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Hedda Hopper, Los Angeles Times, L. A., Cal., Oct. 16, 1940.

Shanghai in the 1940s, Historypin Blog, Pinterest

& Chaplins Hitlerfilm – ein Sensationserfolg

      New York, 15. Okt. Reuter. Heute war hier die Premiere

(...) Acht Uhr Abendblatt, Shanghai, China,

Oct. 16, 1940, front page

& Danton Walker

(...) Photo, Screenland, Oct. 1953

& Broadway

      By DANTON Walker. (...)

      Charlie Chaplin ‘s long-awaited „Dictator“ film turns out

to be a custard pie comedy based on the horror and

tragedy of the European situation – two things that don‘t mix –

and if he gets his money back on the venture it will

be one of the miracles of show business . . .

(...) Daily News, New York, Oct. 16, 1940

& Anatole Litvak and Paulette Goddard met 1940 and caused

a scandal in the Hollywood restaurant and nightclub

Ciro‘s. There are several accounts as to what may have

happened including one alleging that upon losing

one of her earrings. Paulette met Litvak under the table where

they remained for a long time and began making

rather convincing groans. Text and photo paulette-goddard.fr

& Gene Lester photographs Charles Chaplin and

Paulette Goddard at Ciro's nightclub in Hollywood, Cal.,

1940, Getty Images

„Left me colder than an icicle“

Editorial content.  „Hedda Hopper‘s HOLLYWOOD

      Charlie Chaplin‘s The Great Dictator, for which we‘ve had

an anticipatory Thrill, is difficult to write about. I can only

liken it to an admiral going to a fancy dress ball wearing rufffles

on his panties – then without being given time to change,

being called into battle. It would be hilariously funny and still

funnier when he took command.

      You can‘t turn a comic into a great natural dramatic star,

not even Chaplin. His pantomime, his bubble dance,

with the balloon of the world, were riotous. But his speech

at the finish of the picture left me colder than an icicle.

It was so over-rehearsed that all feeling was squeezed out.

      Understood he took that speech in three sections –

10,000 feet the first day, 8000 the second and 6000 the third.

Great emotion can‘t be measured by footage. Same

thing happened with Paulette Goddard. Her performance

was good, but there was little heart in it.

      Jack Oakie gave the most consistent performance. He never

out out of character.

      For pantomime, satire, comedy, Chaplin has no peer.

But for unadulterated feeling, I‘ll still take Jimmy Stewart and

Judy Garland.

      Karl Struss‘ photography was excellent, as always. Meredith

Willson‘s score was something to shout about. I‘d like

to hand a bouquet to Evelyn Earle, script girl, who worked

harder than any person on the picture.

      And with all this talk about Paulette being in Bermuda, or

Mexico City, what do you bet she‘ll make a spectacular

landing, descend upon New York, and swipe the spotlight from

Charlie? Her name has been linked with Anatole

Litvak‘s, but she happens to be a pretty good friend of Jock

Whitney, too – or didn‘t you know?“

     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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