Police

Police is Charlie Chaplin's 14th film with Essanay Studios and was released in 1916. It was made at the Majestic Studio in Los Angeles. Charlie plays an ex-convict who finds life on the outside not to his liking and leads him to breaking into a home with another thief (Wesley Ruggles). Edna Purviance plays the girl living in the home who tries to change him. Synopsis Charlie is released from prison and is immediately approached by a man who claims to be a church pastor (Billy Armstrong) who'll help him go straight. In reality, however, he's a scammer who frequently does disguises and swindles many other innocent people, including a drunk (James T. Kelley) who seems to be in little possession of his faculties. At first Charlie remains nonchalant, not wanting to take any chances, especially not when he was just out of prison. However, the man, a skilled actor, goads him to cry. Charlie breaks out into tears stemming from regret for "doing it against Jesus". Of course, the man takes advantage of the situation and slips out the five dollar note Charlie has been given upon being discharged, leaving him penniless. Now broke, Charlie goes to a fruit shop and starts biting into all the fruits there. He knows he has to pay for them all in the end, but, unaware that he has been swindled by the fake church pastor, eats more and more until the fruitseller (Leo White) becomes visibly angry. Charlie tells him to calm down, "I'll pay for it." He searches his pockets for the money, but, unfortunately, cannot find it. This angers the man, who by now has decided he'll get the money, even if it took him a month of Sundays. Charlie, realizing that he's not in a very good situation, runs away.