Tools for this page
Print

The Great Dictator

(1940, Rated G, Classic, Starring Charlie Chaplin, Paulette Goddard, Jack Oakie)

  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

    (Flash is loading. If this text does not disappear you need to install the latest flash version)

    Not age appropriate for kids under 8, age appropriate for kids over 10; suggested age 10.

  • Is it any good?

    5.0

  • Common Sense says

    Comic genius blitzkriegs the Third Reich.

Why We Rated This on for Ages 10 and Up

The good stuff

  • Messages:

    No question who the good guys and the bad guys are, even with Chaplin in dual roles as the egomaniacal dictator Hynkel and the Jewish barber/war veteran. The attitude flirts with humanism -- the heroine posits that if God doesn't really exist, people should still be nice to one another as if He did. In a final speech, practically presidential-candidate in intensity, the barber quotes the Bible and calls for freedom, equality, compassion, and unity of all races, and there's little doubt this isn't the character but instead Chaplin himself speaking his mind.
 

What to watch out for

  • Violence:

    Battlefield slapstick with explosions, giant cannons, and mortar shells for comic effect. Men shot at close range. Jews tormented with beatings, thrown vegetables, and an attempted hanging. Distant views of a ghetto on fire.

  • Sex:

    Nothing shown, but secretaries swoon for dictator Hynkel, who smooches them flagrantly.

  • Language:

    Not an issue.

  • Consumerism:

    Not an issue.

  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    Social drinking and smoking.
 

What Parents Need to Know

About The Great Dictator

Parents need to know that there is a depiction of fascist thuggery, concentration camps, and violence directed against the "non-Aryans" (Jews, primarily; no specific mention of gypsies, Catholics, Poles, Slavs, etc.) of Europe. Chaplin's approach is way milder than the Schindler's List horrors and newsreel footage of corpse-piles that were to confront shocked moviegoers in later years. Some viewers might think it's even too mild, though that's an unfair burden to put on this film.

Did this review help you decide?

Families Can Talk About

  • Families can talk about the rise of the Third Reich and Mussolini's Italy, and how Charlie Chaplin skillfully turned some of the most frightening real-life villains into buffoons. You could research the other sorts of movies coming out at the time, from Axis Germany, Italy, Japan, and the USSR -- and how they served their own "great dictators'" aims. While some movies from Nazi Berlin certainly did glorify fascism (check out Leni Riefenstahl's Triumph of the Will, if you dare), others were deliberately non-political, meant to take the average citizen's mind off war. Ask kids if they think Chaplin's pointed comedy holds up well today, or is a WWII relic. Who are today's "great dictators"? And who are the comedians today that make them into buffoons?
Tools and tips that can help

Want more? Get Common Sense recommendations delivered to your inbox.

Our Members Say

Have you seen it? Review It!

  • What did you think about The Great Dictator?

  •  I think this movie is

    for ages

  •  I also give it

  •  Any concerns?

  •  Any highlights?

  •  Love it? Hate it?

  • or to post a review

Most Recent Reviews

  1. Teen Reviewer Age 16
    who3697cares
    Lives in Pennsylvania
    I rate this title on for age 10 and give it 5.0

    Chaplin's best

    Hilarious. Parents might want to explain much of the film to children, though. Also, please note that it was made before the horrors of the Holocaust were revealed, so it isn't completely accurate.

    This review...

    Helped me decide | Had useful details | Read my mind
    Flag as inappropriate

More Great Stuff For Your Kids

  • Now Playing

    Age 9+
    Where the Wild Things Are

    Where the Wild Things Are

    Sometimes-dark adaptation focuses on friendship, loneliness.

  • Tech Tip

    Learn the basics with our latest video.How to Text

    Learn the basics with our latest video.

  • Book of the Week

    Age 10+
    Million-Dollar Throw

    Million-Dollar Throw

    Another Lupica sensitive dad/son sports story.

  • Issue Spotlight

    The 10 Most Violent Video Games (And 10 Alternatives)

    The 10 Most Violent Video Games (And 10 Alternatives)

    Our video game experts weigh in.

  • Download This

    Age 10+
    The Twilight Saga: New Moon Soundtrack

    The Twilight Saga: New Moon Soundtrack

    Dark, cool tunes OK for kids too young for the movie.

Give Us a Minute, Get a Lot of Common Sense!
  • Age-appropriate best bets for your kids
  • Weekly email alert with the latest picks, reviews & advice
  • Post your own reviews and share them with friends
This will never be displayed to others.
Your email will never be displayed to others.
Your password should be 6-10 characters long.
A screen name protects your privacy
(It's free!)

Already a member? Log in
Your family's privacy is our highest priority.
See our privacy policy, community guidelines, and terms of use.
To post a review or comment you must become a Common Sense Member. It's easy!
Set-up your account
This will never be displayed to others.
Your email will never be displayed to others.
Your password should be 6-10 characters long.
Choose a screen name
It will appear when you post your own reviews and recommendations.
A screen name protects your privacy
Tell us your children's ages
You'll see the movies, games, books, shows, music, and sites our editors select just for them. As your children get older, our picks will grow with them!Why we ask for this
We never display your children's names, (or nicknames) to anyone, but you. Providing your children's ages allows us to personalize information on our site, so you get better information, faster.
is
until
(optional)
is
until
is
until
is
until
is
until
is
until
Add another child

Already a member? Log in
Your family's privacy is our highest priority.
See our privacy policy, community guidelines, and terms of use.
We can make Common Sense just right for you. With a little info about you and your family, you'll get the most out of our site.
Set-up your account
This will never be displayed to others.
Your email will never be displayed to others.
Your password should be 6-10 characters long.
Tell us your children's ages
You'll see the movies, games, books, shows, music, and sites our editors select just for them. As your children get older, our picks will grow with them!
Why we ask for this
We never display your children's names, (or nicknames) to anyone, but you. Providing your children's ages allows us to personalize information on our site, so you get better information, faster.
is
until
is
until
is
until
is
until
is
until
is
until
Add another child
Choose a screen name
It will appear when you post your own reviews and recommendations
A screen name protects your privacy
Already a member? Log in
Your family's privacy is our highest priority.
See our privacy policy, community guidelines, and terms of use.
Register to add this school to your profile. You'll be able to see and share reviews from parents, teachers, and kids at your child's school.
I'm already a Common Sense member.
Kids under 13 must use a screen name
Your family's privacy is our highest priority.
See our privacy policy, community guidelines, and terms of use.