Aviation enthusiast Josephine rescues her suitor, Chubby, from an angry mob with the help of Slim and his airplane.Aviation enthusiast Josephine rescues her suitor, Chubby, from an angry mob with the help of Slim and his airplane.Aviation enthusiast Josephine rescues her suitor, Chubby, from an angry mob with the help of Slim and his airplane.
Photos
Phillip Orin Parmelee
- Slim, the Aviator
- (as Phillip Parmalee)
- Director
- Writer
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaAs was common with early films, this was rereleased with very different titles. If the characters are Arthur and Martha, its the original.
- Quotes
Title Card: None of the relatives like Chubby sparking with Carmelita.
Featured review
Terrific Early Flying Adventure
In August 1914, Motion Picture News reported that Mabel Normand was "learning aviation from Walter Brookin, the permanent Keystone aviator, and had made three flights alone." This film, in which we see Mabel take off and land as a passenger in a two seat airplane, sitting next to a pilot was made around April-May, 1912.
To put this in historical context, Thérèse Peltier became the first woman passenger in an airplane on July 8, 1908. On September 27th, 1908, She was the first woman to fly solo an airplane. Blanche Stuart Scottwas the first American woman to solo fly an airplane on September 6,1910. In August 1911, Harriet Quimby and Matilde Moisant became the first women in the United States to receive pilot licenses. This film is a record of one of the first woman aviators - Mabel Normand
In this movie, one can see the thrill on her face as the plane takes off. Near the end of the film, she pantomime's how her heart was beating when she was flying. It is obvious that Mabel was thrilled to fly. This was no stunt double. This was the Mabel actually showing her courage and nerve.
I thought two other things worthy of note. First Mabel hears that her boyfriend "Chubby" played by Fred Ward, is in trouble. She grabs two six shooters and comes racing to his rescue. This is a comedy, but still, one is amazed at how heroic Mabel comes off. Second, Fred Ward is very funny as "Chubby." He is the prototype for the "Fatty" character that Roscoe Arbuckle would play with Mabel the following years at Keystone. He gets into trouble romancing Mexican senoritas in Mexico with tutti-fruitie flavor gum.
This film shows just how exciting and fun early flying could be. It is a good example of Mack Sennett building an entire film around a location and event, in this case, a woman in a flying airplane.
In a recent article March 23,2012, Michael Ventura in "the Austin Chronicle" said this about the film:
"In this film, Mabel leaves boyfriend Fred Mace to fly with aviator Philip Parmalee, becoming the first actress to perform in – or rather, on – an airplane. A biplane, to be exact; pilot and passenger sat on the lower wing. Airborne close-ups were staged, but we clearly see Mabel is aboard on takeoffs and landings. (It was dangerous work. A week after shooting, Parmalee's plane failed and crashed; he died.) The climax has Mace chased by enraged Mexicans because he flirted with one of their women. Normand and Parmalee fly to the rescue, revolvers blazing from the air, and Mace is saved. By now, the pattern had been set: On screen, Mabel Normand takes her place in the world as her own woman, a match for any man, without sacrificing an iota of her vivid, graceful, lovely, tough femininity.
As original as her character was her performance. No mugging. No exaggeration. A personal relationship with the camera. A direct connection with the audience. She was the first great clown of cinema. Those who followed – Roscoe Arbuckle, Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton, Harold Lloyd – would begin by mugging for the camera but would quickly catch on and imitate Normand's example. She set the template."
To put this in historical context, Thérèse Peltier became the first woman passenger in an airplane on July 8, 1908. On September 27th, 1908, She was the first woman to fly solo an airplane. Blanche Stuart Scottwas the first American woman to solo fly an airplane on September 6,1910. In August 1911, Harriet Quimby and Matilde Moisant became the first women in the United States to receive pilot licenses. This film is a record of one of the first woman aviators - Mabel Normand
In this movie, one can see the thrill on her face as the plane takes off. Near the end of the film, she pantomime's how her heart was beating when she was flying. It is obvious that Mabel was thrilled to fly. This was no stunt double. This was the Mabel actually showing her courage and nerve.
I thought two other things worthy of note. First Mabel hears that her boyfriend "Chubby" played by Fred Ward, is in trouble. She grabs two six shooters and comes racing to his rescue. This is a comedy, but still, one is amazed at how heroic Mabel comes off. Second, Fred Ward is very funny as "Chubby." He is the prototype for the "Fatty" character that Roscoe Arbuckle would play with Mabel the following years at Keystone. He gets into trouble romancing Mexican senoritas in Mexico with tutti-fruitie flavor gum.
This film shows just how exciting and fun early flying could be. It is a good example of Mack Sennett building an entire film around a location and event, in this case, a woman in a flying airplane.
In a recent article March 23,2012, Michael Ventura in "the Austin Chronicle" said this about the film:
"In this film, Mabel leaves boyfriend Fred Mace to fly with aviator Philip Parmalee, becoming the first actress to perform in – or rather, on – an airplane. A biplane, to be exact; pilot and passenger sat on the lower wing. Airborne close-ups were staged, but we clearly see Mabel is aboard on takeoffs and landings. (It was dangerous work. A week after shooting, Parmalee's plane failed and crashed; he died.) The climax has Mace chased by enraged Mexicans because he flirted with one of their women. Normand and Parmalee fly to the rescue, revolvers blazing from the air, and Mace is saved. By now, the pattern had been set: On screen, Mabel Normand takes her place in the world as her own woman, a match for any man, without sacrificing an iota of her vivid, graceful, lovely, tough femininity.
As original as her character was her performance. No mugging. No exaggeration. A personal relationship with the camera. A direct connection with the audience. She was the first great clown of cinema. Those who followed – Roscoe Arbuckle, Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton, Harold Lloyd – would begin by mugging for the camera but would quickly catch on and imitate Normand's example. She set the template."
helpful•00
- jayraskin1
- Oct 18, 2012
Details
- Runtime12 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.33 : 1
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