I was just watching the TFG restored film of Twain (and Jean and Clara) at Stormfield and ran it full screen and noticed a few new things. Small details, but worth sharing perhaps. This restored film has better lighting and runs at slower speed than the original, and it’s been flipped to the correct perspective, so it’s much easier to view. Two things I had not noticed before –it was a very windy day, and the tea-sipping scene is clearly in front of the loggia with Redding in the background through the archways, not in the back yard as you might expect. But there is a third thing I noticed for the first time-- and I don’t know how I missed it before and have never heard it commented upon--  Twain walks with a distinct limp favoring his left leg. At first I thought this was merely the choppy old film sprockets, or his usual shuffling gait, but watch closely as he rounds the end of the house and approaches the camera. It’s even more obvious when he is walking in profile at a distance. Why was he limping? Gout? Also, when viewed full screen, you wonder if somebody skilled at lip-reading could figure out what he’s saying while standing in front of the doorway at the beginning. And a note to the Hartfordfolken—try some pauses during the tea-sip scene and see if you can identify any of your silver on the table. I didn’t find any of mine, but with the improved lighting some of the patterns and shapes come into pretty good focus when you pause a frame. All of this is trivial, but still fascinating (to me).

To view it, go to youtube and search by Twain and TFGFilm.

Kevin
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