by Paul Costello
Arguably his greatest film (City Lights being the real challenger), and certainly his most financially successful film, The Great Dictator was something Chaplin had been working on for years before its release, as he watched the steady rise to power of Adolf Hitler in the newsreels. Indeed, it was upon his viewing of Leni Riefenstahl’s 1935 Triumph of the Will that was reportedly the clinching moment that prompted Chaplin to undertake his satirical swing at Hitler and the growing Nazi menace. As it is, Chaplin himself later said that if he had known the true horrific extent of Hitler’s murderous regime, then he wouldn’t have made the film. However, had he not, we wouldn’t have the impassioned call for humanity and kindness that we have in The Great Dictator.
Arguably his greatest film (City Lights being the real challenger), and certainly his most financially successful film, The Great Dictator was something Chaplin had been working on for years before its release, as he watched the steady rise to power of Adolf Hitler in the newsreels. Indeed, it was upon his viewing of Leni Riefenstahl’s 1935 Triumph of the Will that was reportedly the clinching moment that prompted Chaplin to undertake his satirical swing at Hitler and the growing Nazi menace. As it is, Chaplin himself later said that if he had known the true horrific extent of Hitler’s murderous regime, then he wouldn’t have made the film. However, had he not, we wouldn’t have the impassioned call for humanity and kindness that we have in The Great Dictator.
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