FONDATION JÉRÔME SEYDOUX-PATHÉ PRESENTS
In order to fill the 9.5mm catalogue, Pathé delved both into its own films and international productions, so that the Pathé-Baby film collection would reflect the cinematographic landscape.
All genres were represented: documentary, comedy, drama, adventure, actualities, educational films, cartoons… Pathé reissued films for which the market in 35mm had already been fully exploited, in many cases several years earlier. During the early years of Pathé-Baby, films were produced on 10m or 20m reels, allowing one to two minutes of projection. Long films were often adapted to fit onto several smallreels. Eventually they were supplied on 100m reels, following technical improvements to the projector. Because of the need to shorten films originally in 35mm, drastic edits were made. These were varied in nature, and might include shortening shots considered too long or cutting certain scenes to make them suitable for family viewing. In order to compensate for the cuts made to these films, the Pathé-Baby editingdepartment resorted to re-editing and extensive use of title cards specially written for the 9.5mm versions. The breadth of the Baby catalogue offered the same variety enjoyed by the public in cinemas. The programmes consisted of actualities, shorts – mainly comedies – and feature films. This screening is a reconstruction of a typical Pathé-Baby programme from the Fondation Jérôme Seydoux-Pathé collection. While its general style may feel familiar to spectators, the nature of the films shown renders their content unique.

Anne Gourdet-Marès and Elvira Shahmiri