IMDb RATING
7.6/10
7.1K
YOUR RATING
A series of mishaps manages to make a young man get chased by a big city's entire police force.A series of mishaps manages to make a young man get chased by a big city's entire police force.A series of mishaps manages to make a young man get chased by a big city's entire police force.
- Awards
- 1 win
Buster Keaton
- The Young Man
- (as 'Buster' Keaton)
Edward F. Cline
- Hobo
- (uncredited)
Virginia Fox
- Mayor's Daughter
- (uncredited)
Steve Murphy
- Conman Selling Furniture
- (uncredited)
Joe Roberts
- Police Chief
- (uncredited)
- Directors
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaA "goat gland specialist" was a quack who purported to treat erectile dysfunction with goat glands. In the 1920s, John R. Brinkley, a Kansas pharmacist and self-proclaimed "doctor," used the new medium of radio to make a name for himself, claiming he could cure male impotence with a goat gland transplant. His quack treatments attracted many patients, including several prominent Hollywood movie stars.
- Quotes
Police Chief: Get some cops to protect our policemen!
- Crazy creditsThe "THE END" text appears on a tombstone, which has Keaton's signature pork pie hat on top.
- Alternate versionsSome prints, notably those made by Blackhawk Films, are missing the "goat gland" sequence.
- ConnectionsEdited into When Comedy Was King (1960)
Featured review
Arguably Buster Keaton's finest two-reeler, Cops is the perfect distillation of the appeal of this gifted artist. One cannot help but feel great sympathy for the lead character, all the while laughing at his unfortunate circumstances. Yet in the midst of being suckered out of his (stolen) fortune and finding himself wrongly suspected of an act of terrorism, Buster never for a minute expresses a hint of self pity. He brilliantly deals with the circumstances as they unfold while his face exudes a calmness and confidence that seem quite contradictory to the madness that surrounds him. See how he calmly handles finding himself in the middle of a giant parade of police officers and how he nonchalantly lights his cigarette with a terrorist's bomb. The audience breathlessly tries to keep up with Keaton as he navigates an obstacle course strewn with hundreds of well-choreographed cops. With impeccable timing he seems to improvise his way through it using the many tools available to him, most notably his quick wit. Every second of this film is wonderfully entertaining. The ending is typical Keaton - satisfying and very funny. This is the perfect introduction to Buster Keaton and silent films in general.
Details
- Runtime18 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.33 : 1
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