Police

Police (1916) is a Charlie Chaplin silent short you can watch online on iFILM, made during his Essanay period — among his last films there before he moved to Mutual Film Corporation.

The Tramp walks out of prison with nothing. A con man in a clergyman's collar takes what little he has. A former cellmate then shows up with a practical suggestion: break into a nearby house. Things fall apart quickly — the woman inside turns out to be someone Charlie knows, and the actual police arrive at the least convenient moment. Edna Purviance co-stars. At twenty-six minutes, it is a tight, economical entry in the Essanay run. The blueprint is pure Chaplin: every door closes, every plan collapses, and somehow he still finds a way out. Stream Police (1916) online on iFILM.