The Great Dictator 1939 1941 next previous
The Great Dictator Clippings 247/369
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A.D., Guardian, Manchester, England, December 12,1940.
C. A. Lejeune with her son Anthony Lejeune, taken by her
husband Edward Roffe Thompson, probably in the garden of their
home in Pinner, North London, June 1, 1931
& Triple London Premiere
For „Dictator“ Monday (...)
Picture will play at the Prince of Wales, Gaumont Haymarket
and the Arch Pavilion.
(...) Film Daily, Dec. 12, 1940
& The Films
By C. A. Lejeune
PUNCHINELLO NO MORE
In all the hullabaloo about the topical satire of Chaplin‘s
new film one fact is apt to be overlooked. It is a fact
that is as important to some of us as the film‘s politics, or its
timeliness. That is the fine, full flowering of Chaplin
as an artist. „The Great Dictator“ is uneven as a work; harsh
at some moments, sentimental at others, brilliant,
even noble, in many parts. But as an expression of the
special quality that is Chaplin‘s it stands alone.
The ghost of every trick that Chapin has ever played
is in the Film somewhere. (...)
My own belief is that Chaplin speaks because
he must and, because he must the act does not seem strange
or surprising. (...)
The fitness of that last speech will exite the arguments
of filmgoers for weeks to come. The whole thesis
and timeliness of the film will be a vexed topic into which
I do not intend to intrude my opinions. I am a film
critic, and as a film critic I can simply promise you that „The
Great Dictator“ contains the wittiest, wisest, and most
cunning film-work that Chaplin has ever done. It presents
the comedian for the first time in his full stature
as an artist. He might have waited all his life for just this
one film.
(...) Observer, London, Dec. 15, 1940
See also Observer, London, Dec. 29, 1940.
& PICTURE THEATRES (...)
PRINCE OF WALES (...) To-morrow, U. K. Premiere
Charles Chaplin THE GREAT DICTATOR (U).
Four separate perfs Daily 10 a. m., 12.35, 3.10, 5.45.
(...) Ad, Observer, London, Dec. 15, 1940
„Our laughter freezes on our lips“
Editorial content. „,THE GREAT DICTATOR‘
Mr. Chaplin‘s New Film Shown in London
London, Wednesday.
It was a dazed audience which came away from
the private showing of The Great Dictator this morning, and
one which quite obviously did not know what to think.
The band had just played the beginning of the National Anthem,
and followed it up immediately with a brisk American
march by Sousa. Leicester Square outside was busily patching
its wounds. The greatest comedian in the world had just
been giving a two-hour-long impersonation of the unfunniest
man now alive, and had concluded the persevering
satire with a suddenly serious and impassioned oration,
an appeal for humanity and against tyranny, for the
human soul against the soul-destroying machines of war. This
was spoken by a little Jewish barber whom the crowd
had mistaken for its dictator.
No wonder we were and remain more than a little
dazed! Mr. Chaplin is quite obviously sincere
in his final eloquence. He is white with sincerity. He has
dropped all his cajolery and fun, and speaks like
a man inspired by indignation, not at all like a great little
comedian winding up his own film.“ (...)
„Some of the fooling is, of course, inspired. There
is a brilliant scene in which Charlie, the old Charlie
for five minutes, eats pudding with five Jews and hopes not
to find in it a coin which will send him on a perilous
task. There is one flash of comical disgust when Chaplin, back
in that dictatorial uniform, realises that the baby
he has just dandled has been overresponsive. There is an
enchanting minute or two when Charlie shaves
a customer to a familiar Hungarian dance of Brahms. These
things are funny, and it is a great relief to laugh at
them and to hear the warm laughter they evoke. But almost
everywhere else our laughter freezes on our lips. A. D.“
The U. K. premiere of The Great Dictator is
Dec. 16, 1940 at the Prince of Wales Theatre in London.
Prince of Wales Theatre, Coventry Street, London.
It‘s the central London run of the film, concurrent with the
Gaumont Haymarket and the Marble Arch Pavilion.
Gaumont Theatre, Kilburn High Road, London.
Marble Arch Pavilion, Piccadilly Circus, London.
Redaktioneller Inhalt
The Great Dictator 1939 1941 next previous
