Apparently inspired by the antics of Harry Houdini, Slippery Jim opens in the office of a police commissioner to whom a rather cocky villain is presented. The commissioner orders the prisoner to be clapped in irons, but this proves to be easier said than done because our anti-hero - presumably the Slippery Jim of the title - proves to be an expert escapologist.
Once shown to his cell and shackled by his elbows and ankles, Jim proceeds to free himself from any restraints the hapless officers placed in charge of him choose to use.
Trick photography was a favourite device of early filmmakers, and here pioneer French director Ferdinand Zecca moves firmly into Melies territory. The story, such as it is, is simply a succession of different trick shots and, in many ways, resembles a Looney Tunes cartoon in as much as the wretched cops in pursuit of Jim meet various fates - flattened, split-in-two, etc - only to miraculously return to their natural forms seconds later.
It's an amusing enough little film, but even at 10 minutes it runs a little long.
Once shown to his cell and shackled by his elbows and ankles, Jim proceeds to free himself from any restraints the hapless officers placed in charge of him choose to use.
Trick photography was a favourite device of early filmmakers, and here pioneer French director Ferdinand Zecca moves firmly into Melies territory. The story, such as it is, is simply a succession of different trick shots and, in many ways, resembles a Looney Tunes cartoon in as much as the wretched cops in pursuit of Jim meet various fates - flattened, split-in-two, etc - only to miraculously return to their natural forms seconds later.
It's an amusing enough little film, but even at 10 minutes it runs a little long.
