Hinky! My dictator friend!

Rating: 9/10 (2 August 2011)

IMDb Top 250: 86
The Great Dictator is a gem in film, and a gem in history. It's a shame so few people have seen it. This is one of my favourite, arguably number 1 comedy ever, and one of the best war movies ever made. I am not an easy critic to please when it comes to comedies, but the Great Dictator blew me away. It's incredible.
The plot, for most of the film, doesn't go anywhere. This is beneficial for the film, because instead of forcing direction like many comedies, Chaplin decided to run the film like a series of sketch comedies. Alternating between the Dictator and the Barber, we see a series of situations occur to both characters. While the barber is 'similar' to the Tramp, Henkyl is outstanding. His first speech, absolute gibberish with a few words tossed in for humour, made me laugh out loud. Hard. I can't remember the last time a film made me do that.
Towards the end, developments happen and the pacing is impeccable. Just when the sketches could start to seem redundant, the invasion plans start. Whereas most comedies stop humour for plot movement, the Great Dictator keeps the laughs rolling. I won't discuss the plot, but it sets up a timeless ending. (More on that later.) One other character tickled my funny bone- Napaloni. His Italian stereotype cracked me up, with his a-words, his a-hand gestures and costume. The satire here is spot-on. The film's ignorance is it's greatest strength. The film would be much safer, less shocking, or have not happened if Chaplin knew what was happening at the time. But because it was released when it was, we see a more raw, explicit parody of a madman and his ideas.
It's funny, the importance of this film. A parody of a conflict, and what a conflict it was, while the war raged. Imagine if someone made an Afghanistan version (without puppets 'Team America') today, without fear of judgement or knowledge of the atrocities that are surely happening to both sides. That is the Great Dictator. Used to anger Axis soldiers (read the IMDb trivia), banned in many countries, and seen by Hitler himself twice. This is the movie I wanted Dr. Strangelove to be: zany and witty.
The Great Dictator, despite its age, is one of the funniest movies I've seen. And then at th end, Charlie stops and gives a timeless, touching speech about war that I don't want to spoil: see it. A historical masterpiece. 9.5/10