The Little Match Seller

This re-cut of the British silent film, THE LITTLE MATCH SELLER directed by James Williamson and released in 1902, is based on the short story, "The Little Match Girl" (or, "Den Lille Pige med Svovlstikkerne," published in 1845) by Danish author Hans Christian Andersen.

In this sad but hopeful tale, a poor little girl sells matches in the street on a cold New Year's Eve. Despite the bitter cold and her bare feet, she fears that her father will beat her if she returns home without having sold any matches. To keep warm she lights matches, and in their flames she sees visions which comfort her: a warm fireplace, a table full of food, a Christmas tree, and her beloved, deceased grandmother. She also sees a shooting star, something her grandmother told her means a soul is about to go to heaven. When she runs out of matches, she falls asleep and dies. But her grandmother returns as an angel and carries her off to heaven.