Rating: 
Summary: The genius of Chaplin.
Review: One look at Charlie Chaplin's filmography leaves little doubt as to his genius. I have to say that I thoroughly enjoy all his films, even the more obscure ones that weren't necessarily box office hits. But of all his films I believe "The Great Dictator" to be his masterpiece. "The Gold Rush" may have been the film in which he wanted to be remembered, and it is certainly a great film, but this film is working on so many levels as to seem superior to me. Sufficed to say, I love satire. This film is loaded with satirical referrences and subtle and not-so-subtle wit and clever word-play as well as all the brilliant physical humor that initially made Chaplin famous. There is so much intelligence in this film that it is easy for me to praise and recommend. I could relate scenes that I absolutely loved, but there are too many to name; and I certainly don't want to ruin all the comedic surprises for those who have yet to see this film. Even after ten viewings I find myself laughing at Chaplin's antics: verbal and physical humor of the highest level. In fact, I guarrantee laughter. There is so much humor here, of so many varieties, that there is no doubt in my mind that anyone viewing this film for the first time with giggle, chuckle, then laugh heartily. Oh, how I envy those first-time viewers. What a magnificent film! Hail Chaplin!
Rating:
Summary: Chaplin's crowning achievement!
Review: One of the greatest satires ever filmed and Chaplin's most fully realized comedy. A beautiful blend of the usual Chaplin slapstick and pathos along with a very effective social and political commentary. Charlie is Adenoid Hynckle, dictator of an only slightly fictional country of Tomania. He also plays a Jewish ghetto barber. Both are played with such impeccable accuracy that to distinguish between them is extremely easy.Names are changed but this film is still the most effective film of Nazi Germany and Hitler's thankfully aborted attempt to take over the world. Chaplin's script never gets too preachy at least without an equal dose of satire. His approach is to make people laugh while teaching them at the same time. Nowhere is this more apparent than in his final monologue. After a predictable mistaken identity episode, Chaplin as the unnamed Jewish barber speaks of the horrors of Nazism. This climazes what may be the greatest performance in the history of comedy films. The greatest because it does more than simply make us laugh-it makes us think. The film earned Chaplin well deserved Oscar nominations for Best Picture, Screenplay and Actor. This is a film you must see.
Rating:
Summary: One of the reasons I love Charlie...
Review: Say what you like about this film: it's too preachy, it's not focused, it's this, it's that, say whatever you like.The facts, however, say it all. This film was made at a time when most of America was anti-semitic, when no one wanted to think of getting involved with Europe's affairs, and when Chaplin's own art of pantomime had been lost in the onslaught of 'talkies'. And for Chaplin to choose *this* premise for his farewell to the little Tramp-- turning his Tramp into a Jew and turning himself into Adolf Hitler-- well, it's nothing short of daring. For those that prefer Charlie as just the funny little fellow, and not his serious side, there's enough slapstick in this film to satisfy even them: the comedic highs are the moments when no words are needed-- the misplaced grenade, the dance with the globe, or the shaving scene to Brahm's Hungarian Dance. But the film IS at its best when Chaplin's Adenoid Hynkel is shown as a stark raving madman, and he with Jack Oakie's 'Napaloni' expose the true ridiculousness and lunacy of it all. Cynics have been known to call this film 'preachy', but as far as I'm concerned, it was awful gutsy of Chaplin to speak out on the issue-- and not just speak out, but to point a finger right in the face of Fascism and to charge it as a 'blunder' of humanity. For him to be *successful* in making us laugh on a subject that, in its essence, is not funny in the least really is a testimony to his abilities as an actor. His other films may be better than this one, and it's not my personal favorite of his work, BUT: **this** is the film that made Charlie a hero in my eyes. And that sort of passion for speaking out in what you believe deserves Five stars anyday!
Rating:
Summary: Watch and marvel, watch and hear
Review: So many others have written great reviews. What more can I add? I had wanted to see and own this film for a time, purchased it the day it became available, as did the guy next to me in the store. Have tal 2 others into purchasing this film since I watched it. Chaplin's first talkie, it was something to hear him speak. What an amzing job he did with this film. He would not have made this film, he later said, had he any idea the horrors that Hitler would bring to the world. This is also the last film in which we are treated to his famed Little Tramp. Firsts and lasts all in one. The extras in this DVD are superb. My 13 year old actually watched this, by her own choosing and was greatly amused. I highly recommend to anyone who loves Chaplin, enjoys history or parodies, or someone just looking for a great film to watch, buy this movie. I can not imagine you will be displeased.
Rating: 
Summary: Chaplin's first talkie and the last Tramp film
Review: The Great Dictator is the first Charlie Chaplin movie I have seen and it is the one that I had been looking forward to the most. This was the fist all-talking movie that Charlie Chaplin made and it was the last appearance of Chaplin's famous character: The Tramp. This movie is filmed to the brim with a serious social and political message and satire. Charlie Chaplin plays two roles. The first role is a dictator named Adenoid Hynkel. Hynkel is the dictator of Tomania. Tomania is a nation that is a mirror image of Nazi Germany and Hynkel is very obviously Hitler. Hynkel and Tomania are persecuting the Tomanian Jews. The other role Chaplin plays is a Jewish barber, a war hero just returning home after the first World War after being in a hospital for nearly a decade. He doesn't know what had happened or why people are afraid of the Tomanian Stormtroopers. The barber also happens to look identical to Hynkel. Paulette Goddard (Chaplin's real life wife at the time) plays the love interest for the barber. Jack Oake plays Benzino Napaloni (a spoof on Mussolini), the Dictator of Bacteria. The Jewish Barber returns home years later and finds that he now lives in a Jewish ghetto. Since he doesn't quite know what is going on he resists the efforts of the Nazis to label his shop a Jewish shop and also directly resists the Nazi soldiers by bumbling his way through a fight sequence that could only be done by Chaplin. At the same time, Hynkel is consolidating his power by giving speeches that sound spot on like Hitler...only the German/Tomanian words are clearly nonsense. The crackdown on the Jews continues and the Barber meets his love interest. We see the famous scene where Hynkel, in his dreams of world domination, has a little dance routing with a large inflatable globe. By the end there is a mistake in identity and the Barber is able to give a strong speech in favor of democracy. The entire movie is a satire of Hitler and the Nazi era in Germany and helps show how stupid the Nazi position really was. Remember this film was released in 1940 (though conceived in the mid 30's) and we did not quite know the extent of the Nazi brutality. I will admit that this film did not quite live up to my unreasonable expectations, but this was an enjoyable film. From what I know, this is not quite vintage Tramp (for that, Modern Times is probably the answer) but is a classic and a defining picture in the career of Charlie Chaplin.
Rating:
Summary: Could this have altered the mid 20th century?
Review: The Great Dictator: As I recall, the release was delayed because there was fear it would offend Adolph Hitler. Guess we have to be careful whom we offend, right? Too bad withholding it did not prevent WWII.
If The Great Dictator had come out earlier, would Hitler have been brushed off by his people as a clown? Anyway, it's an idea even if a long shot. My first interest in this film was to see how the Esperanto language was used. I found it was only part of the background, but an appropriate choice for an imaginary country. Some of the DVD extras show alternative versions of the script. If you go through the whole process of viewing these extras, you really get the film's message accentuated. We can't get all of this in the VHS.
Rating:
Summary: Charlie should have gone to talkies sooner!
Review: This and Monsieur Verdoux are Charlie Chaplin's best movies ever. If you didn't know both of these movies are talkies. They are also by far his funniest films ever. Why he didn't go to talkies sooner I will never know.
Rating:
Summary: Charlie Chaplin Classic Collection
Review: This brand new Classic Collector's DVD Box Set contains Disc 1; Fully restored film on DVD; Disc 2: containing special features including behind-the-scene footage and "making of" documentary. A brand new and exclusive soundtrack was created specifically for this collector series containing original music selections from the motion picture. This Classic Collection also contains a commemorative booklet written by an acclaimed Chaplin biographer and a collectible Senitype; A limited edition numbered image from the film and its corresponding 35mm film frame. A must for any collector or Chaplin fan
Rating:
Summary: This is the film that ruined Chaplin's career?
Review: This brilliant film ruined Chaplin's career because after the war, ignorant Americans found pro-Communist sentiments in this anti-fascist film. Ah, America, the ignorant. From sewer to shining sewer.
Rating: 
Summary: works only part of the time
Review: This film does contain flashes of Chaplin's confirmed comic genius, but often gets bogged down in overt political moralizing. OF COURSE the Nazis were deeply evil and OF COURSE they did some horrible horrible things to Jews (among others) but hey, we know that already. The way that Chaplin abruptly switches from light-hearted comedy and parody into moral finger-pointing and back again, destroys the flow and consistency of the film. It feels long, bloated and self-indulgent at turns...I kept thinking, "this guy Chaplin needs a good strong producer who'll trim out all the fat 'cause this movie's just bulging!" There is no momentum and no clear direction...wish someone could've put this one on the Atkins diet! What an unfortunate waste of Chaplin's considerable comic gifts.
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