I have watched hundreds of the old Mack Sennett comedies and must say that "On Patrol" is among the very best of this films I have seen. The reason is the frenetic pace and the sheer number of gags. In his old Chaplin or Mabel Normand shorts, you might have a quarter (at most) of the gags that they stuffed into this one. It also is very good because unlike a broad script idea where a comic was told to wing it, this one was well constructed and needed split second timing...and it shows.
"On Patrol" stars Billy Bevan. He is duped by a fake handcuff salesman and the crook ends up stealing the policemen's funds found in the safe at the station. So, it's up to Billy to find the money and catch the crooks. In the interim, he's robbed by a crook of his clothes and ends up in prison garb and so the entire force is out chasing him.
Filled with gags...and nearly all of them very funny. This film is proof that Sennett comedies were NOT all about slapstick...with folks bonking each other over the heads and kicking each other. No, they could be so much more...as this one is.
