Rating: 
Summary: Hynkler and Benzino
Review: As a member of the younger generation (15), I really didn' expect to laugh at such an old movie. I was proven wrong. If you know any thing about Nazism and the Axis powers in WWII, you'll laugh your guts out. The humor isn't outdated at all. Chaplin's parody of Hitler and Mussolini and their egocentrical follies makes for some memorable lines (like at the airplane parade, or Hitler's speeches, or many many others). This movie is even more adimrable because it was made when Hitler was in full power, and upsetting Hitler like Chaplin did was a gutty thing to do.
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Summary: We will never have genius like this AGAIN.
Review: Basic Bolshevik propaganda (Chaplin was a Communist, among other lascivious things). While it does include some of Chaplin's finer comedic moments, it also displays his most inner evil. I suppose one must see "The Great Dictator" once, but, understand what you're watching when you see it. It's purpose was dishonest and the basic editorial review reflects that unintentionally. Hitler and the Reich are almost never portrayed honestly, and usually in one of two ways--in farce or as non-human monsters (and before you go saying the latter, think logically and realistically about the words "non-human" and "monsters"). Well, "The Great Dictator" is an example of the farce. It's release in 1940, prior to our planned entry into the European conflict (despite FDR's lies to the contrary, as Wilson did for the previous War) propagandized a false, yet indelible impression of Hitler and the Reich, and sub-consciously promoted hatred, mistrust, disinformation and subliminal promotion for US entry into the War. If you are simple, you'll stop at this film and others like the two types of portrayals mentioned. If you want truth, you'll study.
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Summary: avantgarde film
Review: C. Chaplin arranged in this film to disclose Hitler & Co before the Second World War really started.That's what makes a brillant actor,I think .You must see the film!
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Summary: Mistaken Identity Comedy Pushes Historical Issue¿
Review: Charles Chaplin knew how to push injustices into the light of the world before the majority were prepared to deal with such issues. In the Great Dictator, Chaplin pushes some, at the time, current issues. As Chaplin pushes these issues he offers the audience a farce based on the Nazi leader Adolf Hitler, who was actually a very real threat at the time of the film's release. As the story unfolds, the Tramp is mistaken for the dictator Adenoid Hynkel. This leads to several scenes with situational comedy and slapstick humor, however, it is Chaplin personal touch that gives the film a true meaning beyond the humor. In its historical context this film should also be considered one of the most courageous cinematic creations ever made. Besides what has been said, I must say that this is truly a brilliant cinematic experience.
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Summary: Classic slapstick, classic satire, classic HUMANITY
Review: Charlie Chaplin said that once he made The Great Dictator, his first all-sound movie, it was time to retire the "little fellow," but I could not help but feel he was wrong. How much do I love this movie? I first saw it in a movie theater in college (a revival). I later was over in Spain freelancing for various newspapers and I saw it dubbed into Spanish in early 1976: Spanish dictator Francisco Franco had just kicked the bucket and this flick, banned by him since its original release, was released. Audiences stood up and cheered at the top of their lungs when the Jewish barber (the classic tramp character), having mistakeningly traded places with the Hitler-like dictator (also played by Chaplin), delivered a rousing speech about liberty and humanity. I saw this movie 13 times in Spanish and it helped me learn the language (I did news features on its 1976 release in Spain for The Christian Science Monitor and other papers, plus one for the international edition of Newsweek). Then I came back to the United States, bought it on video and watched it about 20 more times. Why do I LOVE this movie -- and recommend everyone who can afford it buy it? A lot of reasons: a)Classic comedy bits. The timing as usual is superb. There are a slew of bits, such as the Jewish barber shaving a nervous customer in time to classical music, that are absolutely hilarious. b)Classic slapstick: the food fight between the Hitler-like dicator and the absolutely nutty Mussolini-like dicator played by a scene stealing Jack Oakie is worth the price of the tape (ANYONE who likes slapstick including Stooges fans would love it!), c)The no-mercy satirization of Hitler and his regime; Chaplin later said he wouldn't have done it if he knew had brutal Hitler had been but it still has never been matched, d)the dictator's loving play with the world globe, e)the serious message about humanity and religious freedom, f)the speech on freedom at the end. A word on this: critics sometimes called this speech jarring. It was to me the first time I saw it. But it clearly is the actor speaking to the world, delivering a message that transcends a movie or theaterical piece. It is from Chaplin's soul and deeply felt. And given the historical context this speech is remarkable. If I had ONE Chaplin movie to show to high school students this would be it. I showed it to a 4th grader and he loved it.
Rating:
Summary: One of Chaplin's Best
Review: Charlie Chaplin showed in The Great Dictator that he was a genius in sound as he was on the silent screen. Combining Hynkel the Dictator with a very meek Jewish barber whom suffers alongside the other Jews under Hynkel's tyranny, he made a very powerful statement against the Nazi regime. Even though Hitler has thankfully been gone for several decades, the film still is worth viewing and enjoying, and it is definitely one of Charlie's best.
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Summary: Relevant for Any Age
Review: DVD is the perfect medium for many of Chaplin's films. He demanded a lot from his audience. Each film carries it's own message. Each section of a film addresses a part of that film's message. Every facet of a work has a purpose. He lightened the load through the use of humour. The viewer has to be thinking every minute though. It's possible to watch these films time and again, or to watch different segments repeatedly and keep finding something more. They really are that complex. Fortunately, the DVD medium makes doing that easy.The Great Dictator is as relevant today as it was when it skewered Hitler and his gang of Fascist bigots back in 1940. It took aim at Hitler but its target could easily be any warmongering regime from any period of history. The parallels are all there. Chaplin addresses each of them and does it well. His character Hynkel is a bumbling and ineffective "leader". He's driven by greed. As the film unfolds it's obvious his greed is rooted in feelings of inferiority. The more his mouth moves the less he says. His economic policies are a disaster-to wage war he has to borrow money from the "enemy". He is petty beyond belief. Ultimately, without an "enemy" to point toward, he's nothing. His entire mantra-loss of liberty, racial persecution, lust for control and so on-is all for one thing: he has to cover the fact that he can't rise to the level of the most humble of those he torments. This is a fundamental truth about people who lust for conquest. Chaplin illustrates it brilliantly. The film isn't perfect. Chaplin and his crew weren't entirely comfortable when working with sound. Many scenes have dialogue but lack background noise. It was a common fault of the time though. The players have an assortment of accents. The Tomanians (with the exception of Herring) sound British. As the Jewish barber Chaplin sounds British. Many of the Jews in the Ghetto sound Jewish but Palette Goddard as Hannah, sounds as if she came from Queens. There are at least a couple of interludes that interfere with the continuity of the film. These are small complaints though. There are many scenes that have never been bettered. One is the episode with the coins and the cakes. On its own it's pure comedic brilliance. Combined with the statement it makes about the utter ridiculousness of martyrdom for its own sake (not to mention the unwillingness of leaders to become martyrs) it's timeless. The scene with the cannon is a gem. The "ultimate" weapon is shown as the ultimate (and expensive) waste; this could easily be the Crusader Artillery System. The tenderness between Chaplin and Goddard is a thing of beauty. Jack Oakie is fabulous as a Mussolini clone. The scenes between him and Chaplin are hilarious. (Watch the scene with the hot mustard and do some thinking.) The innuendo in the film is brilliant. Who but Chaplin would conceive of Tomainia (after "Ptomaine, poisonous and putrefying organic matter), the "Sons of the Double Cross" or Hynkel's first name, "Adenoid"? The entire backdrop with its "Thinkers of Tomorrow" and other absurdities modeled on the vanity of the Dictator is amazing; it captures the madness completely. The ballet with the globe is beautiful and astonishing. The music representing the ideals for the greedy and the humble is identical. The message: people are alike. As is the norm for Chaplin he did it in a way that was subtle; it's the theme of the Grail Knight descending from Wagner's Lohengrin. Hitler loved Wagner's music. Chaplin would have known that. It's his way of saying Wagner's music wasn't to blame for Hitler's madness. There's more but this should give an idea. What nobody seeing the film for the first time can be prepared for however, is the way it ends. I wasn't. I saw a few of Chaplin's films as a student but had missed this one. I was floored. His statement about the nature of the people who make war is valid in any age. It always will be. Watch it and then look closely at the events of the present.
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Summary: CHAPLIN TALKS!
Review: Every little detail of the making of this film (filming began in the summer of 1939) was surrounded by secrecy. Actors and technicians were sworn to silence; reporters were barred from the entrance, dodged on queries; even the respectable magazine of the day, LIFE was sued when it printed a portrait of Chaplin as Hynkel without his permission. In this little gem from 1940, Chaplin plays a bewildered little soldier of the World War. His German officers bully him and the German war machinery overwhelms and all but swallows him. An Attack of amnesia releases him. As a shy little barber in the Berlin ghetto, her tries to resume life in a world where little men count only as pawns for the mad aspirations of Hynkel, the dictator.............he finds love and the persecution of the Jews. Chaplin's voice had never been heard by movie audiences until this came out; it's the only one to cry out in a wilderness of force. The little genius made this in his small plant in the heart of Hollywood; he wrote the script, invented his own gags, directed as well as cut and edited; he even composed the score. Here, one of the world's most beloved figures paid respects to world's most hated (Kate Smith used say on her radio show "What are we gonna do about this Hitler fella?"). Although in aim, philosophy and attitude towards life, Charlie Chaplin and Adolf Hitler were worlds apart; ironically, they were born within four days of each other!
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Summary: Movies,Movies,Movies!
Review: Hello my name is Amy and I'm 15. My dad got me into Charles Chaplin and I love him. "The Great Dictator" was one of the best movies I have seen of his.(Maybe because he was talking.) My dad told me the movie was on but I wasn't interested at first but then I went to go watch it and I didn't want to leave. I'm totally into old movies but Charles Chaplin is one of the best actors and he plays two great roles in this film. This movie will really make you laugh, But it also has a great point to it.It shows some comdey, liberty, and justice to all people. It is a great movie to show to your kids and anyone else you love. It would be a movie that everyone in the family would love to watch. Everyone in the cast all did very well on playing thier role. I hope you all enjoy the movie and I recommend it to everyone. Thank you all for reading my review! Sincerly, Amy Jones
Rating:
Summary: Easily, Chaplin`s best work
Review: Here Chaplin speaks for the 1st time(Modern Times and City Lights had a soundtrack, but still considered silent films)and The Gold Rush 1925, was given a Chaplin story-teller in 1941.
He is alarmingly funny in this satire; the story and script is a credit to his genius. The only setback is that it is spiced with reworks of earlier glorious scenes(the dinner here versus the dinner in The Gold Rush)... But it is all in good fun and the end-speech... from a man`n heart; He expresses the wishes of every soul on earth.
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