The Great Dictator

The Great Dictator is a 1940 American satirical political comedy-drama film starring,
written, produced, scored, and directed by Charlie Chaplin. The film was originally meant to
satirize Adolph Hitler and condemn the Nazi party and its values. At the time of its first
release, the United States was still formally at peace with Nazi Germany. Chaplin's film
advanced a stirring, controversial condemnation of Adolf Hitler, Benito Mussolini's fascism,
antisemitism, and the Nazis.
In summary, the films plot was about a certain Jewish barber who saves the life of a
wounded pilot, Schultz, during 1918 with the collapse of the Tomainian (German) army, but
loses his own memory through concussion. Fast-forward twenty years, and the barber escapes
from his care-home to return to the ghetto, now governed by stormtroopers reporting to
Schultz, who has been promoted in the Tomainian regime under the ruthless dictator Adenoid
Hynkel (Hitler), who believes in a purely Aryan state and wants nothing more than to be
emperor of the world, and looks like an identical twin of the barber (both played by Chaplin).
As Hynkel orders a purge of the Jews, Schultz protests about this new policy, and is
jailed. He escapes to hide in the ghetto with the barber and his girlfriend Hannah.
Stormtroopers search the ghetto, arresting Schultz and the barber, while Hannah and her
family escape to freedom in Osterlich (Austria). But after a failed attempt to ally with
Napaloni (Mussolini), Hynkel invades Osterlich.
Escaping from the camp in stolen uniforms, Schultz and the barber, dressed as

Hynkel, arrive at the Osterlich frontier, where a huge parade is waiting to be addressed by
Hynkel. Schultz tells the barber to go up to the platform and pretend to be Hynkel, as the only
way to save their lives. The terrified barber mounts the steps, but is inspired to seize the
initiative. Announcing that he (apparently Hynkel) has had a change of heart, he makes an
impassioned plea for brotherhood and goodwill. He addresses a message of hope to Hannah,
in case she can hear him.
Honestly, I am not very fond of classical movies. Particularly, Im not well-pleased
with the cinematic or special effects (music and videography) of these movies as well as the
view of old-fashioned people which includes their lifestyle, technology, and architecture.
However, it doesnt mean I hate the old or past generations, just that it doesnt suit my taste.
Despite these things, I did find the movie entertaining and inspiring in the sense that it
opened my mind to the experiences of the people during the war and awareness of human
greediness, pridefulness, and hunger for power.
Overall, the movie was indeed effective in making the audience laugh considering it
was an old film and probably using old humor. These were mostly seen during the globe
scene of Adenoid Hynkel, in the barbershop with musical synchronization while the barber
was attending a customer, and in many other parts of the movie. Although the film was a
parodical comedy, Chaplin obviously wanted to convey a meaningful message to the viewers.
This was emphasized when the barber was delivering a speech to the rest of the world.

April 22, 2015

The Great Dictators Speech

Surprisingly, in his first speaking role on screen, Charlie Chaplin made one of the
most moving and thought-provoking speeches in history. Charlie Chaplin used this medium
of the film (The Great Dictator, 1940) to lament the pessimism, violence and greed that had
overtaken the free and beautiful way of life that is inherent in human nature.
He claimed that humanity has sacrificed the responsibility to provide a quality life to
all people and replaced that responsibility with greed, hate, pessimism, and violence. He used
intensely charged words that cut straight to the core of human emotion. One of the most
electrifying statements he made was that We think too much and feel too little: more than
machinery, we need humanity; more that cleverness we need kindness and gentleness.
Without these qualities, life will be violent and all will be lost. Additionally, he used phrases
such as We think too much and feel too little to conjure up feelings of remorse and
conviction regarding the current state of affairs in the human population. Moreover, his claim
that the very nature of these inventions cries out for the goodness in men, cries out for
universal brotherhood for the unity of us all supplies hope to the population that all is not
lost and that life can be made rewarding for all humans once again. He provided optimism to
an increasingly cynical society. The misery that is now upon us is but the passing of greed,
the bitterness of men who fear the way of human progress: the hate of men will pass and
dictators will die and the power they took from the people will return to the people and so
long as men die now liberty will never perish supplied the perfect pathos at that moment in
time where commotions of war were in uproar.

This was such an adoring attribute of Chaplin because he used his influence and talent
over the film industry not only for profitable purposes but also to influence his viewers about
the essence of peace and democracy and fighting for freedom. Chaplins emotionally
saturated statements instill a series of feelings in his audience, beginning with penance,
leading to hope, and then finishing with elation and motivation to create a better world where
all people are granted liberty and happiness.
According to Savannah Boothe, At a time when the world seemed to be crumbling,
Charlie Chaplin provided a call to action to revive the state of humanity. By accessing a
powerful delivery and a very stimulating emotional proposal, he effectively conjures up the
deterioration of liberty and energizes his world audience to fight to free the world, to do
away with national barriers, do away with greed, with hate and intolerance. He fully evokes
his audience to stand against injustice and to unite together against the unnatural men,
mainly the great dictator Hitler. He provides the world with a reason and avenue to better life
for all.

April 22, 2015