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Stop Thief!
(1901) England
B&W : [?] 112 or 115? feet
Directed by James Williamson
Cast: (unknown)
[?] Williamson Kinematograph Company or Williamson Films? production. / Produced by James Williamson. / [?] 35mm spherical format? / The film was released in the USA by Kleine Optical Company and American Mutoscope and Biograph Company. [?] Website-AFI lists the film as released 28 November 1903.
Comedy.
Synopsis: [From Williamson promotional materials (as transcribed in Sopocy-Williamson p. 33)] Shows how a dinner went to the dogs. Three scenes. 1st Scene—Quiet roadway, tramp slouching along, butcher walks up briskly with tray on shoulder, tramp lifts joint from tray and bolts, butcher after him. 2nd Scene—Roadway and front of cottages; tramp rushes past, dogs after him and then butcher; cottagers come out and look after them. 3rd Scene—A large tub; tramp comes in, dodges round the tub, hoping to escape his pursuers; throws joint into tub, and jumps in after it; dogs following closely behind, sniff round the tub, then jump in one by one, first a large collie, then a French poodle, then a black and white terrier; another small dog runs round, but cannot manage the jump. What happens inside can be imagined by the ragged condition of the tramp when the butcher comes along, and after driving off the dogs, pulls him out, and then finds the bare bone left in the tub. A tussle between the butcher and the tramp brings the subject to a close. An exciting comedy; sure to be a favorite subject, if only for the natural and intelligent acting of the dogs.
Survival status: Prints exist in the British Film Institute National Archive film archive; in the Archivo Nacional de la Imagen film archive; in the Münchner Stadtmuseum film archive; and in the Cinemateca do Museu de Arte Moderna film archive.
Current rights holder: (unknown) [United Kingdom]; Public domain [USA].
Listing updated: 28 May 2018.
References: Bohn-Light p. 19; Shipman-Cinema p. 24; Sopocy-Williamson pp. 28, 33, 46, 63, 76, 82, 197, 253, 257, 258, 259, 273, 274, 303 : Website-AFI.
Home video: DVD.
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