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His Brave Defender

When a couple's home is burgled, the missus proves her mettle by confronting the culprit, come what may

Crime 1901 1 mins Silent

Overview

It's an embarrassing moment for the man of the house when a copper arrives to investigate a burglary, and discovers that his wife was the hero of the hour, while her ungallant hubby was hiding under the bed. Even when the burglar was tied up and threatened his wife, this coward failed to come to her aidw. This comedy uses a reversal of gender stereotypes to make fun out of a potentially dramatic situation. The arrival of a crowd of neighbours and a policeman at the end compounds his shame.

Robert W. Paul was one of Britain's earliest filmmakers. He was a successful instrument-maker by trade and became the co-inventor of the country's first moving-picture camera in 1896. He built a studio in London's Muswell Hill in 1898 and continued to make films there until around 1910, when he turned his focus back to instruments and military technology. This film was made by his company, Paul's Animatograph Works.

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