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ComedyWar

The Great Dictator

- Once again - the whole world laughs!

Dictator Adenoid Hynkel tries to expand his empire while a poor Jewish barber tries to avoid persecution from Hynkel's regime.

Release Date : 1940-10-15

Language :EnglishEsperanto

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : Charles Chaplin Productions

Production Country : United States of America

Alternative Titles : Charlie Chaplin: The Great Dictator

Cast

Charlie Chaplin

Character Name : Adenoid Hynkel, Dictator of Tomania / A Jewish Barber

Original Name : Charlie Chaplin

Gender : Male

Paulette Goddard

Character Name : Hannah

Original Name : Paulette Goddard

Gender : Female

Jack Oakie

Character Name : Benzino Napaloni, Dictator of Bacteria

Original Name : Jack Oakie

Gender : Male

Reginald Gardiner

Character Name : Commander Schultz

Original Name : Reginald Gardiner

Gender : Male

Henry Daniell

Character Name : Garbitsch

Original Name : Henry Daniell

Gender : Male

Billy Gilbert

Character Name : Field Marshal Herring

Original Name : Billy Gilbert

Gender : Male

Grace Hayle

Character Name : Madame Napaloni

Original Name : Grace Hayle

Gender : Female

Carter DeHaven

Character Name : Spook

Original Name : Carter DeHaven

Gender : Male

Maurice Moscovitch

Character Name : Mr. Jaeckel

Original Name : Maurice Moscovitch

Gender : Male

Emma Dunn

Character Name : Mrs. Jaeckel

Original Name : Emma Dunn

Gender : Female

Bernard Gorcey

Character Name : Mr. Mann

Original Name : Bernard Gorcey

Gender : Male

Paul Weigel

Character Name : Mr. Agar

Original Name : Paul Weigel

Gender : Male

Chester Conklin

Character Name : Barber's Customer

Original Name : Chester Conklin

Gender : Male

Esther Michelson

Character Name : Jewish Woman

Original Name : Esther Michelson

Gender : Male

Hank Mann

Character Name : Storm Trooper Stealing Fruit

Original Name : Hank Mann

Gender : Male

Florence Wright

Character Name : Blonde Secretary

Original Name : Florence Wright

Gender : Male

Eddie Gribbon

Character Name : Tomanian Storm Trooper

Original Name : Eddie Gribbon

Gender : Male

Rudolph Anders

Character Name : Tomanian Commandant at Osterlich / Robert O. Davis

Original Name : Rudolph Anders

Gender : Male

Eddie Dunn

Character Name : Whitewashed Storm Trooper

Original Name : Eddie Dunn

Gender : Male

Nita Pike

Character Name : Secretary

Original Name : Nita Pike

Gender : Male

George Lynn

Character Name : Commander of Storm Troopers

Original Name : George Lynn

Gender : Male

Wheeler Dryden

Character Name : Heinrich Schtick / Translator (voice)

Original Name : Wheeler Dryden

Gender : Male

Fred Aldrich

Character Name : Soldier (uncredited)

Original Name : Fred Aldrich

Gender : Male

Richard Alexander

Character Name : Tomainian Prison Guard in 1918 (uncredited)

Original Name : Richard Alexander

Gender : Male

Sig Arno

Character Name : Compact Parachute Inventor (uncredited)

Original Name : Sig Arno

Gender : Male

William Arnold

Character Name : Tomanian Officer (uncredited)

Original Name : William Arnold

Gender : Male

Joe Bordeaux

Character Name : Ghetto Extra (uncredited)

Original Name : Joe Bordeaux

Gender : Male

Don Brodie

Character Name : Reporter from International Press (uncredited)

Original Name : Don Brodie

Gender : Male

Gino Corrado

Character Name : Sculptor (uncredited)

Original Name : Gino Corrado

Gender : Male

John Davidson

Character Name : Hospital Superintendent (uncredited)

Original Name : John Davidson

Gender : Male

Max Davidson

Character Name : Jewish Man (uncredited)

Original Name : Max Davidson

Gender : Male

Lew Davis

Character Name : Hospital Orderly (uncredited)

Original Name : Lew Davis

Gender : Male

Pat Flaherty

Character Name : Friendly Storm Trooper (uncredited)

Original Name : Pat Flaherty

Gender : Male

Bud Geary

Character Name : Storm Trooper (uncredited)

Original Name : Bud Geary

Gender : Male

Sam Harris

Character Name : Officer (uncredited)

Original Name : Sam Harris

Gender : Male

Eddie Hart

Character Name : Policeman (uncredited)

Original Name : Eddie Hart

Gender : Male

Leyland Hodgson

Character Name : Big Bertha Gunnery Officer (uncredited)

Original Name : Leyland Hodgson

Gender : Male

William Irving

Character Name : Man Seated on Bed (uncredited)

Original Name : William Irving

Gender : Male

Charles Irwin

Character Name : Banquet Butler (uncredited)

Original Name : Charles Irwin

Gender : Male

Ethelreda Leopold

Character Name : Blonde Secretary (uncredited)

Original Name : Ethelreda Leopold

Gender : Male

Torben Meyer

Character Name : Bald Barbershop Customer (uncredited)

Original Name : Torben Meyer

Gender : Male

Bert Moorhouse

Character Name : Hynkel's Staff Officer (uncredited)

Original Name : Bert Moorhouse

Gender : Male

Nellie V. Nichols

Character Name : Jewish Woman (uncredited)

Original Name : Nellie V. Nichols

Gender : Female

Manuel París

Character Name : Dance Extra at Ball (uncredited)

Original Name : Manuel París

Gender : Male

Jack Perrin

Character Name : Jewish Man (uncredited)

Original Name : Jack Perrin

Gender : Male

Lucien Prival

Character Name : Storm Trooper Officer (uncredited)

Original Name : Lucien Prival

Gender : Male

Cyril Ring

Character Name : Officer Extra (uncredited)

Original Name : Cyril Ring

Gender : Male

Henry Roquemore

Character Name : Soldier (uncredited)

Original Name : Henry Roquemore

Gender : Male

Tiny Sandford

Character Name : Soldier in 1918 Tomainia (uncredited)

Original Name : Tiny Sandford

Gender : Male

Hans Schumm

Character Name : Soldier (uncredited)

Original Name : Hans Schumm

Gender : Male

Harry Semels

Character Name : Jewish Fruit Stand Proprietor (uncredited)

Original Name : Harry Semels

Gender : Male

Charles Sullivan

Character Name : Prison Guard (uncredited)

Original Name : Charles Sullivan

Gender : Male

Carl Voss

Character Name : Officer (uncredited)

Original Name : Carl Voss

Gender : Male

Leo White

Character Name : Hynkel's Barber (uncredited)

Original Name : Leo White

Gender : Male

Harry Wilson

Character Name : Soldier in Field (uncredited)

Original Name : Harry Wilson

Gender : Male

Hans Conried

Character Name : Undetermined Role (uncredited)

Original Name : Hans Conried

Gender : Male

Francis Ernest Drake

Character Name : Storm Trooper (uncredited)

Original Name : Francis Ernest Drake

Gender : Male

Francesca Santoro

Character Name : Aggie (uncredited)

Original Name : Francesca Santoro

Gender : Female

Leonard Walker

Character Name : Conductor (uncredited)

Original Name : Leonard Walker

Gender : Male

Finn Zirzow

Character Name : Soldier (uncredited)

Original Name : Finn Zirzow

Gender : Male

Wyn Ritchie Evans

Character Name : Woman in Crowd (uncredited)

Original Name : Wyn Ritchie Evans

Gender : Female

James Carlisle

Character Name : Ball Guest (uncredited)

Original Name : James Carlisle

Gender : Male

Oliver Cross

Character Name : Ball Guest (uncredited)

Original Name : Oliver Cross

Gender : Male

Herschel Graham

Character Name : Soldier (uncredited)

Original Name : Herschel Graham

Gender : Male

Reviews

W

wizzardss

@wizzardss

2021-06-23

In September 1939, six days after Britain declared war on Nazi Germany, Charlie Chaplin began filming his next feature. Drawing on the public perception of the similarities between himself and Adolf Hitler - not just his toothbrush moustache but also their upbringings - Chaplin sought to directly parody and attack the German führer and fascism. In _The Great Dictator_, Adenoid Hynkel (Chaplin) rules Tomania and sets about his conquest of the world. In doing so, he persecutes Jewish people, including a former veteran of World War I who is now a barber (also Chaplin). Unsurprisingly, the film was a hit on release, resonating well with the anti-Nazi sentiment in both American and British public. Chaplin understood that delivering his political message was so important that he forewent his usual desire for a silent film in order to get his message across. Sound is used to great effect in _The Great Dictator_. By studying many of Hitler's speeches, Chaplin was able to create a ludicrous, yet believable, gibberish parody of the Nazi leader's oratory style. Of course, the physical comedy remains, typically reserved for the barber (who may or may not be Chaplin's silent hero, The Tramp). This combination of physical comedy and irreverent one liners together makes the film feel like a very early Carry On. While _The Great Dictator_ remains arguably Chaplin's best "talkie", it often feels like it is the end of Chaplin's era of classical pantomime. People being hit on the head with a saucepan comes across as a cheap laugh and it is often the verbal jokes that are the cleverest. Overall the comedy has not aged well. But _The Great Dictator_ was never designed for longevity. It was perfect propaganda for the Allies, released at a perfect point in the War. For that reason, The Great Dictator can only be judged in the context of its release.