''Cops'' is a 1922 American
two-reel silent comedy film about a young man (
Buster Keaton
Joseph Frank "Buster" Keaton (October 4, 1895 – February 1, 1966) was an American actor, comedian, and filmmaker. He is best known for his silent film work, in which his trademark was physical comedy accompanied by a stoic, deadpan expression ...
) who accidentally gets on the bad side of the entire
Los Angeles Police Department during a parade and is chased all over town. It was written and directed by
Edward F. Cline
Edward Francis Cline (November 4, 1891 – May 22, 1961) was an American screenwriter, actor, writer and director best known for his work with comedians W.C. Fields and Buster Keaton. He was born in Kenosha, Wisconsin and died in Hollywood, Cal ...
and Keaton.
Background and plot
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.
One of Keaton's most iconic and brilliantly-constructed short films, ''Cops'' was deemed "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant" by the United States
Library of Congress and selected for preservation in their
National Film Registry in 1997.
Cast
*
Buster Keaton
Joseph Frank "Buster" Keaton (October 4, 1895 – February 1, 1966) was an American actor, comedian, and filmmaker. He is best known for his silent film work, in which his trademark was physical comedy accompanied by a stoic, deadpan expression ...
as The Young Man
*
Joe Roberts as Police Chief
*
Virginia Fox
Virginia Oglesby Zanuck ( Fox; April 19, 1899 or 1902 or 1903 or 1906 – October 14, 1982) was an American actress who starred in many silent films of the 1910s and 1920s.
Life and career
Fox was born as Virginia Oglesby Fox in Wheeling, West ...
as Mayor's Daughter
*
Edward F. Cline
Edward Francis Cline (November 4, 1891 – May 22, 1961) was an American screenwriter, actor, writer and director best known for his work with comedians W.C. Fields and Buster Keaton. He was born in Kenosha, Wisconsin and died in Hollywood, Cal ...
as Hobo
* Steve Murphy as Conman selling furniture (uncredited)
See also
*
Buster Keaton filmography
This is a list of films by the American actor, comedian, and filmmaker Buster Keaton.
Short films
Starring Roscoe Arbuckle, featuring Buster Keaton
Starring Buster Keaton under Buster Keaton Productions
Starring Buster Keaton for ...
*
List of United States comedy films
This is a list of American comedy films.
Comedy films are separated into two categories: short films and feature films. Any film over 40 minutes long is considered to be of feature-length (although most feature films produced since 1950 are co ...
*
1922 in film
The following is an overview of 1922 in film, including significant events, a list of films released and notable births and deaths.
Top-grossing films (U.S.)
The top nine films released in 1922 by U.S. gross are as follows:
Events
* June 11 ...
References
External links
*''Cops'' essay by Randy Haberkamp at
National Film Registrybr>
*''Cops'' essay by Daniel Eagan in America's Film Legacy: The Authoritative Guide to the Landmark Movies in the National Film Registry, A&C Black, 2010 , pages 81–8
*
*
*
''Cops''at the
International Buster Keaton Society
Article at ''InDigest Magazine'' about the film recently being scored by guitarist Steve Kimock
{{Buster Keaton
1922 films
1922 comedy films
1922 short films
American silent short films
Silent American comedy films
American black-and-white films
Articles containing video clips
First National Pictures films
Films directed by Buster Keaton
Films directed by Edward F. Cline
Films produced by Joseph M. Schenck
Films with screenplays by Buster Keaton
Surviving American silent films
United States National Film Registry films
1920s American films