Crainquebille (1922)

To maintain my record of trying to introduce you to some real obscurities, I present this silent from 1922 which is based on an Anatole France short story and which has apparently been made three times -- not that I have ever seen the other two.  It concerns an old vegetable seller who is sent to jail for proportedly telling a policeman  "Death to the cows" -- I guess Paris cops are cows, not pigs.  The fact that he never said this and that on his release from 15 days in jail he is no longer able to earn a living since none of his former faithful customers will have any truck with a convict is the sad result.  He tries to get sent back to jail where he had a comfortable time by actually saying the phrase, but the kindly cop he accosts just feels sorry for him and tells him to be on his way.  Since you are not likely to find a copy of this movie at your local Blockbuster, I can tell you that it does have a fairly happy ending.  What I particularly liked about the film directed by Jacques Feyder, was the imaginative use of camera tricks; for example, in court our man was shown in miniature surrounded by overwhelming lawyers, judge and jury.  A most delightful discovery.