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The Great Dictator (1940)

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PostPosted: Tue May 17, 2005 8:47 pm


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"I don't want to rule or conquer anyone. I shall like to help everyone if possible. Jew,.... black man, white. We all want to help one another, human beings are like that. We want to live by each other's happiness. Not by each other's misery. We don't want to hate or despise one another.
This world has room for everyone, and the good earth is rich and can provide for everyone. The way of life can be free and beautiful, but we have lost the way.

Greed has poisoned men's souls, has barricated the world with hate, has goosestepped us into mysery and bloodshed. We have developed speed, but we have shut ourselves in. Machinery that gives abundance has left us in want. Our knowledge has made us cynical. Our cleverness, hard and unkind. We think too much, and feel too little.
More than machinery, we need humanity. More than cleverness, we need kindness and gentleness. Without these qualities, life will be violent. All will be lost.
The airplane and the radio have brought us closer together, the very nature of these inventions cries out for the goodness in men. Cries out for universal brotherhood, for the unity of us all.

Even now my voice is reaching millions throughout the world. Millions of desparing men, women and children. Victims of a system that makes men toughter, and imprison inocent people. For those who can hear me, I say: Do not despair. The misery that is now upon us is but the passing of greed. The bitterness of men who fear the way of human progress; the hate of men will pass, and dictators die. And the power they took from the people, will return to the people.

And so long as men die, liberty will never perish. Soldiers: Don't give yourselfs to brutes, men who despise you and slave you. Who'll regiment your lives, tell you what to do, what to think, or what to feel; Treat you like cattle, don't give yourselves to these unnatural me. Machine men, with machine minds and machine hearts. You are not machines! You are not cattle! You are men! You have the love of humanity in your hearts, you don't hate. Soldiers! Don't fight for slavery, fight for liberty. In the seventeenth chapter of St. Lucas is written: "The kingdom of God is within men, not one men, not a group of men, but in all men! In you! You the people have the power. The power to create machines, the power to create happiness. You the people have the power to make this life free and beautiful. To make this life a wonderful adventure!

Then in the name of Democracy, let us use that power, let us all unite, let us fight for a new world! A decent world. That will give men a chance to work, that will give you the future and all age of security.

By the promise of these things, brutes have risen to power. But they lie! They do not fulfill that promise, they never will. Dictators free themselves, but they enslave the people. Now let us fight to fulfill that promise! Let us fight to free the world. To do away with national barriers, to do away with greed, with hate and intolerance.

Let us fight for a world of reason. A world where science and progress will lead to all men's happiness." - Chaplin's ending speech.

One of the best, hillarious and most touching movies ever made.

The content of the speech below lets us see a bit of the comunist Chaplin, but also a deeper thinker. One who agrees with Rousseau's societal contract of men's inherent goodness.

Comments about the film, it's political viewpoint of the end?

Liked it, not? :XP
PostPosted: Wed May 18, 2005 2:27 am


As Edmund Blackadder once said of Chaplain: "I find his films about as funny as getting an arrow through the neck, and then discovering there's a gas bill tied to it" xp

Solarfall97


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Crew

PostPosted: Wed May 18, 2005 9:49 am


Solarfall97
As Edmund Blackadder once said of Chaplain: "I find his films about as funny as getting an arrow through the neck, and then discovering there's a gas bill tied to it" xp


Haha, no wonder >.>;

Still there's an important message about Rosseau's Societal Contract in opossition to that of, say, Hobbes which carved for the inherent badness in us all, and to deal justice within men, a monarchy.

Take into account that this movie was released one year before senator McCarty hitted the U.S. of A. with his wonderful display of intelligence (not).
PostPosted: Thu May 19, 2005 3:32 pm


I actually used this movie for a satire painting in my Art class. I took a WWII German Propaganda piece and replaced the figure and flag with that of the Great Dictator and his flag.

Othala

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The Metal Guild

 
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