"A.W.O.L." is an American army-themed 5-minute short film from almost 100 years ago. This is in black-and-white and also silent in the original, so feel free to mute all music and soundtrack for the precise experience. In terms of the comedy, here and there is a scene that may look like a very raw version of what Disney and Warner Bros did 20 years later and more, but it really is not a refined work at all. Writer and director is the not entirely unknown Charley Bowers and you cannot really blame him for this one not being a good watch. Technology simply wasn't progressed enough by 1918 to make a really convincing animated film. All in all, this is is really only worth checking out for animation nostalgics. Everybody else'd better skip it.
4 Reviews
Of Some Interest, At Least Historically
Snow Leopard21 February 2005
This animated Charley Bowers feature is of some interest, at least historically, although in itself it is pretty bland. It would have been much more topical upon its original release, and as a result it could have served something of a useful purpose in its time.
The whole story revolves around a soldier who, with the arrival of the Armistice ending the Great War (World War I), has become restless as he waits for a discharge. His adventures that follow are relatively predictable, but at times there are some brief flashes of the creativity that Bowers would later develop much further.
Its original audience certainly would have understood the impatience of soldiers to see their homes and families again. It's interesting, then, that Bowers took a viewpoint that was by no means wholly sympathetic. It also is one of the few of Bowers's many animated features that still survive. So there are a couple of reasons why it is worth seeing.
The whole story revolves around a soldier who, with the arrival of the Armistice ending the Great War (World War I), has become restless as he waits for a discharge. His adventures that follow are relatively predictable, but at times there are some brief flashes of the creativity that Bowers would later develop much further.
Its original audience certainly would have understood the impatience of soldiers to see their homes and families again. It's interesting, then, that Bowers took a viewpoint that was by no means wholly sympathetic. It also is one of the few of Bowers's many animated features that still survive. So there are a couple of reasons why it is worth seeing.
I really liked this old post-war cartoon
planktonrules3 July 2006
Warning: Spoilers
This cartoon appears to have been made to show to the newly victorious American troops overseas. It took a long time to get all the soldiers over to France for the war and it took about a year to get them all back after the Armistace. So, in the intervening period, soldiers were no doubt anxious to get home.
The story is about a dumb soldier who craves to have fun and go home. Despite warnings from friends, he finds a wild lady named "Joy Awol" and lets her lead him astray. She is a nut behind the wheel of her car and despite her reckless driving, again and again he stays with her until eventually he is caught for being AWOL and she goes on to the next dumb soldier. In the end, he's in the brig and watches helplessly as all his fellow soldiers flood out the gates to get on the ship for home.
It was a good morality play for soldiers because it didn't seem all that preachy and it was pretty funny to watch. The jokes were cute, though I also have to admit that the animation wasn't all that hot--even for 1918.
The story is about a dumb soldier who craves to have fun and go home. Despite warnings from friends, he finds a wild lady named "Joy Awol" and lets her lead him astray. She is a nut behind the wheel of her car and despite her reckless driving, again and again he stays with her until eventually he is caught for being AWOL and she goes on to the next dumb soldier. In the end, he's in the brig and watches helplessly as all his fellow soldiers flood out the gates to get on the ship for home.
It was a good morality play for soldiers because it didn't seem all that preachy and it was pretty funny to watch. The jokes were cute, though I also have to admit that the animation wasn't all that hot--even for 1918.
Funny WW1 Short
Michael_Elliott17 August 2016
A.W.O.L. (1918)
*** (out of 4)
This Charles Bowers animated short is a pretty funny one. It's the end of the World War and it's taking Uncle Sam a while to bring all of our soldiers back home. One soldiers grow impatient so he decides to leave camp with a woman, which renders him AWOL and soon all sorts of bad things happen. The animation here is about as simple as you can get but there's no question that it's extremely well-drawn and it certainly brings the characters to life. The lead soldier is somewhat of a major idiot and this gets plenty of laughs as he constantly gets himself into bigger trouble by simply not being patient. Fans of this era of animation should really enjoy this and those new to this era will find it a good place to start.
*** (out of 4)
This Charles Bowers animated short is a pretty funny one. It's the end of the World War and it's taking Uncle Sam a while to bring all of our soldiers back home. One soldiers grow impatient so he decides to leave camp with a woman, which renders him AWOL and soon all sorts of bad things happen. The animation here is about as simple as you can get but there's no question that it's extremely well-drawn and it certainly brings the characters to life. The lead soldier is somewhat of a major idiot and this gets plenty of laughs as he constantly gets himself into bigger trouble by simply not being patient. Fans of this era of animation should really enjoy this and those new to this era will find it a good place to start.
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