A hat ruins a man's entire day in 10 perfect minutes of chaos.
Harold's checked cap, blown from his head by a freakish wind, gets him into trouble. First he comes into conflict with the police as a highwayman, then the cap serves to identify him as a housebreaker and lands him in jail, while the innocent cause of his trouble becomes his cellmate for another reason. Eventually a distracted wife rescues both her husband and Harold from the clutches of the law, the cap this time aiding him to regain his freedom.
Stunts
Harold Lloyd's fearless physical comedy before his hand injury.
Editing
Rapid-fire gags packed into 10 breathless minutes.
Director
Gilbert Pratt
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
This was one of over 100 short films Lloyd made in 1917 alone, during his breakneck 'Lonesome Luke' period before developing his iconic 'Glasses' character.
The 'wrong man' trope here directly influenced later comedians—notice how the cap functions like a Hitchcockian MacGuffin, but for laughs instead of suspense.
US
