The Great Dictator

Charlie Chaplin is undoubtably the most loved silent film star and figure, but eventually even he began to write, direct and star in movies with speech. His first movie in which he spoke was The Great Dictator, a parody of Nazi Germany and Hitler. This was certainly not the first "talkie" movie made, but it was his first and when he finally did speak, boy did he have a lot to say...

This was a comedic movie, but Chaplin dropped it for this speech. He denounces hate, greed, and intolerance and instead demands love, kindness, and freedom for all. It is a powerful message that is still important today. The simplicity of the shots is also important to notice. For the most part, the shot stays on a medium shot of Chaplin talking to his audience. It does not change much, strengthening the power of his message and making it seem even more absolute. Sometimes when watching movies important moments get over-edited, when in the end simplicity would better serve to convey the message or sense of an important scene.