The Sheriff

In a frontier outpost teeming with rapscallions and earnest folk alike, Roscoe 'Fatty' Arbuckle embodies the titular lawman, a figure of corpulent charm whose bumbling exterior belies a surprisingly resilient spirit. The narrative unfolds with the arrival of a nefarious desperado, Glen Cavender's villainous Rattlesnake Pete, whose schemes threaten the tranquility of the dusty township and, more pressingly, the affections of the winsome schoolmarm, portrayed with delightful innocence by Betty Compson. Arbuckle's sheriff, initially perceived as more a purveyor of pies than justice, finds himself embroiled in a series of escalating comedic mishaps—a runaway stagecoach, a botched bank robbery, and a spirited saloon brawl—each sequence a masterclass in silent-era physical comedy. With the unwavering loyalty of his canine companion, Luke the Dog, and the earnest if often misguided assistance of his deputy, Ernest Morrison, the portly protagonist must overcome his own proclivities for culinary indulgence and a general aversion to direct confrontation. The climax sees our unlikely hero, through a combination of sheer luck, an unexpected burst of courage, and a strategically deployed pastry, outwit the outlaws, secure the town's safety, and, naturally, win the adulation of the fair Compson. It is a vibrant tapestry of slapstick, burgeoning romance, and the quintessential triumph of the underdog, all woven with Arbuckle's signature blend of geniality and acrobatic grace.