The Light Lady Heavy Weight (1915)

Very funny stuff of the quintessential strong man Thomas Inch. Thomas Inch - one of the world’s strongest men - displays his prowess in a traditional strong man outfit of wrestling boots and one shouldered costume with a large belt. Six men attempt to extend his giant chest expander to no avail, Thomas stretches it with ease - even with two weights attached. Two women can hang on to his arms and be held off the floor at the same time! Thomas lifts a bar bell with a woman seated on each end. He lifts them above his head then manages to hold them on high with just one arm while lifting a heavy weight with his other arm. Thomas then meets his match - “Resista“- a woman who can alter her weight at will (?!). Initially weighing seven stones, Resista “wills“ her weight to change. Thomas manages to lift her at fourteen stones, twenty eight stones and thirty five stones but at forty stones Resista is immovable! C/U of Inch’s face as he strains to lift her, Resista looking very stubborn. Intertitle reads: “To the Victor the Spoils“ and Thomas - now in a suit - gives Resista a box of chocolates. C/U of Resista eating a chocolate and smiling. An intertitle states that this demonstration was witnessed by many Press Representatives and who can now call women “the weaker sex“? Excellent! FILM ID: A VIDEO FROM BRITISH PATHÉ. EXPLORE OUR ONLINE CHANNEL, BRITISH PATHÉ TV. IT’S FULL OF GREAT DOCUMENTARIES, FASCINATING INTERVIEWS, AND CLASSIC MOVIES. FOR LICENSING ENQUIRIES VISIT British Pathé also represents the Reuters historical collection, which includes more than 136,000 items from the news agencies Gaumont Graphic (1910-1932), Empire News Bulletin (1926-1930), British Paramount (1931-1957), and Gaumont British (1934-1959), as well as Visnews content from 1957 to the end of 1984. All footage can be viewed on the British Pathé website.