What the Butler Saw

Film

What the Butler Saw was a mutoscope reel, and an early example of erotic films dating from the early 1900s. It depicted a scene of a woman partially undressing in her bedroom, as if some voyeuristic “butler” was watching her through a keyhole. The film was seen by depositing a coin in a freestanding viewing machine, which then freed a hand-crank on the side which was turned by the viewer. Social standards are subject to change, and by the 1950s this and similar films were considered harmless when compared to contemporary erotica. - Wikipedia

Collection

Not in ACMI's collection

Collection metadata

ACMI Identifier

xos-60892

Cite this work on Wikipedia

If you would like to cite this item, please use the following template: {{cite web |url=https://acmi.net.au/works/60892--what-the-butler-saw/ |title=What the Butler Saw |author=Australian Centre for the Moving Image |access-date=1 October 2026 |publisher=Australian Centre for the Moving Image}}