Too soon?

Rating: 7/10 (20 March 2014)

Bumbling Jewish soldier (Charlie Chaplin) was lucky to survive WWI. He leaves the hospital years later suffering memory lost thinking he's gone for only a few weeks. Ruthless dictator Adenoid Hynkel (Charlie Chaplin) has taken over the nation of Tomainia. The Jewish soldier returns to his barbershop in the ghettos. He gets into a fight with the storm troopers and earns the heart of the defiant washer woman Hannah (Paulette Goddard). He's about to be hung on a lamp post, but is rescue by Commander Schultz whom he saved during WWI. Then Hynkel loosens the reins on the Jews to attract a loan from a Jewish banker.
I appreciate the attempt, but like 9/11, there were attempted jokes right after that was too soon. It's also too on-the-nose. Chaplin is playing the Jewish barber as the tramp lite. The story just doesn't quite have the comedy or the heart. Standing up to the storm troopers is the most compelling for the barber. Meanwhile dictator Hynkel is more weird than funny. It's how I feel about playing with the balloon globe. It's quirky weird but I would never laugh at it. Napaloni is a funnier dictator. Then there is the big final speech. Chaplin puts all his heart into it. Again I appreciate the attempt. It was probably more compelling back in the day. For all the appreciation at the political statement, I'm giving it a good score but not for any comedy.