New Showbiz

You are here:
A Good Beer

A Good Beer

1892

Director

Émile Reynaud

Runtime

15 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

Synopsis

One of the first animated short films. A wanderer enters a cabaret in the countryside and asks a waitress for a beer. She comes back with a pint, as the wanderer begins to court her. However, the kitchen boy comes, drinks the beer and vanishes. The wanderer, misunderstanding, asks for another beer. Then a traveler enters and has an argument with the wandered. During the argument, the kitchen boy appears, sips the second beer and runs away. As the traveler quits, the customer finds his glass empty again. He calls the waitress, expresses his disappointment and leaves. The kitchen boy comes in and explains to the waitress what he did with the two beers. They make fun together of the wanderer and leave. A lost film.

Where to Watch

Diversity & Representation

Overall Score

2.0/10

Limited

Category Breakdown

LGBTQ+ Representation

Minimal

The film lacks any evidence of LGBTQ+ characters or non-cisnormative identities. Interactions focus on traditional courtship between a male wanderer and a female waitress.

Gender Representation

Fair

The narrative offers a moderate subversion of gender hierarchies. The waitress and kitchen boy form a collaborative unit that successfully outmaneuvers and ridicules the male protagonist.

Racial & Ethnic Diversity

Minimal

Set in a rural European countryside, the film shows no documented evidence of racial or ethnic diversity. The cast appears limited to localized characters.

Religious & Cultural Diversity

Fair

The story portrays a localized, anti-authoritarian social dynamic. The kitchen boy's theft is framed as a source of shared amusement rather than a moral failing.

Disability Representation

Minimal

There is no mention or evidence of characters with visible or invisible disabilities within the narrative.

Strengths

  • Subverts traditional gender hierarchies by allowing female and youth characters to outmaneuver the male protagonist.
  • Presents a non-traditional moral framework where social rules are disregarded for shared camaraderie and humor.

Areas for Improvement

  • Lacks any representation of racial, ethnic, or LGBTQ+ identities.
  • Provides no depiction of characters with disabilities.
  • The narrative remains centered on a very narrow, localized European social setting.

AI Analysis

As a foundational work of animation from 1892, this lost film reflects the limited sociological scope of the late 19th century. It lacks intersectional complexity, focusing instead on a simple, localized comedic loop. While the film lacks racial, religious, or disability representation, it provides a subtle shift in gendered power dynamics. The female waitress and the kitchen boy act as a cohesive unit that triumphs over the male wanderer. Ultimately, the film's diversity is constrained by its historical context, though it avoids strictly traditional moralizing by prioritizing situational humor over social ethics.

How are these scores produced? →

Rate this Movie

No rating selected
Use arrow keys to select a rating from 1 to 5 stars
Optional text review, maximum 2000 characters
Tip: Wrap spoilers with ||double pipes|| to hide them
0/2000 characters
You must be signed in to submit a rating

Reviews

No reviews yet. Be the first to share your thoughts on this movie!

Use the rating form above to leave a star rating and optional review.