1940

The Great Dictator

  • Comedy

Chaplin plays two totally opposite roles in his first "talkie," giving a superb display of his boundless talent for both inspired comedy and powerful drama. One of his masterfully drawn characters is a Jewish barber facing the constant threat of storm troopers and religious persecution. The other is the great dictator, Hynkel, a brilliant lampoon of Adolph Hitler that is awesome proof of Chaplin's pantomime genius. The movie's famous highlight comes in its final scene, when Chaplin steps out of character and addresses the camera with an eloquent plea for the triumph of reason and humanity over mindless militarism.

Cast

Charles ChaplinAdenoid Hynkel, Dictator of Tomania / A Jewish Barber
Jack OakieBenzino Napaloni, Dictator of Bacteria
Reginald GardinerCommander Schultz
Henry DaniellGarbitsch
Billy GilbertField Marshal Herring
Paul WeigelMr. Agar

View Full Cast >

Images