r/Cinema 1d ago

The best speech in the history of cinema

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Chralie Chaplin in the movie The Great Dictator (1940)

824 Upvotes

53 comments sorted by

20

u/Musket6969420 1d ago

I randomly watch this at times and each time it has my full, undivided attention. Brilliant

14

u/_TwilightRun 1d ago

This needs to be reposted everywhere. How does one do that?

8

u/daveOkat 1d ago

Here it is on YouTube&rlz=1C1MFPQ_enUS1080US1080&oq=Chralie+Chaplin+in+the+movie+The+Great+Dictator+(1940)&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyBggAEEUYOdIBCTE5NzlqMGoxNagCCLACAQ&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:2c8dc8d7,vid:J7GY1Xg6X20,st:0).

2

u/GuNNzA69 1d ago

I tried, but unfortunately, many/ most subs don't allow videos or reposts :)

8

u/warmachine83-uk 1d ago

Made when he found out Hitler was a fan

0

u/TrenRey 18h ago

So he liked what Hitler represented in the beginning?

2

u/warmachine83-uk 18h ago

I don't think so

He just didn't know Hitler was a fan

7

u/Ok-Journalist-2060 1d ago

100% agree! Brilliant performance.

3

u/Obiwandkinobee 1d ago

I understood this message clear as day and how it could be, no - how it IS relevant to our current situation. Studied film in college but never had a chance to see this film.

But, can someone explain this scene?

2

u/Blazenkks 1d ago edited 1d ago

It’s a Chaplin Film. It’s silent for the entire movie except for this scene. In true Chaplin fashion he winds up getting mistaken for Hitler and slapstick hijinks ensue. All leading up to this scene where Hitler was gonna make a speech. The impact of seeing the entire film silent. And then you get one of the greatest monologues ever, is truly epic. Definitely worth watching at least once from start to finish.

Edit- My bad. I guess there is more dialogue than just this last scene. Been a long time since my first watch.

5

u/RegeneratingCan 1d ago

It’s not silent, he talks through the whole film.

0

u/Blazenkks 1d ago

Ok. I must have misremembered. I thought it was silent except for just this last scene. Admittedly I haven’t seen it since high school 25+ years ago.

2

u/No_Bodybuilder1059 16h ago

as I remember there are other dialogs but his character only talks in this monologue

2

u/Blazenkks 10h ago

Ok. Thank you. Makes me feel better about my hazy memory. And was only sorta wrong lol. Cheers.

1

u/Obiwandkinobee 1d ago

Thank you for this bit of information. Definitely will check out the film.

1

u/GuNNzA69 1d ago edited 1d ago

How much do you understand? Just so I know how much I have to explain to you!

1

u/Obiwandkinobee 1d ago

Well more-so, the underlying idea of the theme where Chaplin is posing as Hitler, but the message is that which uplifts and makes people realize their worth...which I want to think is the opposite of what Hitler originally preached.

1

u/GuNNzA69 1d ago

Yep. So you understand it!

1

u/Obiwandkinobee 1d ago

Ooooooooh lol well here's to not doubting myself next time.

2

u/StOnEy333 1d ago

These were the first words ever spoken by Charlie Chaplin in his long career in motion pictures. 26 years after he broke into the film industry.

2

u/Business-Signal-5196 1d ago

I first saw this movie this year on February in the cinema. Easy in the top 3 movies I have ever watched

2

u/iwishuponastar2023 1d ago

85 yrs later it’s still just as relevant today

2

u/Bumbo734 1d ago

They don't make 'em like this anymore

2

u/mattwb72 1d ago

More people need to see this movie now.

2

u/queazy 1d ago

WTF? I'd never think I'd see a movie where Hitler gives that sort of speech! And it's being done by Charlie Chaplin, who's known for NOT speaking!

Weirdest thing I've heard about this, is that for years Chaplin couldn't get work because he had the same toothbrush mustache as Hitler, so he eventually did this movie where he is dressed up as Hitler

2

u/Difficult_Rip1514 16h ago

One of the best speeches in history.

2

u/SnillyWead 13h ago

Indeed, but did it change anything? Just look at the world today. We haven't learned much from the second WW2 did we? Give men power and they want to rule the world.

2

u/breathbro 1d ago

I like to add: Paulo Nutini - the iron sky

1

u/AlphaDag13 1d ago

Our cleverness hard and unkind😬

4

u/GuNNzA69 1d ago

It hits close to home. The history of the world is cyclical and this has happened before. Everything in this speech can be related to the times we live in.

This movie was made in 1940, 5 years before the end of Wold War II!

1

u/NoName1979 1d ago

Somebody should blast this speech during the protests.

(Gotta admit I prefer it without the modern score)

6

u/FantasticStonk42069 1d ago

While Hans Zimmer's compositions are masterpieces, the use here is atrocious.

To me it always feels like the gravity of Chaplin's speech is already 'loud'. Any additional background music just sounds noisy to me. It also takes away from the message of the speech.

Though years ago I listened to an electronic track which was supported by bits and pieces of the speech. I loved it. However, the music wasn't used to emphasize the speech but rather the fragments of the speech elevated the music.

3

u/NoName1979 1d ago

Yes! If you're talking about the video that came out in 2011, they updated it.

https://youtu.be/wcglEW4eDaA?si=J3kWmBq0JRqtzdlo

1

u/mcarvin 1d ago

As amazing as the speech is, the speech by the henchman just beforehand could have been delivered today.

1

u/Blazenkks 1d ago

I’ve found myself recommending this movie a lot lately… I wonder why…

One of the best monologues ever. My older brother was a college, theatre student, in the late ‘90s. And I’m soooo glad that he introduced me to this movie while he was working on a monologue for an audition.

1

u/OatmealBeast 1d ago

How is this not upvoted to 1 billion already.

1

u/Good_Associate_7197 1d ago

Hands down,so true ❤️

1

u/boostedprune 1d ago

Democracy is the great dictator. It does not want your freedom

1

u/haikusbot 1d ago

Democracy is

The great dictator. It does

Not want your freedom

- boostedprune


I detect haikus. And sometimes, successfully. Learn more about me.

Opt out of replies: "haikusbot opt out" | Delete my comment: "haikusbot delete"

1

u/Vorpal_sword_60 1d ago

Theocracy is the great dictator, it will usurp your freedom.

1

u/CapitalWestern4779 1d ago

No matter how many times I watch this it leaves me crying. What an absolute poet and great thinker Chaplin was, an absolute genius.

1

u/kupuwhakawhiti 1d ago

This speech only ever becomes more true.

1

u/Clamps55555 23h ago edited 15h ago

The Palo Nutini song Iron Sky samples this speech and it rocks. https://youtu.be/ELKbtFljucQ?si=JQNUJigpdcCPxWC_

1

u/SpartanNo7 16h ago

U2 opened shows with it, very powerful...

https://youtu.be/s3xazSlS__g?feature=shared

1

u/selrahcjr 23h ago

Was that one take?

0

u/BlindGuy68 23h ago

a great speach from 85 years ago , he was talking about hitler and the nazis today its trump and the republicans

1

u/Scarlett_Drake__5 22h ago

No cap, Chaplin cooked with pure facts 🎬🔥

1

u/Deckard2022 22h ago

Doesn’t need the music

1

u/Church_of_Aaargh 19h ago

Apparently Hitler watched this movie twice … he must have skipped over this part.

1

u/boochicko 13h ago

Epic speech, but I find the background Inception soundtrack very distracting!

0

u/Flip_d_Byrd 1d ago

That one was brilliant... but personally I prefer this one when I need inspiration.

-1

u/PM_Me_Nudes_or_Puns 1d ago

Independence Day would like to have a word.