Riley the Cop (1928) DVD-R

Starring J. Farrell MacDonald, Nancy Drexel, David Rollins, Louise Fazenda
Directed by John Ford

Print: black/white
Runtime: 68 min.
Genre: comedy
Print Quality: B

All evidence suggests that Riley the Cop was a delightful vehicle for John Ford "regular" J.
Farrell McDonald. New York policeman James Riley is asked to retrieve neighborhood boy
Joe Smith (David Rollins), who skipped town after being falsely accused of theft and is now
living a sinful life in Berlin. It isn't long before Riley himself succumbs to charms of the
German metropolis, whereupon he magnanimously allows Joe to stay in Berlin long enough
to win the heart of aristocratic Mary Coronelli (Nancy Drexel). Riley himself also finds
romance, in the form of gawky German damsel Lena (Louise Fazenda). Little does he realize
that Lena is the sister of his hated rival — police officer Hans Krausmeyer (Harry Schultz). If
the synopsis is any indication, the present unavailability of this John Ford comedy is a real
loss.