Analytic review on "The Great Dictator"

Metaphorically literature is a mirror of society which reflects the good and evil values of society. Film study, as a part of literature helps us for better understanding of it. The Great Dictator provides us better understanding of the setting of society in 20th century and equally mirrors the political parody of modern age.

 Charlie Chaplin

Sir Charles Spencer was an English comic actor, filmmaker, and composer. He is considered as one of the most pivotal starts of the early days of Hollywood. He has cultivated the form of silent film which later reached at its highest pick and considered as the best art form of literature. Under the title “The Tramp” he gained a world wide fame and remembered as one of the most important figures in the history of film. Chaplin and Hitler were born within a week of one another.There was an unnatural resemblance between the Little tramp and Hitler.They represented the opposite pole of humanity.

The Great Dictator

The Great Dictator is an outstanding classic film by Charlie Chaplin. This controversial masterpiece offers both a cutting caricature of Hitler and sly tweaking of his own comic persona.

Chaplin’s film made huge cultural waves around the world except in Germany. This movie was set in a fictitious country called Tomainia and it was obviously Germany. In this movie two major roles: Adenoid Hynkel(dictator) and Jewish barber were played by Charlie Chaplin.

The movie begins with a statement,

“Any resemblance between Hynkel the dictator and Jewish barber is purely co-incidental”

Here he humorously suggests the obvious connections between life and fiction and, between Charlie and Hitler. Being a contemporary critic of his time, he highlighted fascism in his classic work which seems quite relevant in contemporary,too.While the politicians felt that fascism overseas could not be ignored, Charlie Chaplin’s  The Great Dictator was proved as an unique stand for humanism.

While talking about the sculpture which are used in movie, it is highly symbolic. Each and every sculpture were crafted as they were bidden greeting to Hynkle.

This parody is used by him for making a satire on Nazi salute. Rodin’s well known sculpture The Thinker was also re sculptured as bidding greeting by keeping hand high.

It also highlighted Hynkel’s the anti semitic hatred towards Jewish when they painted JEW on the shop of jewish barber. Further more, he depicted the difficulty of Jewish people under the reign of Tomanian government. Aryan stormtroopers painted JEW on shop windows and homes of the Jewish people and even seized their property. In a way kind of lynching was done with them.After that, he also depicts the inner conflict of Jewish people, whether to or not any action against Hynkel.

Hynkle’s meeting with Napaloni makes a satire on a meeting of great leaders. The difference between their social and personal behavior was well presented. During this meeting Hitler’s egoism and even his strategies to make himself powerful were presented well by the Hynkle.

Devaluation of artist was another issue which were reflected in the movie. Being a leader Hynkle seemed interested in to prepare his portrait though he had not respect for artist.He just came and stayed for a little and again went away, while the portrait maker or painter were waiting for him constantly.

Though entirely it sound pessimistic, the end was quite optimistic.

 At the end because of transposition, the Jewish barber delivered the great and final speech, each and every word of it was well scripted.

I’m sorry, but I don’t want to be an emperor. That’s not my business. I don’t want to rule or conquer anyone. I should like to help everyone - if possible - Jew, Gentile - black man - white. We all want to help one another. Human beings are like that. We want to live by each other’s happiness - not by each other’s misery. We don’t want to hate and despise one another. In this world there is room for everyone. And the good earth is rich and can provide for everyone. The way of life can be free and beautiful, but we have lost the way.

Similarly like the Modern Times, it also ends with the hope of better coming. The last setting of the movie was also far from Urban life. Hannah and Mr.Jaeckel was living in a kind of Utopian world.