A good film, which was well used for anti-Nazi propaganda.

Rating: 10/10 (16 March 2020)

Charlie Chaplin's first spoken film, most famous for his silent films, is also one of the most striking in his career, as it is a fun, deeply critical satire on Nazi Germany. It should be noted that Hitler was an admirer of Chaplin's work, to the point of copying his mustache. I doubt that it continued after this film, but we will never know.
The film itself is entertaining and was skillfully used as anti-Nazi propaganda material inside and outside the United States. It's not quite a comedy ... it's more of a satire. Personally, I had no problem with an amusing Hitler or laughing at the Third Reich. The way in which Chaplin caricatured Hitler becomes pertinent in the face of the German monster's attitudes. Sometimes satirizing is a way of saying very serious things without making it seem heavy. Perhaps even heavier and deeper is Chaplin's interpretation as a Jew in this same film. It's not fun, he never makes jokes about the way Jews are treated, on the contrary: it shows the brutality and abuse of authorities and soldiers well.
The dialogues are excellent, especially the famous final speech where Chaplin truly makes an overt and evident political appeal. The props, costumes and sets are also very good. In addition to Chaplin, who carries the film on his back, the cast features Paulette Goddard, Jack Oakie and Reginald Gardiner, all of whom are very good but unable to steal the protagonist's shine.