Responding to "The Great Dictator"
Write a paragraph or two that discusses your personal reaction to seeing Charlie Chaplin’s film, "The Great Dictator." Please post your response as a comment and bring a copy to class next week for us to discuss together.
“Greed has poisoned men's souls; has barricaded the world with hate; has goose-stepped us into misery and bloodshed. We have developed speed, but we have shut ourselves in. Machinery that gives abundance has left us in want. Our knowledge has made us cynical; our cleverness, hard and unkind. We think too much and feel too little. More than machinery, we need humanity. More than cleverness, we need kindness and gentleness. Without these qualities, life will be violent and all will be lost.”—Charlie Chaplin; from his speech at the end of The Great Dictator
ReplyDeleteNo matter what came before (and I liked much of what I saw), I know now that the film, for Chaplin, was something much more than only a film. He wanted the chance to speak to us directly, although he had already been speaking to humanity for years through his persona, the tramp.
His words, no matter how misplaced they might be in the film, ring true even today. How much more greedy we are now! That “kindness and gentleness” is surely lacking in our communities here in Vancouver (and no, I don’t only mean the Stanley Cup riot or the gang shootings here). Charlie Chaplin gave us his best and, in the end, it did not matter; he was only one man, after all. The film was popular, true, but it lead to criticism of his politics and his eventual exile to Switzerland.
One scene stands out in my mind, the famous one with Chaplin (as the dictator) and his balloon version of the world. I laughed at his audacity (the bounce off his bum was a favourite), but got the “point” literally when the balloon exploded to end the ballet. Chaplin’s physical comedy never fails to amaze me. He was nearly 50 as the film was made! I have never ever been disappointed by Charlie Chaplin.
As many great men before Charlie Chaplin and many after him a speech would be his unfortunate deciding factor on how many viewed him and the movie "The Great Dictator" .It brings to my mind the most powerful speeches in the world's history (Abe Lincoln the Gettysburg address) (Sir Winston Churchill "We shall never surrender") Dr Martin Luther King "I Had a Dream) all political in nature and all motivated by the need for change.Charlie Chaplin had no political stage on which he could share his views with the world so he used the only forum he had at his disposal "the big screen".Hidden in a sensational comedy and utterly brilliant performance Charlie wrapped the viewers in a blanket of comedy and performed a slapstick comedy of errors only to at the end of the movie put forward his hope and dream for change.
ReplyDeleteI was very happy to see the old pie in the face gag(international reporter with all of three min of screen time get the classic special effect) The whole scene in the dinning room was entertaining but when an limited character in the movie get the most classic movie special effect well that just tells you how brilliant the film is.
I had a smile on my face from opening scene to the last word of the speech,I with total excitement told everyone i came across about this movie for days after(The Tim Horton's girl serving me just looked blankly at me as i rambled on about the movie)but i told anyone who would listen.It was a highlight of my week and i thoroughly enjoyed it.
My heart filled up with complex feelings: sweetness, delight, pride and emotion after I saw the movie, “The Great Dictator”. The fake dictator’s speech was full of wise and powerful words. Every word aroused the soldiers and everyone else. Those words encouraged soldiers and the people to unite together and pursue freedom and democracy for their country towards a happy and wonderful future. Those words also won over the dictator’s lover’s heart.
ReplyDeleteGreed is the biggest enemy of the humanity. It urges a great leader to chase his desire and power so that he eventually loses his humanity and gentle nature. Dictators strive to gain more power to rule whole world. The dictator complacently plays with the balloon globe in the hands; however, the globe burst. This symbolises that his hope will be shattered.
I love the music at the barber shop when barber shaves the customer’s beard along to the music of Brahms Hungarian Rhapsody No. 5. His shaving actions matched the music very well. It was pretty interesting and funny. I prefer the music at the end. I feel that is full of joy, peace, and hope, especially with Hannah’s sad, but smiling face. That scene deeply touched my heart.
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