also had the effect of creating a circular image that helped them stand out from the rest of the film." "Smith would develop these techniques in the more narrative-based As Seen Through a Telescope (1900), made the same year."

BFI reviewer Michael Brooke states that, "there is very little narrative to speak of besides the boy looking around for further objects to examine," "but at the time it was released, that would in itself have been sufficient novelty to maintain the audience's interest."

The film, long thought lost, was discovered in 1960 in the collection of Danish court photographer and film pioneer Peter Elfelt.

Synopsis

Tandis que sa grand-mère est occupée à coudre, une jeune garçon s'amuse à observer différents objets à l'aide d'une loupe. Il regarde successivement une publicité dans un journal (premier plan du film), le mécanisme d'une montre, un canari dans sa cage, l’œil de sa grand-mère qui riboule comiquement, puis la tête du chaton dans son panier. Il veut continuer le jeu mais sa grand-mère y met fin.