THE ARTIST’S DILEMMA (1901)
Article #678 by Dave Sindelar
Viewing date: 1-22-2003
Posting date: 6-21-2003
Directed by Edwin S. Porter

Yes, this artist has a dilemma, all right; whether to paint the beautiful woman who has emerged from his clock or contend with the evil clown that has also emerged from his clock. Fortunately, the clown is a master painter himself; he does a portrait of the beautiful woman that is so life-like it comes out of the painting. From here on out, complications ensue; at any rate, they ensue as much as this two minute movie will allow them to. All in all, just another exercise in pseudo-Melies trick photography; Melies himself had trouble with evil clowns in THE MAN WITH THE RUBBER HEAD. But then, we all know that clowns are really evil, don’t we?