The Great Dictator (1940) – Charles Chaplin (Darrell Ron Tuffs @ aworldoffilm.com)

Rating: 9/10 (28 December 2013)

For being made at the very hight of World War 2, The Great Dictator is an extremely brave film. It could have only been made if enough passion and commitment was present to see it through. Luckily for us, Chaplin had this and so much more. He was sure he could make a film for the people of the world and those suffering from the chaos of the war. Chaplin set out to make fun of perhaps the most evil man of all time, (Adolf Hitler) an extremely hard task, but one he pulled off massively well.
The Great Dictator is effective in its message even today, it seems a safe distance away from the war to make fun of Hitler and his fellow evil dictators. However, when trying to understand just how much of a risk this film was to make in 1939 it seems extraordinary. When the film was released in 1940 it was extremely successful commercially and critically, despite being banned in many countries around the world. Hitler at that time was becoming the most powerful and dangerous person in the world, millions were scared of even slightly offending him. So when a film like The Great Dictator came out, one that made Hitler look like a joke of a man, it was a huge world statement. One that stood up for all that was still good in the world.
Much had been said about the similar appearances of both Chaplin and Hitler. They were two people on opposite ends of the world spectrum. They were in fact born on the same year, of the same month, in the same week. However one was a man that gave hope and laughter to millions of people around the world, and one was a monster that would be the cause of millions of innocent deaths. The Nazis even published statements about Chaplin, calling him an "evil Jewish clown." This was partly the reason Chaplin decided to fight back, and he did so in the way he knew best, by making one magnificent film.
The Great Dictator was above all a statement of freedom and democracy at a harsh and frightening time in history. It was a lone voice at speaking out against a big bully. We see Chaplin's version of Hitler, Adenoid Hynkel constantly mess up and show himself to be a hollow and empty man. One of no love and little seriousness. As someone that just wants the entire world, nothing more, nothing less. Someone that we could only feel hatred towards and someone to be laughed at. Even as Hynkel gives an angry and aggressive speech to a huge audience he looks ridiculous. His hollow anger even results in microphones bending away from him and spinning around like cartoons. He constantly trips or is knocked over like a child by bigger people. At one point he even struggles to pull apart a plate of cooked spaghetti with his hands, showing just how weak he really is.
The films cartoon portray of this Hitler-like dictator may seem wrong or even offensive to some people effected by the war. However, I feel certain people miss the point with the film. Sometimes the best way to get by in hard times is with laughter. Laughter can sometimes be the most powerful weapon humans have in this world, Chaplin understood this as he had already shown in film such as The Gold Rush or Modern Times. He connected comedy and tragedy very closely and was the master at showing how one could defeat the other. Chaplin used comedy in The Great Dictator to genius effect, and made an extremely evil man look just a little less intimidating, which was certain to have helped the spirits of millions around the world – even if just a little.
One thing that was criticised in The Great Dictator was the films final speech by Chaplin. He seems to step out of his character in the film and address the world as a doppelganger of Hynkel but as Chaplin. He speaks passionately about world freedom and the bitterness of dictators, he encourages soldiers to take stand, to not be treated as machines but as men. Critics have said that this step out of character is confusing and disorientating, I think they are completely wrong. Why not end a film of such importance in a plead for freedom, why not give people hope in the human race and why not speak from your heart at such a hopeless time. The speech Chaplin gives is beautiful and passionate, love burns off his every word – even if this is at the expense of 4 minutes out of character.
Asides from its message, the film is home to some well written characters and some classic slapstick set-pieces, the kind that only Chaplin could do so well. The films music is both touchingly sad and brightly comical, it is well worth watching just to hear. There are some lovely tracking shots and some wonderfully detailed set designs. The films black and white photography is beautiful to see along with its silent-era styled editing and pacing.
The Great Dictator is a great place to start if you wish to explore Chaplin's filmography as a director, again he puts his heart and sole into every process of its filmmaking. Even by today's standards its message is relevant. The Great Dictator shows that sometimes the only way to battle evil in the world is to laugh at it. It may prove to not be much, however it could feel your spirit with the hope it needs to carry on.