We’ve got one concept here, or one conceit, clearly established and cheerfully and charmingly played out. That’s Alice Guy. She’s not a genius, nor really a stylist, or much of an innovator. She’s a pro, though, a really fine and genial pro. At the end of this collection the viewer has developed feelings of affection and gratitude. There’s a productive immersion, and a considerable amount of time that was very, very well spent!
This pianist looks like Franz Liszt, no doubt on purpose. He starts playing, and all these people to dancing. They show a little bit of pique and inconvenience as they’re brought out of their chairs, but mostly there’s a refreshing lack of Red Shoes-moral anxiety or moralistic accusation. People are busy or settled, but when the toes start tapping, what can you do? Especially when you don’t really look like you want to remedy it too much. We conclude with a clever resolution of the problem, and a brisk dispatching of the pied piper.