The Great Dictator (United Artists) is the story of a little, persecuted Jewish barber (Charlie Chaplin) living in a state ruled by a nasty dictator (also Charlie Chaplin) and how the two finally find their roles reversed. Mr. Chaplin put into it four infallible ingredients:
Slapstick he provided liberally—Chaplin the soldier of World War I firing an anti-aircraft gun in all heavenly and earthly directions; Chaplin the dictator who takes a huge mouthful of English mustard; Jack Oakie, the rival dictator, mugging and talking tough.
Satire in all its refinements and lack of refinement also went into the pot—crude take-offs on a dictator's...
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