"The Great Dictator" (1940)
Hollywood biographer Scott Eyman discussed his book, "Charlie Chaplin vs. America," and the impact of the silent film star's 1940 film, "The Great Dictator."
Description
Hollywood biographer Scott Eyman discussed his book, "Charlie Chaplin vs. America," and the impact of the silent film star's 1940 film, "The Great Dictator."
Bell Ringer Assignment
- How did Charlie Chaplin’s creation of "The Great Dictator" (1940) demonstrate “courage?” Explain.
- With whose views did Chaplin agree, and with which “weapons” did he fight?
- Summarize Chaplin’s comments when he “broke character” at the end of the film. What was the impact of this moment? Why?
- Why did President Franklin D. Roosevelt and Jack Warner “reach out” to Chaplin? Was the film a “commercial success?”
Additional Resources
- Video Clip: Influence of Film on Culture
- Bell Ringer: Film Ratings and Government Censorship
- Bell Ringer: German Plans for the Battle of Britain
- Bell Ringer: The Beginning of WWII in Europe
- Bell Ringer: Hitler's Approach to the Press
- Bell Ringer: WWII Army Spy Cartoon
- Lesson Plan: World War II
- Lesson Plan: Dictatorships and Totalitarian Governments
- Lesson Plan: Hollywood and World War Two
Participants
Vocabulary
- Adolf Hitler
- Antisemitic
- Attack On Pearl Harbor (1941)
- Authoritarian
- Charlie Chaplin
- Congress
- Doubletalk
- Fascist
- Franklin D. Roosevelt
- Gentile
- Hollywood
- Isolationist
- Jack Warner
- Jew
- Jewish
- Modern Times (1936)
- Nazi
- Neville Chamberlain
- Oval Office
- Prime Minister
- Publicity
- Ridicule
- Satire
- Silent Film
- The Great Dictator (1940)
- Winston Churchill
- World War Two (1939-45)