During the transition from silence to sound, Charlie Chaplin was the last bastion of silent cinema. In the subsequent years following the advent of sound, Chaplin had only flirted with using sound. THE GREAT DICTATOR is is first true talkie as well as his greatest financial success and last bona fide box office hit. The film is both hilarious and very political. Made during a time of neutrality between the United States and Nazi Germany, THE GREAT DICTATOR was a controversial stance. While numerous films dealing with similar anti-fascist sentiments were withheld from release, THE GREAT DICTATOR, through Chaplin's network of independent production, became an international success. The film's production was so controversial that even the President became involved to secure its completion and release. Chaplin, who sunk millions of his own money into the production, would have to live or die by THE GREAT DICTATOR.Chaplin wrote, directed, produced, and starred in the film in dual roles: a Hitler-esque dictator and a Jewish barber. Chaplin had a strange fascination with Hitler and the film is further enhanced by the peculiar parallels in their respective biographies. It is rumored that Hitler was sent and watched the film (twice), but his response is unrecorded. Unlike films and propaganda at the time, THE GREAT DICTATOR is not a call to arms but rather a reminder of the humane, decent, and good. Chaplin showcases that comedy can be profoundly serious. Later in life, Chaplin remarked that if he had known the extent of the atrocities surrounding Nazi Germany, he would not have been able to make THE GREAT DICTATOR.
Suggested Supplmental Screenings: TRIUMPH OF THE WILL (Riefenstahl, 1935), MODERN TIMES (Chaplin, 1936), FURY (Lang, 1936), THE GRAND ILLUSION (Renoir, 1937), THE LADY VANISHES (Hitchcock, 1938), THE ETERNAL JEW (Hippler, 1940), TO BE OR NOT TO BE (Lubitsch, 1942)
The Great Dictator was by far the best film of the semester and what a way to end the last screening. Charlie Chaplin in a speaking role blew my expectations away; I was really surprised how good he was. I was shocked how easy it was for him to transition from silent to sound compared to other stars of his time. I actually think he is funnier in sound movies than silent. His voice was shockingly normal compared to other stars that made the transition. Although there was sound there was still plenty of slapstick comedy. For instance, when Paulette Goddard kept hitting the German soldiers with the frying pan and when she threw the anvil off the roof. The names of the characters were hysterical and totally ripped on the actual people. Garbage for Joseph Goebbels, Herring for Herman Goering, and Hynkel for Hitler - what a laugh riot. Another funny character was Napaloni who clearly making fun of Mussolini form the heavy Italian accent and hand gestures. Throughout the film Chaplin was constantly making fun of the Nazi propaganda film Triumph of The Will as he would mock Hitler’s language and actions and thrown on a funny twist to them. This style of satire of Hitler and the Third Reich was definitely influential to the comedies of Mel Brooks. They are similar in that Mel as Chaplin would play multiple characters making fun of well-known people. The ending of the film was funny yet serious as the Jewish barber was mistaken for Hynkel and taken to make a speech to the nation. In his speech the Barber made a serious attempt at suggesting that all people should be seen as the same and everybody should learn to get along. I really enjoyed this film along with everything else we watched. Solid Semester for 204 screenings!
ReplyDeleteOn Monday we saw The Great Dictator and it was by far the best film we have seen this semester. I think it was Kubrick who said Eisenstein was all form and Chaplin was all content, and he’d rather watch the latter. I agree. The movie, for me, never hit a slow spot and not only was it funny throughout, but it also had something meaningful and important to say. Most slapstick or screwball comedies don’t do that nowadays they’re just funny.
ReplyDeleteEven though it’s a movie from 1940, the comedy was still funny and I did not find it outdated. The movie tells the story of a retired Jewish army solider who works as a barber after suffering an injury from the war. This barber holds an uncanny resemblance to the dictator of Tomainia. Hynkel, the dictator, is meant to represent Hitler. By the end of the film they end up trading places as one escapes from a labor camp and another one is seen without its army attire. The Jewish man then offers a speech, the crowd thinking he’s Hynkel, in which he condemns the atrocities of war and the machine-like attitudes of the people in power. He urges people to love each other and to stay away from greed.
Chaplin’s performance was great, so was Paulette Goddard and Jackie Oakie who played the dictator of a country resembling Italy. Very funny man. I think my favorite scene from the movie has to be when Chaplin shaves a man’s beard to the rhythm of Brahms’ Hungarian Dance No.5. What an Incredible performance by Chaplin. Overall, it was an excellent film; I enjoyed it more than any other movie we’ve seen in class.
HOLY COW THAT WAS GOOD!!! I honestly can say that The Great Dictator was one of the best movies we have seen this semester (which is saying something). This film is brilliant in so many ways.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite part about it was its tone. It was bizarre, but I loved it. It mixes true drama and tragedy with some of the funniest scenes I have ever seen. When they flee to the roof and the barbershop blows up, and when the Germans are marching down the street, it is unnerving, but when Chaplin is shaving the man's face in time to the music, or when Hitler and Mussolini are fighting at the buffet it is so funny that I was laughing out loud. I have never seen a movie that has gone from polar opposite to polar opposite so well.
I loved Chaplin's sense of humor in this movie, especially playing his Hitler character. Every time that he reached for a pen and it was still in the block I lost it. There was such weird happenings, and that non-sensical humor really gets to me. For instance, when Garbage says that he will be emperor of the world and he dances to the window and climbs the drapes, or when the Mussolini character is angry at Hitler and puts the salami in the dip and then smacks it, or when Hitler grabs a banana when he is yelling, unwraps it and then breaks it in half and just chucks it away.
Some of the sequences were absolutely amazing. The long take when he shaves the man's face is brilliant choreography, and so is Hitler's dance sequence with the globe. Probably my favorite shot was the tracking shot when Chaplin gets hit in the head and dances down the street and back. It was so fluid, funny, and beautiful. The war sequences were also fantastic, especially when they are upside down. I also must give special mention to the coin sequence.
The final moments of the movie are chilling. Chaplin shows us even more how much of a genius he is with a brilliant speech that is so moving, real, and directed at the audience. Surely Chaplin didn't switch to talkies earlier because he didn't know how, because he nailed it in this movie. The movie is so visual and characters only talk when they need to. Of course his german is absolutely hilarious, and a perfect lampoon of hitler.
On the subject of portraying Hitler, I think that Mel Brooks says it best. He said “by using the medium of comedy, we can try to rob Hitler of his posthumous power and myths.” And while Hitler was alive when this movie came out, the same it still rings too that to laugh at him robs him of some of his power.
At the very least, you saved ONE of the best for last. Eh.. No. It was the best movies I’ve seen in a while. The Great Dictator was fantastic. I was blown away with how hilarious some of its bits are. Chaplin’s humor did not evolve at all with the transition to sound, but it didn’t need to. It was most of the same bits, with sound added in just for fun (for the most part, there was some legitimate dialog that was thought out and witty), and it had me laughing uncontrollably. Just going back to the dialog comment… crudely throwing words like “sauerkraut” and “banana” into Chaplin’s fake German was so good. And the snorting!... Anyway, I honestly can’t put to words how amusing I found this movie. It shook me to my core. Some of the Hitler story seemed to be more plot points rather than a plot “line.” It wasn’t always smoothly connected but all was forgiven in my book because they made those jumps in order to give us some brilliant comedic scenes. The bullet-proof suit… Classic! Everyone saw it coming, but it doesn’t make it any less wonderful. The mockery of Mussolini and the two of them trying to out do one another (Hitler being reduced to the soft spoken push over for much of the visit). Hitler trying to take a pen out of its holder, presumably cursing his head off in German is, without a doubt, the funniest thing in cinema. It really is too long a list of genius bits. OH! The visual of Hitler dancing, lovingly, with a globe… priceless.
ReplyDeleteThen there was the serious side… ?! It had a real, sincere, believable serious side. Just when the persecution was getting a little bit too racy due to the humorous spin it had on it, all of a sudden it would turn around and point out just how horrible it REALLY was; almost as if they said “all jokes aside.” The Jewish grandfather gave a fantastic performance, was a dramatic character throughout, and gave the movie’s serious side roots. Charlie Chaplin had a convincing romance (and rather cute, if I do say so myself) at least for the first time that I’ve ever seen. And his final speech was amazing. I didn’t expect anything like it. It reminded me of Joan of Arc, with how much he put into it (and the close up). He is known for his subtle social commentaries, but for this one… he went all out. I don’t know how Hitler could’ve liked this movie. I cant imagine him with such a strong sense of humor, especially towards himself… but its not just that… the moral of the story is that Hitler… is the most evil thing to ever exist and is going to burn in hell for all eternity… I can’t think of any explanation. Hitler doesn’t deserve to like this movie.
movie**
ReplyDeleteSarah Garcia
ReplyDeleteThe Great Dictator
I was actually running late to this film and almost did not go, but I am so glad I did. It was my favorite of all the films we have watched the entire semester. I never thought I would really like a Charlie Chaplin film, because I really do not enjoy comedies especially slapstick comedies but this one really took me by surprise. I liked the intro information on how they were not trying to gives anyone’s likeness even though it was so obvious that Chaplin was Hitler. I liked the physical acting presented from the very beginning of the film, because even though there is very little dialogue in the first fifteen minutes the action mostly by Chaplin is able to entertain the audience on its own. This physical acting remained through out the film and really gave the entire audience something to laugh about.
Another element I liked in the film was the fake dialogue of the dictator, well actually both dictators. It was funny how they could take such a horrible man and make him funny. Something that I found interesting is how open they were about the war, because it made me wonder about how the Jewish people and others felt about it when it first came out. I know now we can laugh about it, because these days we laugh about a lot of things but I wonder how it was perceived.
The main girl in the film at first made me mad, because she thought she was so ugly just because she had a piece of dirt on her face. But by the end of the film she grew on me. She was melodramatic, but I liked it because it was comedic the way she dealt with things. Also I thought she was able to hold her own with Chaplin in the comedic scenes with her hitting the storm troopers with pans. That is impressive considering that Chaplin was already so experienced with slapstick comedy.
Another question I had about the film was about Chaplin’s voice. I had always been under the impression that he was unable to transition to sound, because he had a very thick accent and people could not understand what he was saying, but in this film I thought he sounded great. He did have somewhat of an accent, but nothing that would hinder an audience from understanding him. I wonder if maybe his voice was dubbed with someone else’s.
All in all, I thought that this film was the best that we have seen all year. I would recommend this film to anyone.
I’m probably just repeating what’s been said already, but I suppose it’s only confirmation on how great this film is. Definitely an example of Chaplin at his finest, its great to see his presence is unhindered by a use of sound (the sound may be the only legitimate complaint for some, as a lot of the ambience is simply non-existent). Makes me wonder why he was hesitant to make the transition this late in the game, but that’s also probably what made this movie so effective, and its clear he took it very seriously as well. The comedy was top-notch as well, and I think it’d be unfair to say Chaplin’s humor didn't evolve along with his adoption of sound, take the barber shop synched to music for example, or the word play with all the fake language spoken throughout (cheesy ravioli!). I haven’t laughed so hard in a long time.
ReplyDeleteThe totally unexpected speech at the end, which feels completely out of character and even somewhat detached from the plot at points, was still extremely powerful. I don't think it usually works in films to make such clear-cut, staring the truth in the face statements, as it can borderline on “preachy”, but here I must concede, because Chaplin managed to pull it off in a spectacular way. It fits with this trend of comedies from early cinema (or at least the limited sampling we’ve viewed in class) to not only entertain, but take a moment to seriously face the issue that is being made fun of or parodied. To experience that full range of emotion in a film is what makes them powerful stories.
-Gabe Basham
In silent comedy, Charlie Chaplin exuded charm while also exposing social issues and providing social commentary on topics such as poverty, hunger, organized religion, industrial labor, etc. His physical style of comedy transcended the need for accompanying audio or dialog. I was very curious about the impact the integration of sound would have on his acting style and if speech would affect his performance and in essence the audiences perception of him as an actor. “The Great Dictator”, Charlie Chaplin’s first “talkie” was a surprising box office success and although his portrayal of the egocentric dictator certainly used large amounts of physical acting, it was his gentle performance as the nameless barber that truly stood out. The sweet barber experienced the largest character arc in the story. Although he stood up for himself against the storm troopers, he went on to lead the nation and rose to the occasion to bring peace and humanity back to the people. From having amnesia and sweetly articulating to delivering a rousing call for free thinking, kindness and acceptance was a powerful journey to watch. I found the theory that the speech at the end/role of the barber were actually Charlie speaking through the character interesting and could see how it could be true.
ReplyDeleteOn a technical note, I was shocked at the quality and clarity of the picture itself. Although it was in black and white, the image quality had certainly made a technological jump at this point in history. The film was also very long compared to a standard comedy of today. Certain bits with his dictator role seemed to be a bit lengthy, such as bargaining with the treaty over food. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, just very noticeable in comparison with the quick cuts of today.
Chaplin managed to still work silent comedy in as well—the scene when he dances with the globe is acted gracefully, is incredibly silly, yet uncomfortable to watch just simply due to what we know now.
As far as social commentary, this could be one of Chaplin’s most controversial films, due to the subject matter and parody involved. As is trademark with Charlie Chaplin films, there is a bit of sadness in the mixture also.
Political satire isn’t carried over to the big screen in modern times as much as it is on the small screen. TV shows such as South Park, Family Guy and The Daily Show (just a few examples), offer a comparison political satire perhaps somewhat akin to that of “The Great Dictator”.
--Brianne McKay
The Great Dictator was the first film I ever saw of Charlie Chaplin. Ever since then I fell in love with all his film. He is hilarious and he can me laugh anytime. I think he did a great job portraying a Jewish barber and especially Adolf Hitler. It’s incredible how good his movies are and how good he acts. I wish we had a Charlie Chaplin.
ReplyDeleteUsually films on the Holocaust are really sad and disturbing but this film was really funny and enjoyable to watch. Hitler was always a very serious man and Chaplin does a great job being super clumsy at the beginning yet still trying to be serious. The first speech he does in the film as Hitler is how most of us remember Hitler. Charlie makes it very funny putting water in his pants, choking and falling down the stairs. As a Jewish, instead of being very depressing and always hiding from the Nazis, he does the opposite. He talks back to the Jews, laughs about them, doesn’t care what they say and makes people laugh all the time.
I dislike watching clips of Hitler but I enjoy every scene about Hitler in this film. Chaplin acts exactly like him and makes him look funny. Stuff that we wish could’ve happened to him, happen to him in the film. He always wants things his way but doesn’t. The Jewish doesn’t ask for anything because he has no idea of what is going on but he has the greatest luck ever. Usually others films on this topic are the complete opposite of The Great Dictator’s plot. The final speech is done perfectly. The Jew is mistaken as Hitler and he does a final speech. Hitler did his famous speeches on overtaking the world and how to make it better. He had hundreds of Nazi soldiers listen to him and respect him. A jew making a speech on the war being over and having all Jews free is what we all would have wanted to happen back then, Chaplin gives us the pleasure to see that in his film. This disastrous moment in history is depressing and something people do not joke about but Chaplin sure did an amazing job making fun of Adolf Hitler. I would watch this film over and over because I find it very amusing.
THE GREAT DICTATOR (Chaplin, 1940, 125 minutes) what a way to wrap up the class. I loved this film but there was just one thing that I did not like. But first let me say what I did like, well it stars one of my favorite actors Mr. Chaplin, I love all of this early work so when I found out that this move was going to be a talkie I was blown away. I wanted to watch this film so bad I went to the library at 8:30 am but just to find out that it had been check out, so I waited and waited and then, out of the blue the lady told me that someone had returned it. I was so happy. As soon as I put I the DVD I had to fast forward just to hear Chaplin speak, at first I thought to myself, was it going to be a silence film, I also thought what if Chaplin speaks will it kill my idea of his voice. But then I heard it and his voice is what I thought it was going to be like, I was hoping that his voice was not going to be deep and sexy or not to high tone, but no, his voice was just right for what he looks like. I don’t know why he did not have a long job. The voice that I did not like was the woman’s voice, her voice was really high tone and I don’t feel that she knew how to act for film, or if she did I feel that she did not know how to bring down her voice for film. I am in love with the scene that Chaplin is playing with the earth balloon. I found that scene so funny I was laughing in the library really loud. I just found it funny, at the time I was thinking of Hitler playing with the balloon, and I was also thinking when Hitler saw the film if he got mad at that part, thought out the whole film I feel that Chapin was making fun of Hitler. What I did not like was the fact that I felt that the film went on for two long, at the start the film was super funny but then it got to a point where there was no more funny jokes and I just felt that the film maker should have cut it when Chaplin was talking. But over all I really enjoyed this film and all the other films that I have seen in this class and I am still in love with silence films over all. =)
ReplyDeleteThe Great Dictator seen on Monday in class by the one and only Charlie Chaplin was an amazing film. After investigating a bit about the film I realized that Charlie Chaplin made this film while the U.S was still at peace with Nazi Germany and Americans were being pushed to stay out of the European War. This movie I thought to be a prescient assault on Hitler and National Socialism.
ReplyDeleteThe Great Dictator demonstrated the real violence of war and the corrupting power of public figures like Hitler. The themes of decency struggling against insanity and the persecution of Jews during WWII are astonishing. The fact that all this seriousness and sad things present in the movie could be comic is in fact impressive. After watching the movie I noticed that I barely even noticed the fact that it was political and deadly serious. Chaplin’s heartfelt plea for humanity and justice was one of the best speeches captured on film.
The funniest thing of the film was Chaplin’s burlesques of Hitler’s mannerisms and delusions. The comic sexuality is also reinforced in the film by suggestions of masturbation in specifically Hynkel’s solo dance with the globe. Finally like all Chaplin’s major works I believe The Great Dictator was a methodically made film describing the acts of humanistic defiance.
Chaplin's "The Great Dictator" is definitely one of the better films we watched this semester. I was very surprised by Chaplin's performance in a sound film in comparison to the silent ones we've seen. I agree with others that Chaplin is even funnier in sound.
ReplyDeleteSome of my favorite scenes were the ones with Goddard hitting the men over the head with a frying pan, the dancing with the globe scene, and the ones where Hynkel (Chaplin) gives a very passionate speech in hilariously fake German gibberish.
I was almost reminded of the works of one of my favorite comedic actors Steve Martin, particularly his character Inspector Clouseau in "The Pink Panther". Chaplin's performance as a satirical Hitler was very reminiscent of Steve Martin's style (or Martin's is an echo of Chaplin's).
I was surprised and impressed by Chaplin’s skill in crafting a film that satires something as serious and horrible as Nazi Germany and the atrocities committed against Jews at the time, but Chaplin's brilliance isn't limited to making a joke out of everything. In fact, the seriousness of his message wouldn't have been nearly as valid if not for the outstanding use of humor in this film along with the moments of drama blended in. Sometimes laughing at someone (like Hynkel in this case) can sometimes be the best way to attack them, so I don’t feel that drama alone would have had the resonance that this film did.
The film's closing scene in which Chaplin makes a speech pleading for all people to follow the path of peace, brotherhood and democracy is powerful and moving and the comedy overall is first-rate.
The Great Dictator was definitely a great film to end the semester with. This was the first time that I watched a film with Charlie Chaplin & SOUND, so I was very much interested in seeing how he would adjust to the new development. Charlie Chaplin unquestionably did a great job in this film and proved that he could perform in both silent and sound films. Also the fact that he took on this role (or roles, as he played Hitler & a Jewish barber) really revealed his talent. Chaplin was able to took a serious topic and turn it into something comedic by making fun of Adolf Hitler. He made Hitler look like a klutz and made fun of his mannerisms.
ReplyDeleteThere were a couple of scenes in the film that stuck out as my favorites and really made me laugh. For one, it was hilarious when Chaplin was giving his speech (as Hitler) in his German-gibberish language and how the translator….well, translated some of his long rants into just three words. Then, once again during another occasion, he was talking while having an assistant type a letter for him and for every long rant he went on, she typed one word, then when he only said one word, she typed a paragraph! It was hilarious! I just really loved the way Chaplin made Hitler look like a clown; from pouring water in his pants/ears, falling down stairs, tripping over his own feet and collapsing in a chair, it was all just brilliant! It was also interesting to see how he was able to “control” the crowd, by just merely raising his hand and gaining silence in less than a second, it was done in such a silly way, definitely making fun of Triumph of The Will.
The Great Dictator was an amazing film! It was definitely not Chaplin's typical slapstick film (although slapstick was included) but it was incredible nonetheless. It had a perfect blend of drama, political humor, honesty, and comedy.
ReplyDeleteThe camera was always in motion for the most part. The beginning scenes of Chaplin in war were all shot with a moving camera. I believe that most of the dialogue at the beginning was dubbed, partly because the sounds did not match the images perfectly. The composition of the shots were always interesting. Ranging from the desolate barber shop to the intricate and extravagant home of Hinkel. The set seemed to be a work of art. I noticed that the backdrops were not real but I'm not sure what they were made of. I'm not sure if they were photographs that were blown up into large backdrops or if they were paintings that would give the set depth. Did they have green screens at the time? How did they manage to put Hinkel in front of a large crowd? Either way, Charlie Chaplain's work was amazing in this film, both as a behind the scenes character and on stage.
There were so many parts of the film that I loved but what stood out to me was Chaplin's speech at the end of the film. It was so touching, it seemed like the perfect speech they could have heard at the time of WWII. It was hopeful, peaceful, and empowering.
- Nathalie Fernandez
As Chaplin’s first talking role, I thought both his voice and just him in general was absolutely hilarious. This was definitely the funniest, and possibly the best, movie we’ve watched so far- a perfect way to end the course. One scene I just can’t get over was the airplane scene, it was just too funny. It is maybe my favorite of the entire movie, although from start to finish the whole movie was amazing. “Were upside down” “I know it”- perfect. I’m not quite sure what to call that type of humor but I know its rare to find in movies these days, or really in any movie at all. I guess it’s the quick dialogue that gets me. This is interesting because I was skeptical of Chaplin speaking and as it turns out him speaking is even funnier than him not speaking! Something I thought not possible prior to watching this movie. Although this movies comedy isn’t predominantly slapstick it still has some of slapstick comedies elements, for example when the woman hits the ‘storm troopers; over the head with a frying pan, or when Chaplin is out on the ledge on the roof and drops the bag onto the street.
ReplyDeleteThe way the movie started in newsreel type fashion with the newscaster narrator talking over a clip of war is perfect because the movie essentially is making fun of not only Hitler and the war, but also the media/ news and the way it failed, and continually fails, to provide adequate and reliable information. Henkel’s speech was priceless, “freedom of speech is objectionable.” His gibberish is perfect for the role. The crowd control in the scene greatly resembles that in Triumph Of The Will. The whole speech scene was both funny and sends an important message, just like the film as a whole. The film shows what’s going on, unlike the media and news, and tells it like it is, showing Henkel/Hitler as the evil man he is in a way that’s easy to swallow and laugh at. A good scene in resembling this is when Henkel is alone playing with the world balloon and pops it, he cries because he broke it and in reality that’s what Hitler did- break the world.
I like how the movie uses lots of intercuts. The way it goes from life in the ghetto to Henkel’s little palace is really smart. Overall the movie from its construction to its content is exceptionally well done. It leaves nothing un-accounted for and discusses as much as it can while still being appropriate and not offensive. The film pays great attention to detail, epitomized by the names of characters, from dictator of bacteria- the bacterian ambassador, to of course garbage.
Although Chaplin's niche is in silent films, and it was a little strange putting a voice to a silent character, I was still impressed and humored all the same. He stepped into sound pretty well with sound effects and ADR and his character mocking Hitler was extremely original. Only Chaplin could really get away with it, and the fact that Hitler liked him makes it even better. I'm surprised he made the film at the time that he did, when it was still such a presently dangerous subject and Hitler was still alive.
ReplyDeleteThe film was hilarious and well choreographed as expected from Chaplin, but with the addition of humor in sound, there was a brand new element created, especially his verbal gibberish mocking Hitler's german speeches. I laughed so hard it hurt.
His two characters in The Great Dictator, including the jewish barber and the Nazi Dictator (both played by Chaplin), were created by Chaplin's feelings about how he and Hitler were born nearly the same time, grew up in similar household atmospheres, and how he became a comedian while Hitler became a dictator. With similar looks, in reality and in the film, it created a great storyline of the mixup between the leader and his prey. I love the story and it was exciting seeing it performed with Chaplin's creativity and style.
Despite its humorous plot, the ending was too touching and hit home so well that its hard to justify that it was just the barber character speaking. Hearing Chaplin speak for himself for the first time, after all his silent films, was definitely powerful and unleashed much inspiration. Even now, the film is encouraging and motivating. It's like anti-war propaganda in itself. I still enjoyed it though and Chaplin mocked Hitler very well. I wouldn't be surprised if the Jewish community that saw this during WWII were able to join in and let out their righteous laugh at Hitler, (even though Chaplin wouldn't have had made it if he knew the true horrors happening in concentration camps).
-Allison Basham
This was by far the best film to end this semesters course. I was hysterically laughing from start to finish. The Tramp clearly proved that he was able to make the full transition from silent to sound with all of his incredible witty dialogue and acting delivery. It was incredible to hear the voice of this beloved comedic actor finally as he jumped from character to character, clearly showing the inspiration for future comedians such as Eddie Murphy, Peter Sellers, and Mike Myers. I never knew Chaplin was so diverse with his range in characters. All I have ever seen him is as the Tramp and for him to come out portraying two opposite ends was a fantastic viewing experience. I loved how he made the decision to portray both the barber and Hinkel( a clear parody of Adolph Hitler). There were so many fun gags throughout the film that seemed to be referencing Chaplin's slapstick past, but the real essence of this film was the dialogue. It not only made me laugh but also think. The ending monologue delivered by Chaplin to thousands of soldiers is by far one of the most incredible cinematic moments. You could clearly tell that Chaplin was stepping out of character and delivering this speech as himself to the world, calling for peace and unity at a time when nations were tearing one another apart. The fact that the film is also a parody of Hitler and dictators, makes the punch even land harder since what Chaplin says is being directed completely at them. It even feels he is begging them to change their ways, to stop their lunacy and use what they have for good instead of evil. It really brought the entire film together and solidified its message. I loved this film and feel it is definitely worthy of multiple viewings. Bravo Mr.Chaplin, bravo.
ReplyDeleteCan I just say that I absolutely LOVED this movie?! Who knew a Hitler impersonation could be so hilariously funny (and on cue for that matter). Charlie Chaplin had the finesse and power to perfectly mimic (and mock) the perfect Hitler, coupled with the textbook moustache and gait. Chaplin did a tremendous job juxtaposing a harmless barber with such an infamous dictator in a way that provoked much thought throughout the audience. His satire was hilarious as well as moving and I personally thought he balanced the perfect amount of serious tone with humorous sequences.
ReplyDeleteI particularly enjoyed the balloon scene where Chaplin plays Hitler and does a ballet with a blown up globe. Never have I ever seen such a dark and serious point be portrayed so carelessly and daintily. Chaplin was trying to convey to the audience that, to Hitler, taking over the world was just a game (or dance) to him. The world meant nothing but something for him to own and amuse himself with. It was in the palm of his hand (or rump of his butt) and no one else could stop him. This truly was the perfect satire.
I also very much enjoyed Chaplin’s concluding speech. I could not believe how poignantly Chaplin was able to deliver those lines considering he was completely from the silent era of slapstick. While many silent actors faded away from the technologic advancements of sound cinema, Chaplin truly grabbed it by the horns in this film and showed the world what he was really capable of. It is no doubt that The Great Dictator was my favorite Motion Pictures movie.
I thoroughly enjoyed The Great Dictator. Of all of Chaplin’s work that I’ve seen, besides Modern Times, it’s probably the one that I’ve enjoyed the most. I wouldn’t say that it’s the best movie we watched this semester, there were certainly others that I loved more. But, in terms of just exemplifying the zeitgeist, this was definitely probably the best. It’s certainly a fascinating thing to look at now.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite part has got to be when Hynkel (sp?) proceeds to bounce the globe on his behind, to be specific. It’s so absurd, but that’s what makes it great. It amplifies the absurdity of not only the comedy and the premise, but the real-life absurdity behind the personalities like Hitler and other crazy dictators. Mel Brooks was no doubt inspired by this film. He himself said that the only way to deal with a monster is strip them down and take them down a peg. It’s echoed perfectly, and, dare I say, better, in The Producers – perhaps only because it’s so direct and groin-busting. Comedy goes hand in hand with depression, to the point that they often counteract one another. It’s hard to imagine comedy without a hint of tragedy, which is why sometimes comedy really is only the best way to get to grips with certain tragedies. If we see someone who was once a threat, as someone who is at the same pedestrian level as us, they suddenly don’t become scary anymore. It’s this idea of the ridiculer becoming ridiculed.
It’s interesting to watch Chaplin play both characters, in this sort of Doppelganger kind of way. I think it really only works to the advantage of the movie, because these character are SO closely intertwined at this rate that it becomes almost impossible to separate the two, and that’s a fascinating notion to think of. I’ve heard that Hitler was actually a fan of Chaplin, going so much as to model his mustache after him, but I’m not sure how much truth there is to that. Still, that would just make this whole production doubly ironic.
I enjoy all of Charlie Chaplin's work. Having seen: Modern Times, City Lights, The Gold Rush and now The Great Dictator, I found this last film to be a new favorite. I am a fan of Chaplin, but saying that, he is not my absolute favorite. Nevertheless, it was an engaging film that captivated me from beginning to end.
ReplyDeleteIt was interesting to see Chaplin's use of sound. I assumed that, due to the semi-recent advent of sound, the use of sound would draw attention to itself in a Chaplin's film, but no, I was impressed with his seamless integration of sound.
I enjoyed Chaplin's portrayal of his two characters. It was a great idea, paying off well due to Chaplin's immaculate execution. Chaplin is a fine actor and this dual character scenario served as the perfect arena for him to boast his acting talents through a uniquely memorable performance.
Chaplin's influence is far-reaching and is arguably the most famous entertainer ever. His presence is felt through his extensive involvement in the film, from directing and writing for the film, to producing and even composing music for the film.
The Great Dictator is the first film Charlie Chaplin talks in. Chaplin who is known as a one of the greatest entertainers of all time is mostly known for his silent films. He was very scared to make his first talkie and waited a long time and continued to make silent films when they were not becoming the norm anymore. I don’t see why Chaplin would not make a talkie because I think the Great Dictator was an absolute brilliant film that had me laughing the whole time. The film is a Satire on World War II and Hitler as well as about two different characters, Adenoid Hynkel, the great dictator of Tomania and the other character, the Jewish Barber. Both of these characters are played by Chaplin and at the end the Jewish Barber is mistaken for Hynkel and gives a great speech/monologue in any film. The Hynkel character to me was the funniest of the two because he was so out there and crazy that you had to laugh. One of my favorite moments is when Hynkel makes a speech and it is just complete jibberish with little words thrown in like, sarakrut and Wiener Schnitzel. Than when the Napaloni, dictator of Bacteria, comes to Tomania and makes a speech he does the same thing but throws in Italian words like, Spaghetti and Sausage. Another great scene was when he was dancing with the balloon. I thought it was so well done specifically at the end when the balloon of the globe popped cause it showed that it wasn’t all his. Chaplin’s second character, The Jewish Barber, was also funny mostly because of his companion and admirer, Hannah, as well as the fact that he has lost his memory and has been in a coma since before Hynkel came in charge. Though not every film is perfect and The Great Dictator is no different. At the beginning of the film the sound and the dialogue was off and seemed poorly dubbed. Also the action was kind of iffy which made me nervous for the film but once the airplane seen started I knew it was going to be a great movie. The second problem about the movie is that it was way too long. I am a strong believer of comedies being short and straight to the point and this one clocked in with over two hours. I feel like Chaplin should have picked one character and followed him throughout the movie instead of splitting the focus. Overall, this was a great film and once again Chaplin does not disappoint.
ReplyDeleteAlthough The Great Dictator was by far the longest film shown in class this semester, I certainly enjoyed it the most. Not because of its narrative, but because I extremely enjoyed Chaplin's first talking film. Chaplin really sounded funny when I first heard him, as if inhaling a whole load of helium, however, he does an amazing job between the comparison of the two characters (Hynkel and the Jewish Barber).
ReplyDeleteLooking at Chaplin's Tramp character, everyone would have thought that cowardliness, shyness, running, and hiding all are parts of his unique figure, however, when the soldier march into the town, he is the only one that stands up for himself. This particular scene really caught my attention, especially seeing Chaplin's past movies.
Other than the Tramp Jewish character, I certainly most of all enjoyed Hynkel's self absorbed unique personality. One scene that I found extremely humorous was when he sorts out his schedule to fit every single thing at one time, running from his desk, to the art studio of his portrait and sculpture, to the numerous inventors, and right back to his office.
What I like about Chaplin is that he adapts to any environment or character, and perfects it every time. As seen in the film he even makes up his own language just to fit Hynkle's scenes.