Chaplin, alongside many other Hollywood stars and studios who also contributed such films, delivered his “Propaganda film” as it was called in the studio records – shot and edited between August 15th and 22nd 1918 using only simple stylised props against a black backdrop – to the Liberty Loan Committee in September. Whereas the other ‘bonds’ illustrated in the comic film are flawed – the bond of friendship (the friend wants money), the bond of marriage (the wedding costs too much) – the Liberty Bond wins hands down. ‘The people’ give a bag of money to Uncle Sam in exchange for a bond certificate. Uncle Sam gives the money to Industry, who gives a US soldier a bayonet – and the Kaiser is defeated. A perfect example of Chaplin’s brilliant communication skills.

Kate Guyonvarch