Rating of
3.5/4
Unknown - wrote on 05/27/14
Chaplin doesn't play to his slapstick-y strengths throughout all of 'The Great Dictator'. This is a 100% talkie. Some lesser scenes are mildly clever, while others are silly fun. There's a slight imbalance in that. However, the whole film is a sharp satirical thorn in the side of Hitler's dictatorship. I have to admire Chaplin's bravery in lampooning the figure during the height of his reign. The final act rises above the uneven silliness to be more thoughtful. Chaplin's ending speech is a strong peaceful statement that I hope all would agree with. Terrifically well said.
