The Great Dictator (1940)
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A legendary comedian portrays both a ruthless fascist dictator and a persecuted Jewish barber in this landmark satire of tyranny.
The story
Set against the backdrop of a fictionalized era of rising fascism, the film follows the lives of two men whose paths cross in a world of escalating tension. A Jewish barber, who has lost his memory after a traumatic experience on the Western Front during World War I, lives in a ghetto governed by a man who has risen through the ranks of a new, ruthless dictatorship. As the regime under the leadership of the menacing Adenoid Hynkel intensifies its persecution of the Jewish population, the barber and his neighbor, Hannah, struggle to maintain their dignity and safety. The narrative explores the absurdity of power and the human cost of tyranny.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Following a war, a Jewish soldier suffers amnesia and becomes a barber in a ghetto governed by Commander Schultz. The region is now a dictatorship under the ruthless Adenoid Hynkel. The barber falls in love with Hannah, and they face persecution from Hynkel's forces. After a failed attempt to secure funding from a Jewish banker, Hynkel orders a purge. Schultz is sent to a concentration camp but escapes to join the barber. Meanwhile, Hynkel and the dictator of Bacteria, Benzino Napaloni, engage in a comical dispute over territory, leading to a food fight and a joint invasion of the neighboring country, Osterlich. During the invasion, the barber and Schultz, disguised as Hynkel, reach the capital. By chance, the real Hynkel is captured by his own men. The barber is mistaken for the dictator and delivers a powerful, impassioned speech for democracy and human rights, which is broadcast to the people, including Hannah.
- First release year
- 1940
- Runtime (minutes)
- 125
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Charlie Chaplin
- Writers
- Charlie Chaplin · writer
- Cast and characters
- Charlie Chaplin · Adenoid Hynkel; Charlie Chaplin · a Jewish barber; Jack Oakie · Benzino Napaloni; Reginald Gardiner · Commander Schultz; Henry Daniell · Garbitsch; Billy Gilbert · Herring; Paulette Goddard · Hannah; Maurice Moscovich · Mr. Jaeckel
- Genres
- political satire; black comedy
- Themes
- anti-fascism; satire of tyranny; humanism; identity
- Tone and mood
- satirical; poignant
- Premise and plot tags
- political satire; black comedy; anti-fascist; dual role
- Reception
- The film was well received in the United States and was popular with the American public. It is considered a historically significant work of satire and one of the greatest comedy films ever made.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 92% · scale: percentage · review count: 53
- Awards and nominations
- Academy Award · Best Actor · Nominated; Academy Award · Best Writing (Original Screenplay) · Nominated; Academy Award · Best Supporting Actor · Nominated; Academy Award · Best Music (Original Score) · Nominated; Academy Award · Outstanding Production · Nominated; National Board of Review · Best Actor · Won; New York Film Critics Circle · Best Actor · Won
- Production trivia
- The film was selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the United States National Film Registry in 1997.; The film's final speech has been sampled in more than 40 songs and used in a television advertisement.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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