Riley the Cop | 1928 | Comedy

Title: Riley the Cop | 1928 | Comedy Director: John Ford Studio: Fox Film Corporation Starring: J. Farrell MacDonald, Nancy Drexel, David Rollins, Louise Fazenda Release Date: November 25, 1928 Runtime: 68 minutes Format: Black-and-white; silent with synchronized Movietone music and effects; English intertitles Country: United States Language: Silent with English intertitles Genres: Comedy --- Chapters: 00:00:00 Opening on the beat 00:12:00 Romance and disapproval 00:28:00 Voyage to Europe 00:44:00 Munich pursuit 00:58:00 Resolution and return --- Summary: A genial New York beat cop, Riley, is dispatched to retrieve a young baker suspected of embezzlement after the youth follows his sweetheart to Europe. The chase leads from neighborhood sidewalks to beer gardens and bustling streets abroad, where Riley’s good nature repeatedly complicates his mission. The film blends light comedy with themes of duty, compassion, and community, concluding with the truth exposed, young love restored, and Riley back on familiar ground. --- Background: Produced by Fox Film Corporation at the end of the silent era, Riley the Cop was released with a synchronized Movietone score and effects, reflecting the industry’s transition to sound. It premiered in late 1928 and is directed by John Ford, who was not credited onscreen. A print of the film survives in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art, enabling modern screenings and restorations. --- Trivia: The New York premiere took place at the Roxy Theatre on December 1, 1928. Production began in July 1928 in Hollywood, during Fox Film’s rapid adoption of sound technologies. Future filmmaker Robert Parrish appears uncredited as a boy. Louise Fazenda, a popular silent-era comedienne, plays Lena Krausmeyer. The film’s synchronized soundtrack uses the Movietone sound-on-film process, but contains no spoken dialogue. --- Public Domain / Rights: Original Release: November 25, 1928 Original Studio / Distributor: Fox Film Corporation Copyright Status: Public Domain Renewal: Unknown --- Hashtags: RileyTheCop JohnFord PublicDomain SilentFilm ClassicCinema 1928 FoxFilm Source page: https: //commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Riley_the_Cop_(1928).webm Direct media URL: https: //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cd/Riley_the_Cop_%281928%29.webm