''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

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 *

as Hobo * Steve Murphy as Conman selling furniture (uncredited)

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

Background and plot

Cast

See also

References

External links