"THE GREAT DICTATOR" CHARLIE CHAPLIN 1940

In 1940, British comedian Charlie Chaplin wrote, directed, produced, composed, and starred in The Great Dictator, an American political satirical dark comedy film that followed in the footsteps of many of his previous works. This was Chaplin's first proper sound picture, having been the only Hollywood director to continue making silent pictures even after sound movies became popular.

A powerful denunciation of fascism, antisemitism, and the Nazis was made in Chaplin's picture, along with of the rulers Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini of Germany and Italy. In the early stages of World War II, the United States and Nazi Germany were still nominally at peace at the time of the book's first publication. Audiences embraced The Great Dictator, which went on to become Chaplin's most financially successful movie. It has been hailed by contemporary reviewers as a vital piece of satire, one of the best comedies ever created, and a historically significant movie. Critics, historians, and movie enthusiasts have often cited Chaplin's final monologue as the best in movie history and even as the most moving speech ever recorded in the 20th century. It was chosen in 1997 as "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant" by the Library of Congress and placed in the United States National Film Registry for preservation. Five Academy Awards were up for nomination for The Great Dictator: Best Actor, Best Writing (Original Screenplay), Best Supporting Actor (Jack Oakie), Outstanding Production, and Best Music (Original Score). According to Chaplin's 1964 autobiography, if he had understood at the time the full scope of the atrocities occurring in the Nazi concentration camps, he would not have been able to produce the movie.