Bab's Burglar

When Bab Archibald's father gives her $1,000 with the proviso that the gift will serve as her allowance for the year, our heroine proceeds to blow the dough on a brand new car. The car is subsequently totaled when Babs runs afoul of a milk truck, and paying for the damages leaves her with a measly 16 cents. Frustrated yet undeterred, Babs takes a job as a cabbie. One of her customers leaves something behind - a blueprint for the Archibald mansion. Could this customer be nothing more than a crook? Bab is on the case!

Directed by J. Searle Dawley, Bab's Burglar leans on a strong ensemble — Marguerite Clark, Leone Morgan, Richard Barthelmess — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about comedy titles of 1917.