The Great Dictator - 7

While not officially Chaplin's last film, it is the most significant of his later work (City Lights being his best work). It is not a silent film which Chaplin is known for, although the influence is seen in the sparseness of the dialogue. Chaplin was ahead of his time in this classic case of mistaken identity, this time taking shots at the oppression of Hitler in Germany (note: this is before America was involved WWII). A Jewish barber and Tomanian dictator Adenoid Hynkel look alike and the film tells their separate stories until ending with a heartfelt speech by the lowly barber about human values and freedom. Some of the scenes of Adenoid must have been copied by Mike Myers as Dr. Evil in the Austin Powers series. This is both a funny and disturbing look at the values and destruction that Nazi ideas had on the world. Apparently Hilter viewed this film but his personal reaction is unknown, it was a banned film in Germany (no surprise). Chaplin was actually accused of being a "premature anti-fascist." This film shows the influence of history and culture on the reception and use of film in society, but even on its own this is a good film.