This film by the Edison Manufacturing Company was a followup to their film, KANSAS SALOON SMASHERS--a short that supposedly featured Carrie Nation destroying a saloon. This first film was just okay, but WHY MR. NATION WANTS A DIVORCE is pretty funny--a nice followup to the dry first film.
While Carrie is out doing "God's work", poor Mr. Nation (a fictitious creation) was stuck at home ineptly trying to care for the kids. This film was meant to make fun of hen-pecked husbands AND the sanctimonious Ms. Nation. That's because the kids were NOT being properly cared for AND Mr. Nation is shown drinking while he waits for his wife to return! What makes it work even better are the juxtapositions--Mr. Nation spanks the kid and puts the baby to bed with the bottle; then Mr. Nation begins drinking from his own bottle and when caught, he's spanked over Ms. Nation's knee! Pretty funny stuff for 1901 and at 2 minutes, it's a typical length film.
By the way, this film is part of a DVD set entitled "Treasures III"--a set of four DVDs all about social issues and reform. The second disk (where you'll find this one) is about women's issues in particular.
While Carrie is out doing "God's work", poor Mr. Nation (a fictitious creation) was stuck at home ineptly trying to care for the kids. This film was meant to make fun of hen-pecked husbands AND the sanctimonious Ms. Nation. That's because the kids were NOT being properly cared for AND Mr. Nation is shown drinking while he waits for his wife to return! What makes it work even better are the juxtapositions--Mr. Nation spanks the kid and puts the baby to bed with the bottle; then Mr. Nation begins drinking from his own bottle and when caught, he's spanked over Ms. Nation's knee! Pretty funny stuff for 1901 and at 2 minutes, it's a typical length film.
By the way, this film is part of a DVD set entitled "Treasures III"--a set of four DVDs all about social issues and reform. The second disk (where you'll find this one) is about women's issues in particular.