Shoulder Arms is
Charlie ChaplinSir Charles Spencer Chaplin, KBE was an English comedic actor and film director. Chaplin became one of the most famous actors as well as a notable filmmaker, composer and musician in the early to mid Classical Hollywood era of American cinema.Chaplin acted in, directed, scripted, produced and...
's second film for
First National PicturesFirst National was an association of independent theater owners in the United States that expanded from exhibiting movies to distributing them, and eventually to producing them as a movie studio...
. Released in
1918The year 1918 in film involved some significant events.-Events:*Following litigation for anti-trust activities, the US Supreme Court orders the Motion Picture Patents Company to disband....
, it is a silent comedy set in France during
World War IWorld War I , also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All Wars, was a global military conflict which involved most of the world's great powers, assembled in two opposing alliances: the Triple Entente and the Triple Alliance...
. The main part of the film occurs in a dream. It co-starred
Edna PurvianceEdna Purviance was an American actress during the silent movie era. She was the leading lady in many Charlie Chaplin movies. In a span of eight years, she appeared in over 30 films with Chaplin.-Early life:...
and
Sydney ChaplinSydney Chaplin , born as Sidney John Hawkes, was the elder half-brother of Sir Charlie Chaplin and the half-uncle of the actor Sydney Earle Chaplin , who was named after him.-Early life:...
, Chaplin's brother. It was Chaplin's shortest
feature filmIn the film industry, a feature film is a film made for initial distribution in theaters and being the "main attraction" of the screening...
.
Shoulder Arms proved to be Chaplin's most popular film, critically and commercially, up to that point. A review in the October 21, 1918
New York Times was typical:
"'The fool's funny,' was the chuckling observation of one of those who saw Charlie Chaplin's new film.
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Shoulder Arms is
Charlie ChaplinSir Charles Spencer Chaplin, KBE was an English comedic actor and film director. Chaplin became one of the most famous actors as well as a notable filmmaker, composer and musician in the early to mid Classical Hollywood era of American cinema.Chaplin acted in, directed, scripted, produced and...
's second film for
First National PicturesFirst National was an association of independent theater owners in the United States that expanded from exhibiting movies to distributing them, and eventually to producing them as a movie studio...
. Released in
1918The year 1918 in film involved some significant events.-Events:*Following litigation for anti-trust activities, the US Supreme Court orders the Motion Picture Patents Company to disband....
, it is a silent comedy set in France during
World War IWorld War I , also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All Wars, was a global military conflict which involved most of the world's great powers, assembled in two opposing alliances: the Triple Entente and the Triple Alliance...
. The main part of the film occurs in a dream. It co-starred
Edna PurvianceEdna Purviance was an American actress during the silent movie era. She was the leading lady in many Charlie Chaplin movies. In a span of eight years, she appeared in over 30 films with Chaplin.-Early life:...
and
Sydney ChaplinSydney Chaplin , born as Sidney John Hawkes, was the elder half-brother of Sir Charlie Chaplin and the half-uncle of the actor Sydney Earle Chaplin , who was named after him.-Early life:...
, Chaplin's brother. It was Chaplin's shortest
feature filmIn the film industry, a feature film is a film made for initial distribution in theaters and being the "main attraction" of the screening...
.
Reception
Shoulder Arms proved to be Chaplin's most popular film, critically and commercially, up to that point. A review in the October 21, 1918
New York Times was typical:
"'The fool's funny,' was the chuckling observation of one of those who saw Charlie Chaplin's new film. Shoulder Arms, at the Strand yesterday — and, apparently, that's the way everybody felt. There have been learned discussions as to whether Chaplin's comedy is low or high, artistic or crude, but no one can deny that when he impersonates a screen fool he is funny. Most of those who go to find fault with him remain to laugh. They may still find fault, but they will keep on laughing."
Goofs
In the scene where Chaplin (in his tree costume) is being pursued through the forest, cars can be seen traveling on a highway in the background. Although highways in the United States existed when this film was made, they did not exist in
GermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered to the north by the North Sea, Denmark, and the Baltic Sea; to the east by Poland and the Czech Republic; to the south by Austria and Switzerland; and to the west by France, Luxembourg, Belgium,...
. Germany's first highway was built in 1921.
Credited Cast
- Charles Chaplin ... Doughboy
Doughboy is an obsolete slang term for a United States Army infantryman, best known from its use in World War I, although it dates back to the Mexican–American War of 1846–48.- Etymology :...
- Edna Purviance
Edna Purviance was an American actress during the silent movie era. She was the leading lady in many Charlie Chaplin movies. In a span of eight years, she appeared in over 30 films with Chaplin.-Early life:...
... French girl
- Syd Chaplin ... Charlie's Comrade/The Kaiser
- Jack Wilson ... German Crown Prince
- Henry Bergman
Henry Bergman was an American actor of stage and film, known for his long association with Charlie Chaplin....
... Fat German sergeant/Field Marshal von Hindenburg/Bartender
- Albert Austin
Albert Austin was an actor, film star, director and script writer, noted mainly for his work in Charlie Chaplin films. He was the brother of actor William Austin....
... American Officer/Clean Shaven German Soldier/Bearded German Soldier
- Tom Wilson
Tom Wilson , was an American film actor. He appeared in 254 films between 1915 and 1963.He was born in Helena, Montana, and died in Los Angeles, California.-Selected filmography:* Devil's Island...
... Dumb German Wood-Cutter
- John Rand ... U.S. soldier
- J. Parks Jones ... U.S. soldier (as Park Jones)
- Loyal Underwood
Loyal Underwood was an American stock actor for Charlie Chaplin's film studio.Underwood's movie debut was in The Count, a 1916 Chaplin short film created for the Mutual Film Corporation...
... Small German officer
External links