Beating the Game

Professional safecracker Fancy Charlie breaks into the apartment of G.B. Lawson, a criminologist, and mistakenly believes that he has robbed a fellow safecracker. Out of "professional courtesy" he informs Lawson of what he has done. Instead of calling the police, Lawson--who believes in the philosophy of "honor among thieves"--makes a deal with Charlie: to show Charlie that it's actually more profitable to be a legitimate businessman then a crook, he'll give Charlie some money if Charlie will use it to establish a legitimate business in the small town of Plumfield, and at the end of a year they will divide up whatever profits Charlie is able to make honestly. Charlie agrees, but soon discovers that things aren't going to be quite as easy as he thought.

Director

Victor Schertzinger

Screenplay

Charles Kenyon

Status

Released

Release date

01/09/1921

Original language

English