Review of The Great Dictator (1940) by Dillon L — 01 Aug 2011

Charlie Chaplin shows in The Great Dictator that not only that his talent can go beyond silent films, but that he has a lot of balls to make a comedy about Hitler, while he was still alive.

After the first World War, a Jewish barber from the country "Tomainia" who spent 20 years in the hospital with amnesia has returned to his home to find it very unusual. The Jews of the ghetto are in fear because of a new ruthless dictator named Hynkel. But the barber has a hilarious way of surviving through these dark times. I think the most tragic part of the movie is how The Barber, a Jew who fought for his country because he loves it returnes home to be seen by his own government as a parasite. The Great Dictator is Chaplin's first talky film, and he does a great job as the lead role. The transition from silent to talky doesn't seem to effect Chaplin's talent infront of the camera, and he says his lines very well (especially in the speach at the end). This movie has a message about dictatorship in it, reflecting Hitler's rise of power. The mix of slap-stick comedy and the dramatic message is done well. It's an awkward mix, but a unique one. How many WWII comedy films have you seen?

Chaplin does yet another great job being a director. The shots are well done, the lighting is set in many ways in many different situations, reflecting the seriousness of every situation, whether comedic or not, which makes the pacing of the movie all the more smoother. The movie splits between the lifes of the Jews and Hynkel. The ghetto set is well constructed, tight and dreary while the high class mantion of Hynkel's is very large and shiny. But both look very detailed and well constructed. Chaplin plays both the Barber and Hynkel, so the switch of sets while using the same actor shows how we are all people with problems and dreams, that we are all human.

This movie was made before the world saw the seriousness of Germany's situation, so the comedy is very different than you'ld expect. It shows a human and goofy kind of depiction of the dirctator, which you definitely don't see a lot of in other WWII movies. But none the less this movie does have a message of peace in it. This isn't Chaplin's funniest movie, and the story drags a bit, but he still puts on a good show and his most important one.