The Tempest (1908 film)

It was written by Langford Reed and was the second screen adaptation of William Shakespeare's The Tempest, the first being when Charles Urban filmed the opening storm sequence of Herbert Beerbohm Tree's stage version at Her Majesty's Theatre in 1905 for a 2+1⁄2-minute flicker.

Prospero uses his powers to create a tempest that makes its mast fall down and it sinks, shipwrecking those who caused his exile.

Miranda arrives and helps Ferdinand move a large log after which Prospero reappears and gives the two his blessing.

[3] Elsewhere the shipwrecked Antonio and his courtiers lie collapsed on the ground suffering pangs of hunger before Ariel appears and uses his powers to produce a feast - which promptly disappears.

[4] Characters such as Duke Antonio are only sketched in while others such as Stephano and Trinculo do not appear at all and Percy Stow may have presumed that his audience would be familiar enough with the story to not require additional detail.

[3] The scene where Ariel disappears and reappears while being chased by Ferdinand was achieved by simply using a jump cut - stopping filming and the actress moving in and out of shot.

[2] The scene is comic and emphasises the playful nature of Ariel but is also an effect that could not be replicated on stage giving the film an advantage over the theatre in what Judith Buchanan called an 'ambiguity of styles'.