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OPEN CLASSIC CINEMA · 1160

The Witch

190615 minFrance
Fantasy
Video edition
Wikimedia Commons
Original language
No spoken dialogue. Intertitles: zxx.
This copy runs
12:23
Subtitles
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.

Synopsis

A penniless troubadour obtains a magical charm from the witch Carabosse by paying with a bag of sand. He hopes to rescue a captive woman, but the cheated witch pursues him with powers of her own. The journey becomes a succession of supernatural obstacles and interventions.

Cast

DirectorsGeorges Méliès

Behind the scenes

Méliès made the fantasy for screenings at the Dufayel department store, where children watched while their parents shopped. The film has no intertitles; contemporary spoken descriptions supplied details of its characters and action.

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.

Wikipedia — film referenceWikidata — film identity and credits

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 15, 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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