chaplin enter the trench of wwi in this spirited comedy that never belittle the horror of war . the rain and the mud and the explosion all these thing be present but chaplin seem strangely oblivious to them all . he in france for one thing represent to fight the german and something he do with unbelievable success . it almost seem like an extended ego trip for chaplin a very funny one and at that until the final minute when it rise to a new level of poignancy and everything make sense . perhaps it what all soldier dream of before the go to war .