This film is part of Free
Jealous Doll, Or, The Frustrated Elopement
Toy Story meets Fatal Attraction in this tale of an Edwardian childhood romance scuppered by poor finances and a stalking dolly
Overview
As first dates go, few can be as memorable as this imaginative tale of Edwardian childhood romance. Our top-hatted male suitor is a little young to elope, but he makes his best efforts to impress his girl, hailing a horse-drawn carriage to ride to a restaurant for a slap-up meal. But what makes the film really stand out is the part played by the girl’s doll, who resents being left behind with the dozing nanny and decides to stalk our young couple, before returning to raise the alarm.
Filmmaker Percy Stow was no stranger to invention and ambition in his filmmaking, as demonstrated by his part in the 1903 adaptation of Alice in Wonderland. Six years on, and the still-recent discovery of frame-by-frame stop-motion animation was the key in bringing the doll to life for this tale. The clear difficulties the production team found in mixing live-action and animation highlight the risks of ambitious filmmaking, but the strangely gothic delight of a vengeful plaything in pursuit of its owner makes clear the rewards.
Related
Short Tribute From Blues To You Short Tribute From Blues To You
Amateur film 1989 2 mins Silent Location: Chorlton-cum-Hardy
Model music men - an unusual appreciation of some legendary figures of rock.
Damaged Goods Damaged Goods
Animation & Artists Moving Image 2008 9 mins
A tragic story is played out by porcelain figurines residing in a bric-a-brac shop.
Ersatz Ersatz
Animation & Artists Moving Image 1978 14 mins Silent
An affectionate stop-motion tribute to Hollywood and cinema going, by an animator at Cosgrove-Hall Productions
Superted Superted
Animation & Artists Moving Image 1975 9 mins
Don’t tell the Spotty man but Superted has a new friend. A stop motion predecessor of the superhero teddy idea
Animated Putty Animated Putty
Animation & Artists Moving Image 1911 4 mins Silent
Long, long before Wallace met Gromit filmmakers performed malleable magic to bring clay to life
South Sea Sweethearts South Sea Sweethearts
Advert 1938 6 mins
Say aloha to a Technicolor cinema ad for Horlicks from the master of the Puppetoon, George Pal
New Perspectives: Pusher New Perspectives: Pusher
Short documentary 2025 5 mins
Noah Bell of Northumbria University explains why you should seize the chance to watch Nicolas Winding Refn's debut.
Twin Peaks star Kyle MacLachlan on working with David Lynch - Q&A Twin Peaks star Kyle MacLachlan on working with David Lynch - Q&A
Inside Film 2025 38 mins
Kyle MacLachlan talks to BFI CEO Ben Roberts about working with David Lynch on the legendary series Twin Peaks.
On Falling - Exclusive Q&A On Falling - Exclusive Q&A
Inside Film 2025 30 mins
Writer-director Laura Carreira talks to Nia Childs about her debut feature, On Falling.
Layla - Exclusive Q&A Layla - Exclusive Q&A
Short interview 2025 27 mins
Writer, director and performer Amrou Al-Kadhi talks to Rico Johnson-Sinclair about their debut feature.
All We Imagine As Light - Exclusive Q&A All We Imagine As Light - Exclusive Q&A
Short interview 2025 28 mins
Payal Kapadia discusses her Cannes prize-winning and Bafta-nominated drama with Ashanti Omkar.
Khichdi Khichdi
Animation & Artists Moving Image 2023 16 mins
The interwoven stories of four best friends who reunite in the UK, thirty-five years after training together as nurses during their teens in Ferozepur, Punjab.