Review of The Great Dictator (1940) by James C — 22 Aug 2017
The Great Dictator will always be remembered fondly by audiences. Perhaps because it was Charlie Chaplin's first talking role. Certainly because of how remarkable a work of satire it is, being produced in the midst of the Second World War. Possibly not due to it's daft "prince and the pauper" take, although that does lead into one of the most memorable monologues in film history.
It's a momentous film for a lot of reasons, but after watching it again with fresh eyes I can't help but feel there are still some harmful stereotypes being used far too regularly. Their analogue for Hitler is played as a fool and his german-ish tirades make the film feel far more dated than any technical gripe. Perhaps that was right for the time but it's likely getting harder to appreciate the context they were presented in.
As a result it's a strange thing to watch with modern eyes and perhaps it's more interesting because of it.
This review of The Great Dictator (1940) was written by James C on 22 Aug 2017.
The Great Dictator has generally received very positive reviews.
Was this review helpful?
