Charles Chaplin's film The Great Dictator (1940) is remembered as a brave, mocking and poignant strike against Hitler’s ambitions. After making the film, Chaplin was one day speaking to his son, Charles Jr. He said of Hitler, “he’s the madman, I’m the comic; but it could have been the other way around.” It could have been. But the son of the comic knew both the persona and the man. The big joke – that the dictator and the clown were so different, had worn thin long ago. What can distract and seduce us in narcissism is the distinctiveness that it pursues in its development of a persona - whether it be the clown or the dictator.
The clown channeling his alter ego through the dictator. Interesting piece of information about Chaplin. Who could have known that his comic career was one giant well-constructed reaction formation!!!
Such an interesting read. I knew nothing about Chaplins personal life and it’s fascinating to read this account contrasted with Hitlers
Thanks! I forgot to link to my main article on Chaplin - one of my first on Substack - which puts this in context of his childhood experiences:
https://simonrogoff.substack.com/p/icon-no-3-charles-chaplin?r=27zldx
This is a fascinating read about Chaplin and his pathological behaviour. Shadows, shadows everywhere!
The clown channeling his alter ego through the dictator. Interesting piece of information about Chaplin. Who could have known that his comic career was one giant well-constructed reaction formation!!!
Yes thats a good way to put it.
Thank you for your unique and valuable work!
Hitler may have been a failed artist, as he is often portrayed, but he was an accomplished actor.
So much food for thought here. Thank you!
This probably warrants spitting on him at a public library.