SHOULDER ARMS, released October 20th, 1918

This was Chaplin's second "million dollar comedy" for First National & was his most successful film up to that time. It was risky to make a satire of war while WWI was still in progress and after filming was finished Chaplin himself was not completely satisfied with it. He states in his autobiography that he was ready to "throw it in the ash can" but changed his mind after he screened the film for his friend, Douglas Fairbanks, who went into "roars of laughter."

Beginning with A Dog's Life, Chaplin began featuring his signature on posters as well as the main title cards of the films themselves in an effort to avoid confusion with the many Chaplin reissues that were being released under new titles and then advertised as the latest Chaplin comedy. If you didn't see his signature, it was not a genuine Charlie Chaplin new release.