Police (1916 Film) -- Directed By Charlie Chaplin -- Full Movie

Charles Chaplin, a convict, is given $5.00 and released from prison after having served his term. He meets a man of the church who makes him weep for his sins and while he is weeping takes the $5.00 away from him. Chaplin goes to a fruit stand and samples the fruit. When he goes to pay for it he finds his $5.00 is missing. This results in a battle with the fruit dealer, but Chaplin finally escapes. He is held up by a footpad and finds it is his former cellmate. He is inveigled into joining him in robbing a house. They put a police officer out of commission with a mallet and stack up the silverware. They then start upstairs to search the upper rooms, but are met by a young woman who implores them to leave because her mother is ill and fears the shock will kill her. Chaplin's heart is touched but the footpad insists on ransacking the house. This results in a battle between the footpad and Chaplin. While they are fighting, a squad of police arrives. The footpad makes his escape, but the police capture Chaplin. The woman of the house, however, saves him by telling the police he is her husband. She gives him a dollar and he leaves. He goes to a lodging house and in order to save his dollar from thieves puts it in his mouth, swallowing it while he sleeps. A crook robs all the men in the lodging house but Chaplin takes the money away from him, and also the rings his "pal" had stolen. This starts a battle in which all join. Chaplin flees. In order to do a good turn to the woman who had saved him from the police, he takes her rings back.

Directed by Charlie Chaplin
Written by Charlie Chaplin
Produced by Jess Robbins
Starring Charles Chaplin
Edna Purviance
Wesley Ruggles
James T. Kelley
Leo White
John Rand
Fred Goodwins
Billy Armstrong
Snub Pollard
Bud Jamison
Paddy McGuire
George Cleethorpe
Cinematography Harry Ensign
Production
company

Essanay Studios
Distributed by General Film Company
Release date

May 27, 1916

Running time
34 minutes
Country United States
Language Silent (English intertitles)