Cops (film)

In this 1922 short, Buster Keaton is trying to become a successful businessman in order to woo the mayor's daughter (Virginia Fox), but unwittingly gets into a series of steadily escalating mishaps with members of the LAPD. Eventually he wanders into a policemen's parade, obliviously tosses a bomb into the crowd, and ends up chased by the entire police force.

Considered to be one of Buster Keaton's best short films, Cops exemplifies the star's popular blending of athleticism and his unique stone-faced comedic style. Written and directed by Edward F. Cline and Keaton, the story features underachiever Keaton seeking success in business to win the affections of a girl (Virginia Fox). Along the way he inadvertently causes a riot at a policeman's parade, and the result is a gag-filled chase involving hundreds of cops.

Cops was added to the National Film Registry in 1997.

This film is in the public domain, and can be viewed in the Source subpage.


 * All-Natural Snake Oil: "Dr. Smith, Goat Gland Specialist"
 * Angry Guard Dog
 * Black Comedy: Specifically, Kafka Komedy.
 * Bomb-Throwing Anarchists
 * Cartoon Bomb
 * Chase Scene
 * Con Man
 * Couldn't Find a Lighter: Buster lights his cigarette off the fuse of a bomb.
 * Did Not Get the Girl
 * Downer Ending
 * Dressing as the Enemy
 * Hot Pursuit
 * Irony: "Maybe he was arrested for speeding."
 * Lemming Cops
 * Nobody Here but Us Statues
 * Non-Fatal Explosions
 * Outside Ride: Combined with a Vehicle Vanish (see below).
 * Short Con
 * Spurned Into Suicide (Implied)
 * Suicide by Cop (Implied)
 * Tap on the Head
 * Under Crank: Used sporadically in the big Chase Scene.
 * Vehicle Vanish: Buster grabs a passing truck with one hand. It happens in plain sight of the camera, but it's a blink-and-you'll-miss-it moment.
 * Why We Can't Have Nice Things: Buster packing a vase and a pitcher.
 * Wire Fu: When Buster is launched from a seesaw.