Cops (Buster Keaton, 1922) is an American slapstick silent film starring and directed by Buster Keaton. Being a ‘two-reeler’, the film was shot using two reels of film and thus has a relatively short duration of 18 minutes.
Within the film, Keaton plays his usual stoic self as he gets involved in a series of misunderstandings involving a horse. This eventually leads to him getting on the wrong side of the entire LAPD during a parade, resulting in a classic Keaton chase sequence.
The opening shot of the film is particularly interesting, as Keaton’s clever framing allows the audience to believe that he is physically trapped behind bars. In reality, Keaton’s character is metaphorically ‘locked out’ from his girlfriends’s family, who represents the upper class.
Another expressive technique Keaton utilises is the during the seesaw sequence, in which he plays around with framing and symmetry to create yet another humorous gag. The realism within the film can be seen within the context, as it was produced during the rape-and-murder trial of Fatty Arbuckle – a silent star of the 1910s who brought Keaton into the limelight. Within Cops, Keaton’s character never comes out on top – despite his good intentions – which illustrates a sense of hopelessness throughout. The ending of the film is also extremely dark, the final shot being of a gravestone emblazoned with a ‘The End’ title card, with Keaton’s pork pie hat propped up against it.
I enjoyed elements of the more despairing tone Cops offered, but it is probably my least favourite of the four due to its confusing incoherence and strange pacing. However, the seesaw gag was particularly amusing and Keaton’s stunt-work is unbelievable as ever.
Overall, I would rate Cops ★★★.
Otis Morley’s A-Level Film Studies Blog 