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The Great Dictator Clippings 150/369

Edwin Schallert, Los Angeles Times, L. A., Cal., Oct. 15, 1940.

Edwin Schallert

(...) Photo, Los Angeles Times, June 23, 1939

& „Dictator“ Preview for Press Only

      BY READ KENDALL

      Unique in the annals of modern picture previews, the

long-awaited Charles Chaplin production of „The

Great Dictator“ was presented last night on the Carthay

Circle Theater screen. (...)

      Alfred Reeves, vice-president and general-manager

of the studio, did the honors for Chaplin last night,

as did Henry Bergman, general assistant to the director-star.

      For once in their lives newspaper cameramen

failed to get a picture. There were so few prominent people

from the motion picture industry that there wasn‘t

a real shot in the whole crowd.

(...) Los Angeles Times, Oct. 15, 1940

„The throng applauded his juggling of the world“

Editorial content. „CHAPLIN FILM SHOWS

      FLASHES OF GENIUS

      BY EDWIN SCHALLERT

      In days to come it will never be denied that there are

flashes of the Charlie Chaplin genius in The Great

Dictator. At long last, his picture arrived last night in preview

at the Carthay Circle Theater. It is at once

a phenomenon and a strange inharmonious anomaly

in the modern world of the talking picture.“ (...)

      IRONIC JARGON

      Unquestionably did Chaplin embark on the expression

of an idea which was rich in satirical possibilities,

and in his jargonish speeches as Hynkel, Dictator of Tomania,

he makes much of the ironies. The audience was

convulsed during the first of these. In fact, even the repetition

of this sardonic business by Chaplin won a consistent

acclaim. The throng applauded his juggling of the world. His final

speech gained, at first sight, an awed appreciation.

      But regardless of all the tributes that may be paid Chaplin

for individual moments in The Great Dictator, the fact

stands before one starkly and relentlessly that this is not a motion

picture of full and consistent impressiveness. It sinks

to sophomoric moments, and even to dullness. It evinces clearly

the fact that the man who molded the medium into

a veritable visual art in his early comedies flounders uncertainly

in the audible form.

      MAY PROVOKE ARGUMENT

      Very reluctantly, the preview audience, which included many

of Chaplin‘s most faithful admirers, were forced to admit

that his picture, considering all the advance heraldings, reached

a disappointing denouement. It will succeed, perhaps,

because it will provoke argument and wide comment. Anything

that has had such a terrific build-up as The Great Dictator

cannot fail of attention.“ (...)

      The Great Dictator world premiere is in New York Oct. 15, 1940

      at the Capitol and Astor Theatres.

      Capitol Theatre, 1645 Broadway (at 51st Street), New York. 

      Astor Theatre, 1531 Broadway (at 45th Street), New York.

   

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