Shoulder Arms

Shoulder Arms

Poster

Country	USA
Directed by	Charlie Chaplin
Release Date	1918
Language	Silent
Studio	Charles Chaplin Productions
Distributor	First National Pictures

Main Cast
Character	Actor
Charlie	Charlie Chaplin
The French girl	Edna Purviance
The sergeant/The Kaiser	Syd Chaplin
The Crown Prince	Jack Wilson
Whiskered Soldier / German General	Henry Bergman

Shoulder Arms is Charlie Chaplin's 1918 war comedy about the adventures of Charlie the Doughboy on the battlefield of World War I.

The following weapons were used in the film Shoulder Arms:

Colt Model 1903 Pistol

In the scene of the attack the sergeant (Syd Chaplin) is seen with a hammerless pistol that appears to be a Colt Model 1903. A similar looking pistol is seen in hands of Charlie when he, disguised as a German high rank officer, disarms a driver of Kaiser's car.

Colt Model 1903 Pocket Hammerless Pistol Blued - .32 ACP

The sergeant holds his pistol at the background.

Charlie disarms a German...

...and captures another one with the pistol.

Krag-Jørgensen M1896 Rifle

American soldiers, including Charlie the Doughboy, carry Krag-Jørgensen M1896 rifles. While in reality US troops in France in 1918 were armed with M1903 Springfield rifles, the movie makers had to use those guns that were available. Some German soldiers also are seen with Krag-Jørgensen rifles.

US Property Marked Krag-Jørgensen Model 1896 Rifle - .30-40 Krag

Soldiers with Krags during the basic trainig.

Charile's Krag is seen next to him.

Charlie holds an unloaded rifle on shoulder.

Soldiers hold rifles with attached sword bayonets before the attack.

Charlie fires his rifle.

A German soldier throws away his Krag (seen at the right) while helping his comrade.

Beaumont-Vitali M1871/88 Rifle

German soldiers carry rifles with straight bolt handles and large protruding magazines that appear to be Dutch Beaumont-Vitali M1871/88 rifles. How they could appear in American 1918 movie is unexplainably.

Dutch service Beaumont-Vitali M1871/88 rifle - 11.3x50R mm

The rifle is seen at the right. Note a typical Vitali magazine.

The bearded German soldier (Albert Austin) throws away his rifle (seen on the ground) while trying to catch Charlie who escapes via a tube.

German soldiers at the right stand in formation with their rifles on shoulders.

A German sentinel holds the rifle.

Lewis Machine Gun

In one scene German soldiers use a Lewis Gun on a tripod. Charlie manages to sieze it and aims at Germans. The Lewis appears to be a mockup rather than a real gun.