director: Unknown
year: 1907
country: France
history notes: Unidentified Film No. 048
alternative titles: Kluger Hund bringt seinem Herrchen gestohlene Brieftasche zurück, The Doings of a Poodle

This film has been identified thanks to contributions from members of the Lost FIlms community.

Short synopsis: A clever dog snatches a stolen wallet away from a con man and returns it to its owner.

In his office, an overjoyed man counts his money, which he then stashes in a large wallet. - In the park. Still pleased about the money, the man proudly shows it to his dog. - A couple enter, see the money and sense easy prey [frame scans 1, 2]. - The woman sets to work on the man, who follows her willingly. - Together on a boat ride; the con man follows in another boat. - In a restaurant the lady crook gets the man drunk, steals his wallet [frame scan 3] and throws it out the window. The con man is standing below but so is the dog. - The pair of crooks scarper to a park bench and examine the loot. - The dog jumps over and snatches the wallet [frame scan 4]. - The dog, with the wallet in its mouth, runs over the park streets, swims across the lake and finally reaches the restaurant, where its master has only just noticed the theft. - Now the bill can be paid, all are pleased [frame scan 5], and the clever dog stands up on its hind legs honourably [frame scan 6].

Production Company: Pathé frères, Paris
Length: 97m
Format: 35mm, 1.33:1
Picture/Sound: b/w, silent
Notes: 'Pathé Frères 14 rue Favrat Paris Exhibition interdite en France et en Suisse' edgecode; Print seems to be complete

Source notes
Deutsche Kinemathek - Museum für Film und Fernsehen

English title: Doings of a Poodle, Pathé Frères, Paris 344 ft (from Pathé Films - Supplement 1, 1908, USA)
The hero, a black poodle, is first seen with his master taking a morning stroll. The young man sits on a park bench, and draws from his pocket a wallet, in which some bills of money are seen. He was been observed by a fashionnably attired couple, who plot to get his money. The pretty woman approaches him with a greeting. He responds, and soon they are chatting. They repair to a drink resort, and the woman begins to fill her intended victim with wine, while she fakes off the drinks. His head begins to whirl, and he becomes unsteady and dozes off. This is her time. The woman extracts the wallet, passes it to her accomplice and leaves the sleeper. He awakens, thinks back the situation, realizes quickly, and feeling for the wallet, misses it. In alarm he can do naught but rage at his own foolishness, but now the dogs gets busy. He sniffed at the couple with suspicion, and understands he has been justified. He darts away and follows the trail. Soon his labors are rewarded. The couple are on a bench in the park, about to examine the plunder; the canine detective leaps in the air, snatches it between his teeth and runs home, where he delivers the wallet to his master. The final picture is a near view of the black dog holding the wallet securely.