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The Happy Iron

1926 , Norwich (Norfolk)

Cat no. 103

A cartoon advertising film for Colman's of Norwich.

The film begins with two flat irons talking. The next sequence shows a maid doing the washing, on her knees bent over a dolly tub. A well-dressed woman, her mistress, stands watching. The maid continues with the washing after her mistress leaves, adding starch to the tub. She is shown throwing the washing away; the washing then hangs itself on the line. In the next sequence the maid is ironing when the mistress returns. She is horrified to see the state of her laundry and sacks the maid. The maid shrinks; a sack falls over her and she hops off the scene. The mistress tries to iron the washing herself. The iron gets cross, jumps up and raises his fists to her. He announces that he is on strike and sits cross-legged on the ironing board. The woman gets cross with the iron and shakes it fiercely. The iron summons help and flat irons come flying out of Flat Iron Flats to rescue him. Several flat irons turn on the woman and toss her around in a sheet right up to a passing aeroplane where an Indian is bringing rice for starch. He gives a handful to the woman that turns into a box of Colman's starch. The final sequence switches back to the talking irons. The film ends with a picture of a box of Colman's starch.

Keywords

Housewives; Ironing; Laundry; Servants; Women

Intertitles

You're looking very pleased with yourself. Naturally - I'm the Happy Iron! I'll tell you what made me happy.I shall expect to see the linen washed, starched and ironed by the time I come back. Dried and -Ironed?! I'll have to do it all over again myself. Madam, I am weary of bumps and sticky patches of starch. I am on stike! But I will use you most carefully. Another washout. You're doing it on purpose. Rescue! Careless Woman! Because your linen discolours and rots - because it lacks crispness and 'finish' - you blame first the washing and then the iron - while the root of your trouble is the inferior starch you use! Toss her in her own disgraceful linen! Pardon my intrusion - but ...Take some - 'twill put a fine 'finish' to your washday troubles! And that's why I'm a Happy Iron! I skim lightly over smooth white surfaces with never a check or bump.

Manifestations

The Happy Iron

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