Not Guilty is a 1910 American silent short drama produced by the Thanhouser Company. The film focuses on Harry Martin who bids goodbye to his blind mother before he leaves the house and soon encounters a fleeing thief. The thief deposits a stolen purse into Harry's pocket and the police promptly discover and arrest Harry. They take him back to his home where he bids goodbye and is jailed. His blind mother becomes ill, under the false belief that her son is away on a journey. After he learns of this, he breaks out and returns home. The police surround and search the house and Harry flees to another building on a clothesline. Successfully having eluded the police, Harry buys a paper the following morning and discovers that the real thief has turned himself in. The film is known for its early use of a close-up shot to portray the complex action of the thief depositing the purse into Harry's pocket. The film was released on September 20, 1910, and met with mixed reviews. The film survives in the Library of Congress archives.

Plot

The film begins with Harry Martin saying goodbye to his blind mother before leaving the house. About this time Joinville, a thief, has committed a robbery and is being chased down the street by the policemen. Harry and the thief encounter each other on the street and a struggle ensues, Joinville slips the stolen purse into his pocket before fleeing. The police encounter Martin and find the stolen purse before promptly arresting him. Harry's sweetheart visits Martin's mother and the police take Harry to his apartment. Harry bids his mother and his sweetheart goodbye, an inter-title car states that Harry does not want his mother to know he has gone away on a journey instead of to jail.