Chaplin plays dual roles in what was his first dialogue film: a burlesque of Hitler alias Adenoid Hynkel, and a Jewish barber who returns an amnesiac many years after an accident in World War I, unaware of the rise of Nazism. The parody of Hitler draws not only on Chaplin’s genius for mime but also on his vocal resources. His most experimental work, the film was politically audacious for the times receiving a mixed reception in an America in the grip of isolationism but an enthusiastic one in blitzed London. Cast includes Paulette Goddard, Jack Oakie and Reginald Gardiner.
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Collection
In ACMI's collection
Credits
Collection metadata
ACMI Identifier
313405
Language
English
Audience classification
G
Subject categories
Armed Forces, Military, War & Weapons → Hitler, Adolf, 1889-1945
Economics, Philosophy, Politics, Religion & Sociology → Political satire
Feature films → Feature films - United States
Sound/audio
Sound
Colour
Black and White
Holdings
VHS; Access Print (Section 1)