This film is part of Free

The Magic Sword A Mediaeval Mystery
This innovative 'trick' film is a fantastical children's pantomime in miniature
Overview
A condensed pantomime set in old England, in which a princess is captured by an ogre and a witch, and a prince embarks on a quest to save her with the aid of a fairy, who gives him a magic sword. Some novel tricks (later adopted by Georges Melies) give us a flying witch and lovely transformations.
The film was made by Walter Booth, a close associate of RW Paul and one of the most inventive of Victorian filmmakers.
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