Cops

Short, Comedy, Family

This very Kafka-esque film was filmed during the rape-and-murder trial of Fatty Arbuckle, a circumstance that may have influenced the short's tone of hopeless ensnarement. Even though the central character's intentions are good, he cannot win, no matter how inventively he tries. He gets into various scraps with police officers throughout the film. Eventually, he unwittingly throws a bomb into a police parade and ends up being chased by a horde of cops.

At the end of the film, Keaton's character locks up the cops in the police station. However, the girl he is trying to woo disapproves of his behavior and gives him the cold shoulder. Therefore, he unlocks the police station and is immediately pulled in by the cops. The film ends with the title "The End" written on a tombstone with Keaton's pork pie hat propped on it. (Wikipedia)

Directed by: Edward F. Cline, Buster Keaton
Starring: Buster Keaton, Virginia Fox, Joe Roberts, Edward F. Cline, Steve Murphy
Produced by: Joseph M. Schenck
Written by: Edward F. Cline, Buster Keaton
Edited by: Elgin Lessley

Release date: March 1922
Running time: 18 minutes
Country: United States
Language: Silent film, English (original intertitles)

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