The Great Message

Rating: 9/10 (10 December 2010)

The Great Dictator is often considered one of Chaplin's greatest works. The plot is very complex and cerebral with a very strong social message. It was also very different than Pay Day and The Gold Rush because it was a "talkie", meaning there was actual sound and dialog. There is an scene where Chaplin's character runs into the room to warn his comrade that the storm troopers are on there way, having gotten himself so worked up Chaplin's character is unable to speak and can only pantomime his message, this is a subtle homage to his silent comedy days. All of Chaplin's classic slapstick routines and physical humor are there but there is also satirical humor involved. Chaplin's works double duty playing a Jewish barber similar to "The Little Tramp" character and Adenoid Hynkel, who is a character making fun of Adolf Hitler.
The Great Dictator had a lot of complex shots and camera-work for example the opening scene is a long single take following the movement of soldiers through a maze of trenches. The Great Dictator was a very important film because it was dealing with a serious issue at the time. While Chaplin was playing Adenoid Hynkel, Adolf Hitler was in power in Germany and The United States was two years away from ending its neutrality and entering into World War II. In Chaplin's ending monologue he sort of breaks from the character of the Jewish barber and preaches a beautiful and personal message of hope and democracy.