Shoulder Arms
“Unprecedented in film annals!”
Synopsis
An American doughboy, stationed in France during the Great War, goes on a daring mission behind enemy lines and becomes a hero.
Top Cast
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Charlie Chaplin
Doughboy
Edna Purviance
The Girl
Sydney Chaplin
Charlie's Comrade / The Kaiser
Loyal Underwood
Short German Officer
Henry Bergman
Fat Whiskered German Soldier / The Kaiser's General / Bartender
Tom Wilson
Dumb German Wood-Cutter
Albert Austin
American Soldier / Clean Shaven German Soldier / Bearded German Soldier
Jack Wilson
Crown Prince
W.J. Allen
Motorcyclist (uncredited)
L.A. Blaisdell
Motorcyclist (uncredited)
Alva D. Blake
U.S. Soldier / German Officer (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)
Release History & Theatrical Window
October 20, 1918
Wide Cinema Exhibition
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Charlie Chaplin
- Screenplay & Story
- Charlie Chaplin
- Original Score
- Charlie Chaplin
- Original Title
- Shoulder Arms
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- No Language
- Runtime
- 36m
- Production Studios
- Charles Chaplin Productions
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Charlie Chaplin
Charlie Chaplin
Charlie Chaplin
Roland Totheroh
Charlie Chaplin
Charlie Chaplin
Department Leadership Roster
Charlie Chaplin
Director
Roland Totheroh
Director of Photography
Charles D. Hall
Production Design
Charlie Chaplin
Producer
Charlie Chaplin
Editor
Charlie Chaplin
Original Music Composer
Charlie Chaplin
Screenplay
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for Shoulder Arms.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring Shoulder Arms.
War: World War I
Auto-filled from Letterboxd lists
The Origins of the Cinema
list_War
Movies categorized under War
Public Domain
Movies in the public domain in the United States. References: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_films_in_the_public_domain_in_the_United_States archive.org
Criterion US - War Movies
Curated list of Most Popular on Criterion (US). Updated frequently. Last updated August 28, 2026.
Criterion US - Comedy Movies
Curated list of Most Popular on Criterion (US). Updated frequently. Last updated August 28, 2026.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Shoulder Arms
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is Shoulder Arms about?
An American doughboy, stationed in France during the Great War, goes on a daring mission behind enemy lines and becomes a hero.
Who directed Shoulder Arms?
Shoulder Arms was directed by Charlie Chaplin.
Who stars in Shoulder Arms?
The principal cast of Shoulder Arms includes Charlie Chaplin, Edna Purviance, Sydney Chaplin, Loyal Underwood, Henry Bergman.
When was Shoulder Arms released and how long is it?
Shoulder Arms was released in 1918 with a total runtime of 36m.
Who composed the musical score for Shoulder Arms?
The original motion picture soundtrack for Shoulder Arms was composed by Charlie Chaplin.