BFI

One of several trick films that Cecil Hepworth made in 1900, The Bathers was made to exploit the technique of reverse motion. This cinematic palindrome consists of the same piece of film run first forwards and then backwards, so that after undressing and diving in the river, they then re-emerge feet first and appear to put their clothes back on.

On second viewing, it's clear that the footage was intended for reversing from the outset, as the men deliberately throw their clothes just outside the frame in an exaggerated and theatrical manner. When reversed, this looks as though someone is helpfully throwing them back prior to them getting dressed. This is nowhere near as elaborately conceived as the same year's Explosion of a Motor Car (also d. Hepworth), but The Bathers is nonetheless a charming illustration of how the simplest special effects can still hold a great deal of appeal today.

The Bathers was distributed by the Edison Company in the US under the title Bathing Made Easy, and their catalogue of 1902 contains a synopsis and a description of how the effect was achieved.

Michael Brooke

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