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A comedy commenting on the tactics of suffragettes and the action that some
men would like to take against them. Mr Brown is left to look after the family
while his wife takes part in a suffragette demonstration and militant action. He
dreams that, as prime minister, he introduces legislation to suppress the
suffragette movement and punishes them accordingly. In spite of it being a
comedy the suffragette march looks particularly authentic with banners and
onlookers. The tactics of the suffragettes such as smashing windows and arson
are shown. From 1905 the suffragettes had become increasingly militant and the
film reflects this militancy. In a series of scenes prefaced by intertitles
outlining the suffragettes' misdemeanours, Mr Brown dreams of the punishments
enacted. His wife is arrested and, for attacking policeman, is punished with
hard labour in the streets. The women are also forced to smoke clay pipes which
they find very difficult. For embarrassing Cabinet ministers the women are
forced to dress as men and parade down the street. This punishment they find
especially shameful as most of the women cry. The women are also placed in
stocks and vilified by men and women. For using the tactics of hunger strikes,
the women are placed in a ducking stool and plunged into a pond.
Initial viewing suggests that this is an anti-suffrage film. However, it can
be viewed another way. Some of the punishments are decidedly medieval and
exaggerated. The obvious discomfort of the women during their punishments could
elicit sympathy from an audience. Furthermore, the ducking stool is associated
with witchcraft and medieval punishment (as are the village stocks) and it could
be argued that neither punishment had a place in a modern society. In spite of
all his dreams of punishment, Mr Brown suffers when his wife returns as she
awakens him with a bucket of cold water.
Simon Baker
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Complete film (7:10)
