You are here:

Man Monkey

Name: Man Monkey
Director: Alice Guy-Blaché
Released: 1906
Duration: 5 min

Representation Score

1.1/10

Minimal

1906

Director

Alice Guy-Blaché

Runtime

5 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

New Showbiz Analysis

Man Monkey is a foundational slapstick comedy that prioritizes physical gags over identity politics. While the narrative itself lacks diverse representation, the film's significance is tied to its director, Alice Guy-Blaché. Her presence as a female pioneer in 1906 challenges the patriarchal structures of early cinema history. The film's themes are traditional, focusing on domesticity and unexpected professional success. It lacks any engagement with LGBTQ+ identities, racial diversity, or disability representation, reflecting the genre's historical focus on spectacle.

Watch this, not that →

Category Breakdown

Does Man Monkey have LGBTQ+ representation?

Minimal

The film does not depict any LGBTQ+ identities. The narrative focuses solely on the physical comedy of the main characters' transformation.

How does Man Monkey portray gender?

Fair

The concierge's wife actively participates in the characters' transition from domestic workers to successful performers, rather than being a passive observer.

How racially and ethnically diverse is Man Monkey?

Minimal

The cast appears homogeneous with no racial blending. The narrative does not feature non-white casting or challenge Anglo-Saxon norms.

How does Man Monkey represent religion and culture?

Limited

The story follows a conventional path of accidental transformation and social mobility. It does not challenge Western institutions or engage in anti-establishment frameworks.

Does Man Monkey include disability representation?

Minimal

There are no characters representing disabilities or neurodivergence. The hair growth is used strictly as a comedic device of spectacle.

Present on Screen

The female character plays a significant role in the characters' professional transition.
The film's historical value is elevated by the leadership of a female pioneer.

Limited or Absent

The narrative lacks representation of LGBTQ+ identities.
The cast is homogeneous, offering no racial or ethnic diversity.
The film does not feature characters with disabilities or neurodivergence.

Official Synopsis

A gentleman visits a hair consultant for his baldness problems. The latter recommends a new lotion. The gentleman lets himself be convinced and a bellboy is immediately dispatched for the delivery which arrives at the concierge's lodge. The concierge, curious, and believing it to be good wine drinks a good part of it. He then tops up the bottle with water from the carafe. His wife goes to take his package to the gentleman. The concierge who does not feel well goes to bed quickly. When he wakes up he is perked up. But dismay, he is completely covered in hair. At first frightened, his wife and he come up with an idea. They get hired by an impresario in a music hall number, to a big success.

How are these scores produced? →