Quartile rating: 5/10 · 1 rating
Three friends are playing cards in a beer garden. One of them orders drinks. The waitress comes back with a bottle of wine and three glasses on a tray. The man serves his friends. They clink glasses and drink. Then the man asks for a newspaper. He reads a funny story in it and the three friends burst out laughing while the waitress merely smiles.
A Lumière brothers actuality from 1896, this short proto-film captures a simple garden scene with almost no narrative arc — the 'plot' is barely a premise and the 'ending' is non-existent by modern standards. However, its Novelty is genuinely exceptional as one of the earliest examples of staged cinematography with multiple setups and proto-narrative intent, making it a singular artifact in film history. The acting is rudimentary but intentional for the era, and the cinematography, while static, demonstrates competent early framing for its time.