The Great Dictator (1940)

★ 8.3 2h 5m 3,671 votes IMDb
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Dictator Adenoid Hynkel tries to expand his empire while a poor Jewish barber tries to avoid persecution from Hynkel's regime.

The Great Dictator

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Cast

Charlie Chaplin
Charlie Chaplin as Adenoid Hynkel, Dictator of Tomania / A Jewish Barber Died 1977 · Walworth, London, England, UK Charles “Charlie” Chaplin (April 16, 1889 – December 25, 1977) was an English comic actor, film director and composer best-known for his work during the silent film era. He used mime, slapstick and ot...
Paulette Goddard
Paulette Goddard as Hannah Died 1990 · Whitestone Landing, Long Island, New York, USA From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Paulette Goddard (June 3, 1910 – April 23, 1990) was an American film and theatre actress. A former child fashion model and in several Broadway productions as Z...
Jack Oakie
Jack Oakie as Benzino Napaloni, Dictator of Bacteria Died 1978 · Sedalia, Missouri, USA Jack Oakie (November 12, 1903 – January 23, 1978) was an American actor, starring mostly in films, but also working on stage, radio and television..
Reginald Gardiner
Reginald Gardiner as Commander Schultz Died 1980 · London, England, UK Reginald Gardiner (27 February 1903 - 7 July 1980) was an English-born actor in film and television and a graduate of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in Britain. He made his film debut in 1926 in t...
Henry Daniell
Henry Daniell as Garbitsch Died 1963 · Barnes, Surrey, UK From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Charles Henry Daniell (5 March 1894 – 31 October 1963) was an English actor who had a long and prestigious career on stage as well as in films. He is perhaps bes...
Billy Gilbert
Billy Gilbert as Field Marshal Herring Died 1971 · Louisville, Kentucky, USA From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Billy Gilbert (September 12, 1894 – September 23, 1971) was an American comedian and actor known for his comic sneeze routines. He appeared in over 200 feature...

Audience Reviews

wizzardss 8/10 Feb 18, 2021
In September 1939, six days after Britain declared war on Nazi Germany, Charlie Chaplin began filming his next feature. Drawing on the public perception of the similarities between himself and Adolf Hitler - not just his toothbrush moustache but also their upbringings - Chaplin sought to directly parody and attack the German führer and fascism.

In _The Great Dictator_, Adenoid Hynkel (Chaplin) rules Tomania and sets about his conquest of the world. In doing so, he persecutes Jewish people, including a former veteran of World War I who is now a barber (also Chaplin).

Unsurprisingly, the film was a hit on release, resonating well with the anti-Nazi sentiment in both American and British public. Chaplin understood that delivering his political message was so important that he forewent his usual desire for a silent film in order to get his message across.

Sound is used to great effect in _The Great Dictator_. By studying many of Hitler's speeches, Chaplin was able to create a ludicrous, yet believable, gibberish parody of the Nazi leader's oratory style.

Of course, the physical comedy remains, typically reserved for the barber (who may or may not be Chaplin's silent hero, The Tramp). This combination of physical comedy and irreverent one liners together makes the film feel like a very early Carry On.

While _The Great Dictator_ remains arguably Chaplin's best "talkie", it often feels like it is the end of Chaplin's era of classical pantomime. People being hit on the head with a saucepan comes across as a cheap laugh and it is often the verbal jokes that are the cleverest. Overall the comedy has not aged well.

But _The Great Dictator_ was never designed for longevity. It was perfect propaganda for the Allies, released at a perfect point in the War. For that reason, The Great Dictator can only be judged in the context of its release.

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