The story tells of a matador, the leading figure in the Spanish bull ring, whose lady love proves fickle. He finds her in a restaurant with another man, quarrels with the latter, and the two adjourn to the courtyard, where a duel in the ...See moreThe story tells of a matador, the leading figure in the Spanish bull ring, whose lady love proves fickle. He finds her in a restaurant with another man, quarrels with the latter, and the two adjourn to the courtyard, where a duel in the Spanish fashion, with daggers and a cloak wound round the arm, ends in the matador wounding his rival. The lady goes off with the wounded man, and the matador despondently takes his way to the ring, and from his dressing room sends a reproachful note to the lady, in which he expresses a fear that his impending appearance in the ring will be his last. This communication the girl tears up, and with her lover makes her way to the ring to see the sport. The following scene gives us glimpses alternately of the girl and her companions watching the bull baiting and of the actual scenes in the ring, which have been obviously taken from a real bull fight, and are a most realistic record of the Spanish national sport. Men with red cloaks madden the bull, lead it round the arena at a furious charge, and then avoid its rush with a quick turn. These events take place in many cases so close to the camera that one can distinguish the features of the men. Following this the picadors, mounted on worn-out horses and armed with lances, take their turn. After the picadors the bandilleros take a turn, plant their spears in the bulls' shoulders, and make way for the matador, the hero of the story, whose place it is to give the coup-de-grace. This hero take his place before the bull, and has raised his sword to give the blow, when the animal rushes at him, with head down, and hurls him into the air. The battered man is then carried to a room outside the ring, and expires in the presence of his repentant sweetheart, who afterwards indignantly dismisses the rival. Written by
Kinematograph and Lantern Weekly
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