The Bond

The Bond is a propaganda film created by Charlie Chaplin at his own expense for the Liberty Loan Committee for theatrical release to help sell U.S. Liberty Bonds during World War I.

The Bond
Directed byCharlie Chaplin
Written byCharlie Chaplin
StarringCharlie Chaplin
Edna Purviance
Albert Austin
Sydney Chaplin
Production
company
Charles Chaplin Productions
Liberty Loan Committee
Distributed byFirst National Pictures Inc.
Lobster Films (2002) (France)
Warner Home Video (2004) (USA)
Release date
  • 1918 (1918)
Running time
11 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageSilent film
English intertitles

Made in 1918 with Edna Purviance, Albert Austin and Sydney Chaplin, the film has a distinctive visual motif set in a simple plain black set with starkly lit simple props and arrangements. The story is a series of sketches humorously illustrating various bonds like the bond of friendship and of marriage and, most important, the Liberty Bond, to K.O. the Kaiser which Charlie does literally.

That theme is made explicit when Charlie meets Uncle Sam and a laborer representing industry. Charlie buys a liberty bond and the industrial laborer supplies a rifle for an American soldier. Charlie is sufficiently impressed by the result of his patriotic contribution that he reveals more funds he had hidden in his pants to buy another bond and an American Naval sailor is thus equipped with a rifle himself.

There was also a British version with Uncle Sam replaced by John Bull and promotes War Bonds.

Cast

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