Obviously no list devoted to great cinema can overlook the
contributions of Charlie Chaplin. Among his greatest films is this
one, a brave political send-up from 1940 that was added to the National Film Registry in 1997.
Extraordinarily timely when it came out, and in some ways, still, the
silent film scholar Jeffrey Vance said about the intersection of
Chaplin with the comedic target of this film:
“Ironically, one of the most beloved men in history was born within
four days of one of the most despised—and that the demon, Adolf Hitler,
so strongly resembled the clown, Charles Chaplin. Some claim that Hitler
deliberately chose his mustache to resemble Chaplin’s, who had enjoyed
the love and respect of audiences around the world. Contemporary
journalists and cartoonists delighted in pointing out the similarity in
appearance between the two men. A song about Hitler, published in
Britain in 1938, asked the question, ‘Who is this Man? (Who Looks like
Charlie Chaplin).'”
Read the rest of the Vance “The Great Dictator” (PDF) essay.
Title: “The Great Dictator”
Year of Release: 1940
Year Added to the National Film Registry: 1997 (See all films added to the Registry in 1997.)
Trivia: Chaplin has many works on the Film Registry
including the “The Kid,” “Modern Times” and “City Lights.” His co-star
(and one-time spouse) Paulette Goddard also has two other appearances
on the list–co-starring with Chaplin in “Modern Times” and the 1939
comedy “The Women.”
via https://blogs.loc.gov/now-see-hear/2018/11/reading-the-film-registry-the-great-dictator-1940/
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