Film Analysis

The Great Dictator (1940)

Directed by Charles Chaplin

Objective:
Analyse the film in terms of-
1. Theme
2. Character Development
3. Editing

Analysis:
1. Theme-
Discrimination and Greed
➢ Discrimination- The Jewish barber and other
Jewish residents of Tomainia are subject to
violence and discrimination by the government
and its supporters.
➢ Greed- Throughout the film, Hynkel is portrayed as
a character driven by his abundant greed for
power and domination. He is constantly seeking
ways to expand his influence and empire,
regardless of the consequences for others.
2. Character Development-

➢ The Barber:
▪ Compassionate; Helped his mate fly the plane
in war.
▪ PTSD; Affected by the WW1 experiences.
▪ Resistant; Started opposing Hynkel and his
tyranny and helped Jews sneak out of
Tomainia.
▪ Courageous; After he was mistaken for
Hynkel, he delivers a powerful speech on unity
and compassion which counters Hynkel.
➢ Adenoid Hynkel:
▪ Egoistical leader; Wants power and conquest
galore since he is formidable.
▪ Vulnerable and uncertain; He interacts with
his advisor Garbitsch and struggles to come up
with new ideas to improve the economy and
win the war.
3. Editing-
Types of editing styles used in this film are-
➢ Dissolve- The film often uses dissolves to
transition between scenes set in different
locations or at different points in time.
For example, After the war, they use dissolve to
portray the changes occurred like ‘The Great
Depression’, Hynkel taking over, etc.
➢ Cutaway- The film cuts to shots of his generals
and advisors reacting to Hynkel’s words,
highlighting their complicity in his tyranny.