卓别林为“第一国家影片公司"拍摄的首部电影，片长三卷。卓别林在本片中把流浪汉的生活与狗的生活有趣地构成对比，他与它都同样要挣扎求存，并且忍受社会各阶层将他们踢来踢去。卓别林从本片开始思考到喜剧的结构问题，每一个段落均互相关连而构成一个整体。由于结构完整，使这部在内容上仍然是表现流浪流夏尔洛在贫民窑和酒店被警察追得东奔西跑的喜剧显得笑中有泪。

当时正值美国经济不景气时期，物价暴涨，失业率上升，工人工资下降，以致罢工潮四起。卓别林扮演针砭时弊、讽刺资本家和统治者的流浪汉，在欢笑和滑稽的背后是人生的凄苦与悲凉.

某街区发生一起绑架凶杀命案，警方苦于没有罪犯线索。一名城市快报的记者灵感突现，将目标锁定在江洋大盗舒德•麦迪什身上。他和同样供职于报社却哭无出头之日的室友（Buster Keaton 巴斯特•基顿 饰）制定一个周密的计划，由室友假冒麦迪什认罪入狱，因开警方的注意力，而记者则负责追踪麦迪什，最后赢取奖金平分。为前所困的室友答应了这个计划，千方百计成功将自己送入监狱。
某天，他从报纸上看到，记者乘坐的飞机坠毁，机组乘客无一生还，失去依靠的他不得不想办法逃离这里……

Arthur Ferguson Jones (Edward G. Robinson) and Wilhelmina Clark (Jean Arthur) work at the same accounting firm. Jones turns out to look exactly like the notorious bank robber "Killer" Mannion (also Robinson) and is apprehended by the police.
After his true identity is confirmed, the district attorney gives Jones a letter identifying him, so that he can avoid the same trouble in future. Jones becomes a local celebrity and, at the behest of his boss (Wallace Ford), begins ghost-writing Mannion's "autobiography", with good-natured but street-wise Wilhelmina voluntarily acting as his "talent agent" to see that he gets paid.
Mannion decides to take advantage of his mild-mannered doppelgänger and, ultimately, leaving Jones "holding the bag" for Mannion's crimes. He kidnaps Wilhelmina, Jones' visiting aunt, and a few others, and takes them back to his hideout. He instructs Jones to make a large deposit for Mannion's mother's benefit at the First National Bank, where police detectives are expecting Mannion to make another robbery attempt. Fortunately for Jones, he forgets to bring the check and unwittingly leads the police back to Mannion's hideout.
Upon his arrival, Jones is mistaken for Mannion by the waiting henchmen and quickly realizes that he is meant to be the fall guy. When Mannion returns unexpectedly, Jones orders the men to shoot Mannion. The police arrive in time to capture the rest of the gang. With Mannion dead, Jones collects a reward and takes a long-desired cruise to Shanghai with Wilhelmina.

一个流浪汉偷了一个女孩的手提包，但当他试图扒查理的口袋时，他的香烟和火柴都丢了。他从暴徒手中救出了一个热狗人，但用手杖带走了几个。当小偷试图拿走查理的一些香肠时，查理得到了手提包。手提包从一个人到另一个人，再到它的主人，她对一开始就没有保护她的男朋友很生气。男朋友绝望地把自己扔进了湖里。查理斯帮助他。

Elmer Butts is a contestant in a radio amateur hour show hoping to win the first price... by dancing and juggling!

A shipowner intends to scuttle his ship on its last voyage to get the insurance money. Charlie, a tramp in love with the owner's daughter, is grabbed by the captain and promises to help him shanghai some seamen. The daughter stows away to follow Charlie. Charlie assists in the galley and attempts to serve food during a gale.