The Great Dictator

Yesterday I decided to stay in and go back in time watching the great and hilarious movie 'The Great Dictator' by and with master Chaplin. For those who never saw the movie, I've included my review below. For those who like the watch the movie, I've included the movie at the end of the post. Included are also some great scenes, such as the one in which Hynkel (Chaplin) plays with the Globe.

Review

'The Great Dictator' is a stinging indictment to the Third Empire and especially to Adolf Hitler. Actor and director Charles Chaplin had already figured out the road Hitler would take when he started production in 1937. Due to all kinds of delays, the film was only released in October 1940 when Germany had already conquered a large number of European countries.

In retrospect, Chaplin stated that when he would have known the true size of Nazi crimes, especially the Holocaust, he would not have made the film.

Adolf Hitler is called Adenoid Hynkel, played by Chaplin himself, and is pompous and empty headed with anger issues and dreams to become "Emperor of the World." It is clear that Chaplin looked closely at Hitler's speech because he approaches Hitler in attitude, gestures and strong words while in front of the microphone. Only the German he speaks is complete nonsense, although there are some real words in between. Hynkel sometimes is so passionated that the only thing he produces are sounds. The swastika has been replaced by two crosses, but all uniforms and flags are straight-forward copies.

Without knowing, Hynkel has a body double, a renowned Jewish hairdresser (also played by Chaplin). With him - the film opens - being a soldier in the First World War and loses his memory when saving a pilot. The hairdresser has been in hospital for years and only returns to his hairdressing shop when Hynkel took over power. Upon arrival he finds out his shop is in the ghetto and is sealed with the word "Jew" on the facade. The hairdresser comes across the attractive Hannah (Pauline Goddard). This produces a handful of scenes, which unfortunately are a bit too sentimental. It also does not help Goddard is not playing her role with passion.

The events with Hynkel are much more fun. For example, Minister Garbitsch (Henry Daniell) disturbs him whenever he poses for a painting and sculptures to whisper him new ideas and plans. And Minister Herring (Billy Gilbert) has all kinds of wild ideas such as a bulletproof uniform and a hat parachute that are demonstrated to Hynkel. After every demonstration failure, Hynkel removes some of the many medals of Herring's uniform. When the medals are all gone, Hynkel continues with the buttons of the ministers uniform. The film contains not only Chaplin's famous pantomime and visual jokes, but also a number of word plays such as: Göring is named Herring; Goebbels is named Garbitsch.

Chaplin's best moment as Hynkel is the famous scene in which he plays with a balloon in the form of a globe, referring to the ambitions of the Führer. Then there is the actor Jack Oakie, who puts forward a fantastic performance in his role as Benzini Napolani (Mussolini). The dictator of the country Bacteria wants to own its neighbour country Osterlich (Austria). The scenes with Hynkel and Napolani are hilarious.

The satirical elements have been very successful, but the film is also messy at some points. There are big gaps in the plot and there are some eye-catching inconsistencies in the continuity. The end of the film is odd. Hynkel and the hairdresser are switched, which is funny, but this should have happened sooner in the film. And the passionate, minute-long speech in which the Jewish hairdresser - playing Hynkel - advocates democracy and justice, is out of touch with the rest of the film. Because of this, "The Great Dictator" becomes a curious mix between perfection and sloppiness.

Complete Movie

Original Review NYTimes (1940)

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