Charles Chaplin is an acclaimed silent film actor, but you would not be able to tell that from this film. There is plenty of speaking to go around, and it is done quite well for a man who mostly resided in silent films. From an entertainment aspect, the film is sometimes boring, but it is very funny. I did find myself chuckling quite often at what was going on, but overall the entertainment side was lacking. But these 7 stars come from everything else this film brings. At the time, the US had not yet entered WWII. However, 1940 is when Hitler was gaining traction, and his ideas and beliefs spreading throughout the world. This film is a direct parody of everything him and his regime stood for, and that is a BOLD move. Such blatantly obvious criticism of a political party and regime nowadays would seem almost inconceivable. But Chaplin did it. The speech that the Jewish Barber delivers at the end is perfect. I don't mean like, "yea it's perfectly place". I mean that every single word in that speech is perfect. The speech itself is quite pertinent in today's society as well - I'm writing this on November 17, 2020 - and stood the test of time for 80 years. A beautiful criticism of hatred and a wonderful plea for love and peace.
Review of The Great Dictator
