The Great Dictator

Sir Charles Chaplin, aka Charlie Chaplin, was one of the most famous and influential stars of the silent film era who not only made the transition to “the talkies” but wrote, directed, produced, edited, starred in, and composed music for many of his films. In 1940 he wrote, directed, produced, and starred in, The Great Dictator, his first sound film. This was a political black comedy that satirized Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini and protested the rise of fascism, antisemitism, and Naziism. Chaplin played two roles in the film portraying a thinly disguised Adolf Hitler and a persecuted Jewish barber.

The Great Dictator was selected for preservation in the Library of Congress in 1997. In the film, Hitler (Chaplin) is Adenoid Hynkel. His persona is that of the classic authoritarian; an outsized vanity overshadowed by insecurity that can only be held in check by demanding absolute and unwavering obedience.

We could use a “Charlie Chaplin” today to satirize and make light of the man whose vanity and insecurity now threaten to destroy a nation. This should happen while comedy, satire, and some free speech is still allowed. I leave you with the words of Adenoid Hynkel, who at this point in the film is actually the barber who has switched places with the dictator, as he steps out of character in the final closing moments of the film:

“Greed has poisoned men’s souls—has barricaded the world with hate—has goose-stepped us into misery and bloodshed. Machinery that gives abundance has left us in want. Our knowledge has made us cynical; our cleverness hard and unkind. We think too much and feel too little. More than machinery we need humanity. More than cleverness we need kindness and gentleness. Without these qualities, life will be violent and all will be lost.”