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OPEN CLASSIC CINEMA · 1391

The Untamable Whiskers

Synopsis

An artist draws a succession of faces and transforms himself to match them. Wigs, whiskers and costumes create a rapid sequence of characters before the performer disappears in his final disguise.

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Video edition
Wikimedia Commons
Original language
No spoken dialogue. Intertitles: not identified.
This copy runs
2:40
Subtitles
No subtitle track in this language

No spoken dialogue. Intertitles: not identified. No subtitle track in this language.

Languages and subtitles

No subtitle track in this language

Wikimedia Commons · Georges Méliès · Public domain

This copy runs shorter than the reference runtime. Editing and playback speed can differ between editions.

Cast

Behind the scenes

The film unusually confines Méliès to a medium shot. His drawing, makeup and acting work together with substitutions and dissolves, keeping the audience close to each transformation.

Sources and availability

General references identify the work and its copy. A reference beside an editorial section is linked to the claims checked in that section.

Work catalogued as public domain in the United States.

The public-domain references concern the original films in the United States. Rights can differ for other countries, editions, restorations, music or translations. Sources are listed on each film page.

Availability checked on September 16, 2026.

Photograph credit

Photographs cropped, resized and optimized as WebP, displayed in monochrome.

  • Georges Méliès — Georges Méliès; Publicity materials for an exhibition at La Caixa Foundation: http://press.lacaixa.es/socialprojects/exhibiton-georges-melies-magic-of-cinema-caixaforum-barcelona-eng__816-c-17952__.html · Public domain

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