Before deciding on the relative humor of the "spanked or sprayed" outcome go back to YouTube and watch both. Personally, I enjoyed the sprayed scenario much more, especially when you see how the gardener just goes back to work thus truly disarming the prankster. And unless you are seeing something I don't (since there is no character development really)why are you assuming the gardener is a bully? Could the kid just be a kid taking advantage of an opportunity to create a little innocent mayhem?
What I like about the short film is how simple it is yet it makes you think. Setting aside the other versions or remakes that are out there, this film is about an older gentleman who is attempting to work or do a chore and he is interrupted by this young man. So looking at the man's reaction it is possible he is being a bully, but then again, could he be having fun as well? Men in this era showed much less emotion than they do today. Seeing how he grabbed the boy and drug him back to the scene, rather than beating him he simply sprayed him with the hose as the boy did to him as if to say "how do you like that". Knowing who the boy is could make a significant different too. A local criminal? Son? Nephew? We may never know....
Discussion of the First Slapstick Film: "L'Arroseur Arrosé" (1896)
in OUCH! A Salute to Slapstick
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What I like about the short film is how simple it is yet it makes you think. Setting aside the other versions or remakes that are out there, this film is about an older gentleman who is attempting to work or do a chore and he is interrupted by this young man. So looking at the man's reaction it is possible he is being a bully, but then again, could he be having fun as well? Men in this era showed much less emotion than they do today. Seeing how he grabbed the boy and drug him back to the scene, rather than beating him he simply sprayed him with the hose as the boy did to him as if to say "how do you like that". Knowing who the boy is could make a significant different too. A local criminal? Son? Nephew? We may never know....