He_who_lurks
I had never heard of the Keystone Cops (sometimes spelled "Kops") or Mabel Normand, but then most of the films I've seen are usually below 1910, so I don't have as much experience with the modern cinema. However I've had a taste of D.W. Griffith's work, as well as having seen Harold Lloyd's "Safety Last!" and in my opinion this Keystone comedy was well done. It is considered the first Keystone Cops movie, but this rumor proves false: A year earlier, in 1912 there was actually a Keystone movie called "Hoffmeyer's Legacy" which I haven't seen.The film takes place on a farm. A little girl wants a calf, little realizing that she's about to get what she wants. However when she sees the men in the barn delivering the calf she thinks they're robbers and barricades the door. Confusion ensues. Overall this comedy was good and is mildly amusing to watch. I'd recommend it. An enjoyable 8 minutes.
funky_governor56
This seems to be one of the most common Keystones out there, and is usually regarded as the first appearance of the "Keystone Kops" (their actual first appearance was in 1912's Hoffmeyer's Legacy). This is a pretty good half-reel comedy with a good plot line for a 7 minute film. Mabel, the daughter of a farmer (played by Nick Cogley), asks her father if she can have a baby calf. Later, she sees two mysterious men entering the farm and thinks they are burglars. She hides in a shed and phones the police, who are led by a portly, doddering old bumpkin. When Mabel's mother tries to enter the shed, Mabel blocks the door causing the mother to think a burglar is hiding inside! The police rush to the farm to catch the supposed burglars. Mabel's parents learn it was her hiding in the barn, and the strange men were actually delivering a baby calf.These aren't the legendary Keystone Kops most people are familiar with. They're really just a militia here; a group of country folk who carry guns and shovels and defend their small town when needed. Ford Sterling is funny as a skinny little hick who rounds up all the "cops", and Fred Mace as the police chief is the highlight of the whole film.Overall, this is a good film that you should have no problem locating a copy of.
Snow Leopard
As a comedy, this isn't too bad, and the cast also provides some other good reasons to watch. There isn't much of a story, with what plot there is serving merely as a device for Mabel Normand to demonstrate her charm and for the Keystone Kops to demonstrate their own brand of humor. Mabel is as winsome as ever, and won't disappoint any of her fans. This early, rural rendition of the Kops is rather different from the more familiar form they would take later, but their style is recognizable, and the comedy is all right, some of it routine but with some good moments.
Matt Barry
THE BANGVILLE POLICE is Keystone comedy at its best. It is a hilarious comedy short, involving a huge chase across the countryside with the Keystone Kops, led by Fred Mace and Ford Sterling.
AD
