Policeman and Burglar

A bracing fight scene, played out in an early purpose-built film studio.

This simple film, which involves a bracing fight scene, is clearly played out in an early purpose-built film studio. These sets had to be constructed out of doors (or in some cases in greenhouses) in order to be as bright as possible. In this film, not only is the edge of the set visible in the top of the frame, but theatrical flats wobble and shake under the strain of the fight. Later films construct space from editing and camera angles as well as sets, but before the arrival of these innovations the standard practice was to do just what’s shown here: put the camera in the garden and get two blokes to fight until the film runs out.