The Great Dictator (1940): cast, story & where to watch
1940 · Film · ★ 8.3
Released in 1940, The Great Dictator is a comedy and war film directed by Charlie Chaplin, running about 125 minutes. “Once again - the whole world laughs!” — that tagline sets the tone.
What it’s about. Dictator Adenoid Hynkel tries to expand his empire while a poor Jewish barber tries to avoid persecution from Hynkel's regime.
Who’s in it. The Great Dictator stars Charlie Chaplin as Adenoid Hynkel, Dictator of Tomania / A Jewish Barber, Jack Oakie as Benzino Napaloni, Dictator of Bacteria, Reginald Gardiner as Commander Schultz and Henry Daniell as Garbitsch, among others.
How it landed. With an audience score of 8.3/10, The Great Dictator sits among the best-reviewed titles in the catalogue. It went on to earn $11M at the box office.
Where to watch. In US you can stream it on fuboTV, HBO Max Amazon Channel, YouTube TV and Criterion Channel and rent or buy it from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store and Fandango At Home. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch The Great Dictator page.
If you liked it. Fans of The Great Dictator tend to enjoy Forrest Gump, Parasite, Life Is Beautiful and Fight Club.
Frequently asked
- Where can I watch The Great Dictator (1940)?
- In US, The Great Dictator is available to stream on fuboTV, HBO Max Amazon Channel and YouTube TV, and rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store and Fandango At Home. Availability varies by country — check our where-to-watch page for every region.
- Is The Great Dictator worth watching?
- The Great Dictator holds an audience score of 8.3 out of 10, and is a strong pick if you enjoy comedy and war. Most viewers rate it highly.
- Who stars in The Great Dictator?
- The Great Dictator stars Charlie Chaplin, Jack Oakie, Reginald Gardiner, Henry Daniell and Billy Gilbert.
- When was The Great Dictator released?
- The Great Dictator was released in 1940, with a runtime of about 125 minutes.