Shoulder Arms

1918
PG
36m

IMDb RATING

YOUR RATING

Charlie is a boot camp private who has a dream of being a hero who goes on a daring mission behind enemy lines.Charlie is a boot camp private who has a dream of being a hero who goes on a daring mission behind enemy lines.Charlie is a boot camp private who has a dream of being a hero who goes on a daring mission behind enemy lines.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

7.3/10

7.7K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Top cast54

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Charles Chaplin

Doughboy
(as Charlie Chaplin)

Edna Purviance

The Girl

Syd Chaplin

Charlie's Comrade
(as Sydney Chaplin)
…

Loyal Underwood

Short German Officer

Henry Bergman

Fat Whiskered German Soldier…

Tom Wilson

Dumb German Wood-Cutter

Albert Austin

American Officer…

Jack Wilson

Crown Prince

W.J. Allen

Motorcyclist
(uncredited)

L.A. Blaisdell

Motorcyclist
(uncredited)

Alva D. Blake

U.S. Soldier
(uncredited)
…

Cliff Brouwer

Soldier
(uncredited)

E. Brucker

Bit Part in Street Scene
(uncredited)

F.S. Colby

Soldier
(uncredited)

Slim Cole

Soldier
(uncredited)

Wellington Cross

Motorcyclist
(uncredited)

E.H. Devere

Bit Part in Street Scene
(uncredited)

C.L. Dice

Motorcyclist
(uncredited)

Director
- Charles Chaplin
Writer
- Charles Chaplin
All cast & crew
Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

User reviews51

Featured review

7/10

Old School Chaplin

Charlie is a boot camp private who has a dream of being a hero who goes on a daring mission behind enemy lines.

"Shoulder Arms" proved to be Chaplin's most popular film, critically and commercially, up to that point. This is understandable given the interesting themes and visual gags. The tree is pretty funny, and the underwater sleeping arrangements are amusing.

What I find particularly interesting about this film's success is how it seems to be now more or less forgotten. I mean, of course any Chaplin film or silent comedy fan will know it. But compared to "The Kid" or "Modern Times" or "City Lights", it is far removed... is this now even one of the top ten most popular Chaplin films?

gavin6942
Jun 12, 2016
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Storyline

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Did you know

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Trivia
Many in Hollywood were nervous that one of their most famous peers was going to tackle the subject of WWI. It was released shortly before the Armistice, so it did not help boost national morale, but it did end up as one of Charles Chaplin's most popular films and it was particularly popular with returning doughboys.

Goofs
Charlie, disguised as a tree, enters a pipe to escape a German. When the German tries to pull Charlie out, he separates the lower part of the tree costume along with Charlie's shoes. When Charlie emerges from the other end of the pipe, he is still wearing shoes.

Quotes
Officer: How did you capture thirteen?
Recruit: I surrounded them.

Crazy credits
The short opens with a title card showing a caricature of Chaplin dressed as a World War I soldier, and text reading "Shoulder Arms Written and Produced by" followed by a blank space. A live action hand appears and points to the title, then the drawing, then uses a piece of white chalk to sign "Charles Chaplin" in the blank space, then points to the caricature one more time.