In the early days of film, few filmmakers used intertitle cards in order to explain the story or convey dialog. Usually this wasn't a problem, but in the case of "Jack le Ramoneur" I couldn't even understand the story without them, as it's a confusing mess from master filmmaker Georges Méliès.
The story starts off with the chimney sweep being found by fairies and he is made some sort of king. Folks all dance about him for no apparent reason and I was confused. Then, he awakens..it was all a dream. Okay...now that made some sense. But what happens next? Much more confusion. The boy works for an abusive man who kicks him about for no reason. Later when they are cleaning a chimney, the boss finds a treasure chest in the chimney. The boy wants to give it to the home owners...the boss runs away with it and lots of folks give chase
The story is confusing and lacks much of the fun and magic that you associate with a Georges Méliès film. Instead, it has nice sets, some outdoor footage (something rare for this filmmaker) and not much in the way of story. It's a shame, as SOME of the footage (particularly the beginning) was gorgeous.