The Great Dictator was Chaplin’s first feature film with full sound. When the movie was released in 1940, the
United States was still not officially at war with Nazi Germany. The names of the characters mock the fascist leaders of the day, including “Adenoid Hynkel,” standing in for Hitler, and ministers “Garbitsch” and “Herring,” who were modeled on
Joseph Goebbels and
Hermann Göring, respectively. “Benzino Napaloni,”
dictator of the neighbouring country of “Bacteria,” was a satirical portrayal of Italy’s
Benito Mussolini. One of the film’s most-celebrated scenes features Hynkel dancing with a balloon of the world to the music of
Richard Wagner. Chaplin later said he would never have been able to make the film had the true extent of the Nazis’ crimes been widely known.
The 20th century was a period of profound social, political, and technological change, and films like "Modern Times" and "The Great Dictator" directed by Charlie Chaplin capture the zeitgeist of this transformative era.
**Modern Times (1936):**
- **Industrialization and Modernity:** "Modern Times" reflects the impact of rapid industrialization and modernization during the early 20th century. Chaplin's iconic character, the Tramp, struggles to adapt to the dehumanizing effects of modern technology and assembly line production.
- **Social Injustice:** The film critiques the social and economic inequalities of the time, portraying the dehumanizing effects of capitalism and the struggles of the working class. Chaplin's Tramp becomes a symbol of resilience in the face of systemic challenges.
**The Great Dictator (1940):**
- **Rise of Totalitarianism:** Against the backdrop of World War II and the rise of totalitarian regimes, "The Great Dictator" satirizes Adolf Hitler and Mussolini. Chaplin uses humor to criticize the authoritarian and oppressive nature of these regimes.
- **Humanitarian Values:** The film's conclusion, with the powerful speech, underscores the importance of human dignity, equality, and peace. Chaplin's plea for understanding and unity resonates with the global concerns of the time as nations were grappling with the consequences of war and ideological conflicts.
**Overall Zeitgeist:**
- **Global Turmoil:** The 20th century witnessed two World Wars, the Great Depression, and significant geopolitical shifts. Chaplin's films capture the anxieties and uncertainties of this tumultuous period, providing a mirror to the challenges faced by societies around the world.
- **Advancements in Technology:** The era saw rapid technological advancements, from the assembly line in "Modern Times" to the destructive power of warfare depicted in "The Great Dictator." These advancements had profound effects on both the workplace and the nature of conflict.
Chaplin's films, with their blend of humor, social commentary, and poignant moments, serve as a reflection of the zeitgeist of the 20th century. They provide insights into the human condition, the impact of industrialization, the struggle for social justice, and the global political landscape during a time of immense change and upheaval.
In 1938, the world's most famous movie star began to prepare a film about the monster of the 20th century. Charlie Chaplin looked a little like Adolf Hitler, in part because Hitler had chosen the same toothbrush moustache as the Little Tramp. Exploiting that resemblance, Chaplin devised a satire in which the dictator and a Jewish barber from the ghetto would be mistaken for each other. The result, released in 1940, was "The Great Dictator," Chaplin's first talking picture and the highest-grossing of his career, although it would cause him great difficulties and indirectly lead to his long exile from the United States.
In 1938, Hitler was not yet recognized in all quarters as the embodiment of evil. Powerful isolationist forces in America preached a policy of nonintervention in the troubles of Europe, and rumors of Hitler's policy to exterminate the Jews were welcomed by anti-Semitic groups. Some of Hitler's earliest opponents, including anti-Franco American volunteers in the Spanish Civil War, were later seen as "premature antifascists"; by fighting against fascism when Hitler was still considered an ally, they raised suspicion that they might be communists. "The Great Dictator" ended with a long speech denouncing dictatorships, and extolling democracy and individual freedoms. This sounded to the left like bedrock American values, but to some on the right, it sounded pinko.
Chaplin's film, aimed obviously and scornfully at Hitler himself, could only have been funny, he says in his autobiography, if he had not yet known the full extent of the Nazi evil. As it was, the film's mockery of Hitler got it banned in Spain, Italy and neutral Ireland. But in America and elsewhere, it played with an impact that, today, may be hard to imagine. There had never been any fictional character as universally beloved as the Little Tramp, and although Chaplin was technically not playing the Tramp in "The Great Dictator," he looked just like him, this time not in a comic fable but a political satire. Comedy, satire, and romance
The plot is one of those concoctions that makes the action barely possible. The hero, a barber-soldier in World War I, saves the life of a German pilot named Schultz and flies him to safety, all the time not even knowing he was the enemy. Their crash-landing gives the barber amnesia, and for 20 years he doesn't know who he is. Then he recovers and returns to his barber shop in the country of Tomania (say it aloud), only to discover that the dictator Hynkel has come to power, not under the swastika, but under the Double Cross. His storm troopers are moving through the ghetto, smashing windows and rounding up Jews (the term "concentration camp" is used early, matter-of-factly). But the barber's shop is spared by the intervention of Schultz, now an assistant minister, who recognizes him.
The barber (never named, just like the Tramp) is in love with the maid Hannah (Paulette Goddard, Chaplin's estranged wife at the time). And he is befriended by his former neighbors. But he and the disloyal Schultz are eventually put in a concentration camp, and then Hynkel has a boating mishap, is mistaken for the barber, and locked into the camp just as the barber and Schultz escape -- with Hynkel's uniform. Now the barber is assumed by everyone to be the dictator.
In the classic Chaplin tradition, the movie has a richness of gags and comic pantomime, including Hynkel's famous ballet with an inflated balloon that makes the globe his plaything. There is a sequence where five men bite into puddings after being told the one who finds a coin must give his life to assassinate Hynkel. None of them want to find the coin and there is cheating, but eventually -- see for yourself. And there is a long, funny episode when the dictator of neighboring Bacteria, Benzini Napaloni (Jack Oakie), pays a state visit. Napaloni, obviously modeled on Mussolini, eludes an attempt to make him sit in a low chair so the short Hynkel can loom over him. And when the two of them sit in adjacent barber chairs, they take turns pumping their chairs higher than the other. There is also a lot of confusion about saluting, and Chaplin intercuts shots of the two dictators with newsreels of enormous, cheering crowds.
In 1940, this would have played as very highly charged, because Chaplin was launching his comic persona against Hitler in an attempt, largely successful, to ridicule him as a clown. Audiences reacted strongly to the film's humor; it won five Oscar nominations, for picture, actor, supporting actor (Oakie), screenplay and music (Meredith Willson). But audiences at the time, and ever since, have felt that the film comes to a dead end when the barber, impersonating Hynkel, delivers a monologue of more than three minutes which represents Chaplin's own views.
Dictatorship:
The depiction of Hynkel playing with the world using dictatorial ideas symbolizes the manipulative and domineering nature of authoritarian leaders. It signifies the dangerous impact of dictatorial ideologies on a global scale, portraying how such leaders wield power and influence to control or manipulate events and people for their own agendas, often at the expense of others' freedoms and well-being.
sculptures are positioned in a salute. One is Rodin's famous sculpture, "The Thinker." These ancient sculptures have been altered by leaders to align with their party ideologies and symbols. The depiction of Hynkel with a watch symbolizes his control and influence over time and events. It represents his authority to dictate and manipulate circumstances, indicating that he holds power over the passage of time and the pacing of events. This imagery suggests that Hynkel exercises a level of control and mastery over situations, emphasizing his ability to shape, determine, or even manipulate outcomes according to his will. It underscores the notion of his dominance and command over the progression and timing of various aspects within his sphere of influence.
Fram study of modern times by Charlie Chaplin
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| In this image we can see how people unemployed of that era totally satire of society that who has no work to do he want to go in prison for free food and facilities..he was happy there so Charlie want to stay in prison. |
Imagine of future work style on that time and communication with electronic gadgets like video conference his employee suggested to do better work without any excuse.
Here chalie want to return falling down flag them an accidently he joined in strike he don't know about anything about strike even though police arrested him to see hold flag in chalie's hand police thought that he was leader that's why he arrested him..
Conclusion:
"The Great Dictator," directed by Charlie Chaplin, concludes with a powerful and iconic speech delivered by the protagonist, both as the Jewish barber and as Adenoid Hynkel, the dictator. In this speech, Chaplin's character emphasizes the importance of humanity and the need for unity and compassion in the face of tyranny and oppression.
Chaplin's character, originally mistaken for Hynkel, takes the opportunity to address the world, expressing a desire for a world where people come together in the spirit of brotherhood. He condemns the misuse of technology and science for destructive purposes and calls for a world free from hatred, greed, and intolerance.
The conclusion of "The Great Dictator" is a poignant plea for peace and understanding, and it stands as a powerful critique of the political and social issues of its time. Chaplin's message remains relevant, advocating for the triumph of love and humanity over hatred and authoritarianism. The film's conclusion is a testament to the power of satire and the potential for positive change in the face of adversity.
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