OPERA HOUSE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 85, Issue 123, 28 May 1941, Page 7

OPERA HOUSE

“THE GREAT DICTATOR.” Undoubtedly the most-discussed ture of the past two years, Charlie Chaplin's latest production, “The Great Dictator,” is enjoiyng what should be an exteremcly successful season at the Opera House. The film, produced and directed by Charlie Chaplin himself, is so vastly different from any of his previous successes—for one thing, Chaplin speaks for the first time in "The Great Dictator"—and it strikes such a topical note that it might easily become the greatest picture of the decade. Apart from any deeper significance the satirical title at the two most infamous men in the world to-day, It is a brilliant comedy, with Chaplin far exceeding anything he has done before. Mr. Chaplin may deny that his Adenoid Hynkel is a “take off” of Adolf Hitler, but audiences will not agree with him. Nor will they have any difficulty in identifying Jack Oakie's Napoleoin with the bombastic Mussolini. The whole cast of the film is brilliant. Paulette Goddard, as the Jewish girl, gives a delightful performance and shares in Chapiin's tinal triumph; Jack Oakie draws an hilarious pen-portrait of the Dictator of Bacteria; Henry Dniell and Billy Gilbert are supero as Garbage and Herring, dictator Hyakei s Ministers of Propaganda and War respectively, and Reginald Gardiner and Maurice Moscovitch head the list of minor players. Slapstick comedy, well up to the true Chaplin tradition cutting satire of present-day dictatorship and, as already stated, a ringing denunciation of all totalitarianism stands foi are outstanding features of this Chaplin masterpiece.