The Great dictatorThe 20th Century was host to one of the worst wars in human history, World War II; the most notorious figure in this tragic moment in civilization was Adolf Hitler, a monstrous dictator responsible for incalculable war crimes and the murder of millions. In the end, Nazi Germany was destroyed, and the world was made a better place for it. In 1940, as Hitler was at the onset of his conquest of Europe--yet prior to the discovery of the true extent of his diabolical genocide of the Jews--beloved filmmaker Charlie Chaplin created The Great Dictator, an act of satirical protest against the fuhrer of the Third Reich, and his first talking picture; the resulting film would define political satire from then on.
|
|
If The Great Dictator appears bold and edgy as a piece mocking a tyrannical leader of a country, it is because it remains as sharp and humorous now as it did them. To many, it might be unconscionable to make a comedy about Hitler, but the truth is that Chaplin hit the nail on the head not only with his portrayal of the fascistic despot, but in the method by which he portrayed him making him appear so utterly incompetent, so childish and petulant, that it is far more effective than any other strategy to denounce a public figure. Never once does Chaplin ask us to sympathize with his fictitious version the monstrous ruler--although he does spend a good deal of time putting him at odds with caricatures of other despots, even with a pie fight breaking out, "Three Stooges" style. Starting at the tail end of the first World War with the unnamed "Jewish barber" (Charlie Chaplain) fighting in the war--although being wounded and hospitalized until the second world war--The Great Dictator is like viewing the history of the two wars through a funhouse mirror. And the film does not exclusively mock Chaplain's stand-in for Hitler, the dictator of "Tomainia", Adenoid Hynkel (also Chaplain); The Great Dictator also takes shots at the conventions and absurdity of war itself. Consider the silly, large cannon--Big Bertha--and its intention to take out cathedrals a hundred miles away, only to manage to explode an outhouse. And the bureaucracy of war leads people to deliver orders down the line--sometimes literally to the person behind you--only to leave the poor dope stuck at the end carrying all the responsibility. The Great Dictator is chock full of outstanding sight gags, hallmarks of the silent movies from Chaplin's prior body of work and his contemporaries. For instance, when the plane he is helping to fly gets spun upside down--and he isn't aware of that--the moment with his watch and the canteen is hysterical, and also a technically smart moment for the film, reflecting a real finesse in Chaplain's craftsmanship. The stand out moment for this farcical portrayal of Hitler--and any tyrant--is when he engages in a balloon bouncing scene with his globe--playful, childish, and borderline orgasmic in his lust for global domination.
One might also look upon The Great Dictator not simply as a satire of the fascism predominant in the Axis powers of the mid-20th Century, but of politics in general. Certainly, Hynkel spends a significant amount of time shouting out speeches--a long example early on in the film mirrors the Nuremburg rallies--but his language is literally gibberish, a collection of almost German words, spewed out with such silliness, it were as though he were angrily reading off a menu from a German restaurant. But just as many other politicians--then and now--Hynkel sounds like he's saying a lot, but really says nothing, wasting our time just trying to rile us up. Compare this with the Jewish barber's speech at the end of the film, after he is mistaken for Hynkel. (The film is particularly self-aware in the confusion of appearance between Hynkel and the barber, small coincidence given that Chaplin and Hitler shared some similar physical characteristics--that weird mustache, especially.) The barber's impassioned speech at the conclusion is an impassioned plea, not just to the audience in the film, but the audience of the film, asking us to put aside our hate and reach out to love one another, regardless of superficial differences. It is an especially important message, one which still is relevant today--one has but to turn on the news to see. Although the film is a comedy--with an especially long act near the end between Hynkel and Benzino Napaloni (Jack Oakie), dictator of Bacteria (yep, it's called that) devoted almost entirely to slapstick-styled moments--there are also moments of serious drama, such as when the ghetto for the Jews is accosted, resulting in brutalities committed by the storm troopers. Like with the barber's speech, his lady friend, Hannah (Paulette Goddard) has a soliloquy about how the world would be a better place if there was no persecution and equality for all. Her speech--like Chaplain's later--is one targeted directly at the audience, one which arguably breaks the fourth wall, but who can be concerned about that when the message is clear: our lives are all precious--each and every one--and we all have the right to be treated as equals, not to be bullied by anyone, and especially not to be assaulted because we are different. The Great Dictator was made seventy-five years ago, but the message still resonates as relevant and important today--maybe someday the whole world will hear that uplifting message.
Recommended for: Fans of a watershed moment for political satire and a comedy which deals with serious issues. The sentiment of The Great Dictator is the right one, and makes this film a fine viewing experience for nearly any age and audience.
One might also look upon The Great Dictator not simply as a satire of the fascism predominant in the Axis powers of the mid-20th Century, but of politics in general. Certainly, Hynkel spends a significant amount of time shouting out speeches--a long example early on in the film mirrors the Nuremburg rallies--but his language is literally gibberish, a collection of almost German words, spewed out with such silliness, it were as though he were angrily reading off a menu from a German restaurant. But just as many other politicians--then and now--Hynkel sounds like he's saying a lot, but really says nothing, wasting our time just trying to rile us up. Compare this with the Jewish barber's speech at the end of the film, after he is mistaken for Hynkel. (The film is particularly self-aware in the confusion of appearance between Hynkel and the barber, small coincidence given that Chaplin and Hitler shared some similar physical characteristics--that weird mustache, especially.) The barber's impassioned speech at the conclusion is an impassioned plea, not just to the audience in the film, but the audience of the film, asking us to put aside our hate and reach out to love one another, regardless of superficial differences. It is an especially important message, one which still is relevant today--one has but to turn on the news to see. Although the film is a comedy--with an especially long act near the end between Hynkel and Benzino Napaloni (Jack Oakie), dictator of Bacteria (yep, it's called that) devoted almost entirely to slapstick-styled moments--there are also moments of serious drama, such as when the ghetto for the Jews is accosted, resulting in brutalities committed by the storm troopers. Like with the barber's speech, his lady friend, Hannah (Paulette Goddard) has a soliloquy about how the world would be a better place if there was no persecution and equality for all. Her speech--like Chaplain's later--is one targeted directly at the audience, one which arguably breaks the fourth wall, but who can be concerned about that when the message is clear: our lives are all precious--each and every one--and we all have the right to be treated as equals, not to be bullied by anyone, and especially not to be assaulted because we are different. The Great Dictator was made seventy-five years ago, but the message still resonates as relevant and important today--maybe someday the whole world will hear that uplifting message.
Recommended for: Fans of a watershed moment for political satire and a comedy which deals with serious issues. The sentiment of The Great Dictator is the right one, and makes this film a fine viewing experience for nearly any age and audience.