the king of cooney island
by Douglas Messerli
Writer and director unknown, Queen for a
Day / 1911 || difficult to obtain,
or lost film
Apparently, Bridget suddenly is bequeathed a fortune from her Australian
uncle, the cook determining to live a life style in accordance with her new
found wealth. She purchases a mansion, invites society folk into her home, and
begins to attract a number of elegant young gentleman asserting their own
wealth and societal positions.
Fearing that he may soon lose his beloved Bridget, Henrich also woos her
by surrounding himself with what today we would describe as an “entourage” of
mostly black men pretending to be African tribal leaders (in the language of
the day described as “colored warriors”) while describing himself as “The King
of Cooney Island.” In this ridiculous guise, clearly a lower class vision of
wealth and titled position, Heinrich presents himself to Bridget as a suitor,
she immediately falling for his “royal magnificence.” They are married, Bridget
soon after discovering that she has, after all, married her old friend and
neighbor Heinrich the grocer.
The
theme of sudden wealth coming into the hands of working-class beings either
through winning the lottery and an unknown relative leaving them a fortune
appears to be a common subject in many LGBTQ films of the day, particularly for
the crossdressing males who have little other possibilities of social and class
mobility.
It’s also interesting to note that in this film and another of the same
year, The Leading Lady, Bunny plays women in drag with no justification
for and explanation of his gender switch.
Los Angeles, January 18, 2022
Reprinted from World Cinema Review (January
2022).
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