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Shoulder Arms

Shoulder Arms

Comedy · War · 1918

An American doughboy, stationed in France during the Great War, goes on a daring mission behind enemy lines and becomes a hero.

Movie details

Shoulder Arms

“Unprecedented in film annals!”

1918 Comedy · War 36m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

6.8 / 10

Community rating

An American doughboy, stationed in France during the Great War, goes on a daring mission behind enemy lines and becomes a hero.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over Shoulder Arms?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

Block-Heads

Block-Heads

Comedy · 1938

It's 1938, but Stan doesn't know the war is over; he's still patrolling the trenches in France, and shoots down a French aviator. Oliver sees his old chum's picture in the paper and goes to visit Stan who has now been returned to the States and invites him back to his home.

Duck Soup

Duck Soup

Comedy · 1933

Rufus T. Firefly is named president/dictator of bankrupt Freedonia and declares war on neighboring Sylvania over the love of wealthy Mrs. Teasdale.

Distant Drums

Distant Drums

Western · 1951

After destroying a Seminole fort, American soldiers and their rescued companions must face the dangerous Everglades and hostile Indians in order to reach safety

Carry On Sergeant

Carry On Sergeant

Comedy · 1958

Sergeant Grimshawe wants to retire in the flush of success by winning the Star Squad prize with his very last platoon of newly called-up National Servicemen. But a motley bunch they turn out to be, and it's up to Grimshawe to put the no-hopers through their paces.

Hornblower: Mutiny

Hornblower: Mutiny

War · 2001

Hornblower and his comrades come under the command of a revered but mentally unstable captain and are forced to mutiny in order to save their ship, the HMS Renown.

Hornblower: The Frogs and the Lobsters

Hornblower: The Frogs and the Lobsters

War · 1999

Lieutenant Hornblower and his shipmates are sent to accompany a doomed royalist invasion of revolutionary France.

Against the Sun

Against the Sun

War · 2014

A WWII pilot, bombardier, and radioman find themselves adrift on a lifeboat without food or water after being forced to ditch their plane during a scouting mission.

Oh! What a Lovely War

Oh! What a Lovely War

Comedy · 1969

The working-class Smiths change their initially sunny views on World War I after the five boys of the family witness the harsh reality of trench warfare.

The Chaplin Revue

The Chaplin Revue

Comedy · 1959

Three Chaplin silent comedies "A Dog's Life", "Shoulder Arms", and "The Pilgrim" are strung together to form a single feature length film. Chaplin provides new music, narration, and a small amount of new connecting material. "Shoulder Arms" is now described as taking place in a time before "the atom bomb".

The Horse Soldiers

The Horse Soldiers

Western · 1959

A Union Cavalry outfit is sent behind confederate lines in strength to destroy a rail supply center. Along with them is sent a doctor who causes instant antipathy between him and the commander. The secret plan for the mission is overheard by a southern belle who must be taken along to assure her silence.

Where it lives

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Charlie Chaplin

Written by

Charlie Chaplin

Charlie Chaplin

Charlie Chaplin

Doughboy

Edna Purviance

Edna Purviance

The Girl

Sydney Chaplin

Sydney Chaplin

Charlie's Comrade / The Kaiser

Loyal Underwood

Loyal Underwood

Short German Officer

Henry Bergman

Henry Bergman

Fat Whiskered German Soldier / The Kaiser's General / Bartender

Tom Wilson

Tom Wilson

Dumb German Wood-Cutter

Albert Austin

Albert Austin

American Soldier / Clean Shaven German Soldier / Bearded German Soldier

Court is in session

Put Shoulder Arms on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Prestige Tourist

“Form is the argument.”

Every composed frame and deliberate cut is evidence that control can be thrilling in its own right.

The prosecution The Popcorn Loyalist

“Technique in search of a pulse.”

Immaculate construction is still construction. The film may be too busy proving its craft to feel alive.