Reflection On Charlie Chaplin’s Film The Great Dictator

Charlie Chaplin was an actor/director and great actor. He was born April 16, 1889 and passed away December 25, 1877. He is best known for his films ‘The Kid’ and City lights’. As you can see from his speech at The Great Dictator’s end, he is not a believer in war, greed, or power.

Charlie was born and raised in London, England. His father was an actor/vocalist, while his mother was an actress/singer. His four marriages were the longest, and he was married again in the latter half of his life. He lived in America for around 42 years without becoming a citizen. After an extended tour he had taken along with his wife and being accused of communism, he was refused permission to return the United States. After this, he moved to Switzerland and stayed there for 20 years with eight of his children and fourth wife. Chaplin was a demanding actor in Hollywood. Chaplin was known for his experimental nature and willingness to take multiple shots of the same scene. He is also well-known for his silent and animated films, such as ‘The Great Dictator. Charlie Chaplin was the director and writer of “The Great Dictator”, a film he created. He played an Adolf Hitler-inspired character in the film. There were diplomats who were outraged at the possibility of this film being made. He was praised by many French people, authors, and other artists. It is certainly thought-provoking and captivating.

Chaplin’s film features two characters who appear very similar, but are quite different. One character is a poor Jewish barber; the other is an oppressive dictator. He’s trying to portray Hitler during World War II, while also trying to have some fun with it. The film opens with a Jewish barber fighting in World War II. He eventually falls into a coma and wakes up. After getting out of the coma, he returns home to his hometown and tries to return to barber work. He is not aware of the changes in the town he knew. The barber can’t accept the change and finally switches with Hynkel to make a great speech about tyranny.

The powerful speech at the final of the film speaks volumes about how people should treat one another. Chaplin states that “the misery that is now upon” is merely the passing of greed. He is adamant that he did not accept the world as it was.

Charlie Chaplin was an exceptional person who wanted to do the best for others, in film and in life. He was perfectionist and a great actor. I read about his attitude towards actors and how he would stop production if they were not suitable for the roles he wanted. He would also do the same scene over and over to get different views and allow for experimentation. He seems to enjoy doing these things as he is dedicated to filmmaking. I don’t believe he had any malicious intent by doing the things he did.

After watching his film, it became clear that he wanted the world better than it was. The film he made was meant to be a statement and to criticize the times. He wanted the world to be more free and not controlled by dictators. He has strong opinions about right and wrong. So he made his film. He believed that every person had the right and obligation to live how they wanted. Some of his final speeches are a clear example of this belief. He believed all the things we learned have changed us. We went from feeling people to thinking people. This topic was fascinating to me because I had never heard of Charlie Chaplin before. He was the silent movie star I thought of. I was also drawn to his humor. I had not heard of his film The Great Dictator’ before watching it. This has helped me understand the man I think he was. Passionate about filmmaking and passionate about it. Since I was five years old, film has been a passion of mine. I watch all the new films in theaters every day. Charlie’s film is a great example of how I am interested in films with messages similar to his. I don’t think I have ever heard of a film director as dedicated as Charlie.

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  • treyknox

    I am Trey Knox, 26 years old, and I'm a education blogger and teacher. I blog about various subjects in education, and I also teach high school English and writing.