Review of The Kleptomaniac

"The Kleptomaniac" is a 10-minute short film from 1905, actually unusually long for 110 years ago. Of course, it is still silent and in black-and-white. It was made by Edwin S. Porter one of the most famous filmmakers from the early days of cinema, especially outside France. Unfortunately, I have to say, something was missing from this short film. First of all, I am not sure if I had understood the contents at all without reading a brief summary before that this is about 2 women who steal, a rich one and a poor one and how the law deals with them. And in the end, I expected to see the poor woman in jail and the rich one free or the other way around, but there was no real conclusion to this movie. Instead they show us a far-too long shot of Justice. Quite a shame, the premise was really interesting, I just wish the execution and script could have been better. The only scene that really delivered emotionally were the woman and her daughter begging in court. All in all, not recommended.