Poison
1935 Short   
 
  • Director: Man Ray
  • Script: Man Ray
  • Photo: Man Ray
  • Cast: Meret Oppenheim (la femme), Man Ray (l’homme)
  • Country: France
  • Language: French
  • Runtime: 3 min; B&W, silent
 
 
 
Summary
A man and a woman each smoke a cigarette whilst enjoying each other’s company.  The man drinks a glass of whisky and faints into a drunken stupor.

Critique
In a short film lasting just over three minutes, the great surrealist artist Man Ray makes a wry comment on that curious habit of human beings to wreck their health with alcohol and cigarettes.  The images in the film are unsurprising, just the ordinary everyday sight of a couple have a relaxing smoke and a drink.  The only give away as to the film’s meaning lies in its enigmatic title: poison.

© James Travers 2002


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