His gait is off-rhythm which could be the result of slippage in the
sprockets of the film becoming more obvious as the film was slowed down, but
as he turns toward the camera he sways to his left with every step (from
center to his left, never to the right), as if his left leg was shorter than
his right, or that he was tensing up and limping, the way you'd walk shortly
after knee surgery or an ankle injury. I may have a podiatrist friend look
at this, or my knee surgeon. They both watched me walk back and forth
checking my gait as my second knee injury slowly healed and I don't think
either of them had me walking back and forth just for the fun of it,
although I may have heard some ogling now that I think about it.
That's Jean on the far left. If you pause the film when the woman in the
middle leans to her right you'll see her face more clearly, and you can see
her in profile when she takes her hat from the servant. She sure looks like
Clara in the 1909-10 photos I have of Clara, and Clara makes perfect sense
in the context of the film. In fact the hair style, eyes, nose, profile,
shape of her jawline and chin, etc are a striking match to Clara. It could
be Claude the butler who brings the hat. Now that I can see this fellow more
clearly I can compare him to photos I have of the staff, but I don't have
any photos where Claude has been clearly identified, so.... I have a photo
of Twain and others in the Stormfield library and I think Horace Hazen is
sprawled on the floor in that image. This fellow seems more handsome,
although both are tall, but I'll have to dig out that image and see who it
is sitting on the floor.
The more you watch the film and hit the pause button the more you notice.
The wind even blows Twain's hair, and they are amused when Clara has to add
a second hatpin to her big hat.
Kevin
@
Mac Donnell Rare Books
9307 Glenlake Drive
Austin TX 78730
512-345-4139
Member: ABAA, ILAB
*************************
You may browse our books at:
www.macdonnellrarebooks.com
-----Original Message-----
From: Susan Bailey
Sent: Wednesday, October 01, 2014 7:59 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Twain film redux
Kevin, I've looked at this footage many time and I agree that it looks as
if he has a slight limp coming around the corner but then it seems to clear
up as he appears in front of the house. As Bob said, this could be due to
his age. You can see at the beginning that his right hip seems to be a bit
higher than his left.
As a person who actually knew Clara when I was a child, I don't believe
that is Clara on the left. And that is certainly not her in the middle.
That woman has a widow's peak, which Clara didn't have. Clara had a strong
face and, in my memory was not given to girlish gestures like touching or
smoothing back her hair. That could be a difference in age but this just
does not look like Clara to me.
Regards,
Susan Bailey
On Wed, Oct 1, 2014 at 8:43 PM, Kevin Mac Donnell <
[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> Well, I have me bad days and me better days, but it looks like a limp to
> me,
> especially visible as he corners the far end of the house in profile.
>
> It's Jean on the left and Clara in the middle. That's not Ashcroft who
> brings Clara her hat, nor Ossip, but likely a servant and there are
> several
> candidates for that honor.
>
> Kevin
> @
> Mac Donnell Rare Books
> 9307 Glenlake Drive
> Austin TX 78730
> 512-345-4139
> Member: ABAA, ILAB
> *************************
> You may browse our books at:
> www.macdonnellrarebooks.com
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: [log in to unmask]
> Sent: Wednesday, October 01, 2014 6:27 PM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: Twain film redux
>
> Kevin, you're certainly right about the wind. Those trees in the
> background
> look like props from news footage of a hurricane making landfall. But I'm
> not sure about the limp. If it's there, it's very slight -- and might that
> just be a normal state of affairs from someone in his 70s?
>
> The little explanation at the beginning says the two women in the film are
> believed to be Jean and Clara. But didn't someone here confirm a while
> back
> that it's Jean and Isabel Lyon? I seem to recall that, anyway. And the man
> who appears briefly -- is that Ashcroft?
>
> -- Bob G.
>
--
Best regards,
Susan Bailey
Greenville, SC
www.marktwainonline.com
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