The Mystery of the Leaping Fish (1916)

Coke Ennyday, the scientific detective, divides his own time in periods for "Sleep", "Eat", "Dope" and "Drink". In fact he's used to overcome every situation with drugs: consuming it to ... See full summary »

Directors:

Christy Cabanne, John Emerson

Writers:

Tod Browning, Anita Loos (titles)

Stars:

Douglas Fairbanks, Bessie Love, Allan Sears

Cast

Cast overview:
Douglas Fairbanks	...	Coke Ennyday / Douglas Fairbanks
Bessie Love	...	The Little Fish Blower
Allan Sears	...	Gent Rolling in Wealth (as A.D. Sears)
Tom Wilson	...	Police Chief I.M. Keene

Storyline

Coke Ennyday, the scientific detective, divides his own time in periods for "Sleep", "Eat", "Dope" and "Drink". In fact he's used to overcome every situation with drugs: consuming it to increase his energies or injecting it in his opponents to KO them. To help the police he discovers a contraband of opium (which he eagerly tastes) transported with "Leaping Fishes", and the blackmail of a mysterious man who wants to marry the "fish blower" girl. Will Coke be able to free the girl ?

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Plot Keywords:

opium | detective | farce | television | master of disguise | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Short

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

11 June 1916 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Detective

Company Credits

Production Co:

Triangle Film Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

25 min

Sound Mix:

Silent

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Connections

Featured in Birth of Hollywood: Episode #1.2 (2011)

User Reviews

Eat-Sleep-Drink-Dope

I haven't seen this film since the '70s midnight movies craze. This short blew by, but was incredibly funny.

Detective Coke Ennyday's clock (set on Sleep as we first see him with his head down on his desk) has four settings: Eat-Drink-Sleep & Dope.

When the hands shift to Dope, Ennyday pulls out of Flour Canister, opens it to reveal contents of white powder, grabs a handful and blows it for comedic effect about his face and the room.

As I recall the depiction of opium dens is somewhat ominous (probably quite scary for 1916 movie audiences). There is an air of anti-Chinese sentiment in the film (also playing upon 1916 fears?)

And yes, Ennyday has a television transmitter that he uses to communicate. Odd to see from a 1916 film, but actually pretty accurate in its design to some of the earliest TV Tuners.

Thank you, IMDb, for helping me to track down the title to this film. I need to seek it out for another viewing.