What happened on 23rd Street?

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What happened on 23rd Street?
“What happened on 23rd Street” is literally titled but has become iconic with each passing day. The film depicts the skirt worn by a lady being raised to an unreasonable level much to the amusement of the passersby. The first 40 seconds of the film does not reveal much other than people engaging in various activities on 23rd Street in New York. In the left side of the background, there is a boy constantly and steadily watching the camera. Although the film is not about him, the audience may wonder if he was part of the action or was just a curious bystander. Just when you think the film is boring, a couple slowly walks into sight and they seem to be in a deep conversation. All of a sudden, the unthinkable happens when the lady’s skirt lifts up to an almost unreasonable level. It is an embarrassing experience but the passersby and newsboys react with amusement. Although the couple is shocked, they just laugh off the incidence and continue walking and the film ends with a boy turning his face towards the camera.
Today, seeing a woman in a bikini or some half clothes is not a big deal. However, in the 1900s, displaying a woman’s legs and thighs threw men into frenzy. This perception explains why a lot of the people who were amused when the skirt went up were men. It was a sexually stimulating experience that caught them by surprise. Nevertheless, the film’s depiction of a lengthy stretch of the 23rd street conveys interesting footage and atmosphere of how New York looked like a century ago.