A few days ago, a friend and I were visiting on the telephone, talking about the state of the union. The subject of Charlie Chaplin came up and we both agreed he was an amazing person. Tonight, President Obama will give the State of the Union Address and so finding this video today seems rather timely. It's from the Charlie Chaplin movie, "The Great Dictator." First released in October, 1940, its relevance today is almost astonishing.
https://youtu.be/J7GY1Xg6X20
The past 70 years since this was recorded have not been easy on humankind.
ReplyDeleteThe greed of the world still tramples us.
I am reminded of Mario Savio's speech at Berkeley in 1964
wanderoke.blogspot.com
If any one gave this speech today the plug with be pulled in more ways than one.
ReplyDeleteThis state of the union speech will be a campaign speech.
And now for the rest of the story.
Charlie's speech is a few steps behind the political rhetoric of today.I agree with RealityZone that Obama's speech will be a campaign speech. Also agree with Wanderoke that greed still tramples us. The whole of the political gang wears on me. -- barbara
ReplyDeleteFor comic relief, I would like to hear Herman Cain's Tea Party response to this.
ReplyDelete9-9-9-
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing this wonderful speech!
ReplyDeleteWatching his initial expression I looked for the silent film silly.Then the voice was unique to hear, I thought I had seen this.
ReplyDeleteSimply wonderful!
ReplyDeleteYou the people have the power!!! If we would just believe this, things would be different. This was really great. I never knew about anything he had done in a serious vein. Funny what you never learn. That is why it is important to learn something new each day, no matter how old we are. Thanks for sharing this.
ReplyDeleteI watched Chaplin -- all of it. Thanks, brilliant, moving.
ReplyDeleteThe State of the Union speech is on right now. I listened as long as I could, and now only images on the screen are left, as I turned off the sound and came over to my computer. Charlie Chaplin is what I listened to, instead. I am worried about the future of my country.
ReplyDeleteMy days and nights being flipped I slept right through the President's speech. Sadly, I think Charlie was probably more uplifting at this point. You're right. We may think things will change, but they seem to stay the same with politics...no matter which side you are on or if you try to stand in the middle. We have become THE star example to the world of how "money talks". The people would have to unite--yes!! In a big way. We will have to learn, as a species, that we need to take care of each other and the earth...like we tried to change in the 60s. I think some things have changed A LOT, but changing that greed thing has been most difficult. Insidious. Camouflaged. Denied. Making actions legally untouchable. But I think the earth will only tolerate just so much from us. I have faith in her survival, if not ours--LOL! ;)
ReplyDeleteHello Teresa! Once again a greeting from the little old lady! I saw "The Dictator" in 1945, it came to us just after the war.I was a teenager, and the film was very moving to all of us. It is still fresh after all these years.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing.
Grethe
Still fresh and sadly still immensely relevant.
ReplyDeleteThank you for all your fine comments. One of the things I have come to appreciate about the genius of Chaplin was his way of using humor to get to much deeper truths. Every one of his films contains an underlying understanding of human nature. He was just a wonderful person and I'm so glad this spoke to so many of you as it did me.
ReplyDeleteI've had more than one person write me and tell me posting comments was a problem so I have changed the format to see if that solves it. Please email me if there continues to be a problem. Thanks!
"we need kindness and gentleness", truer words never spoken and exactly relevant to today. thanks for posting this Teresa.
ReplyDeleteAlways surprises me that Charlie Chaplin was so good looking. I'm mildly surprised that a good looking man like that would let himself become famous as a weird little comic.
ReplyDeleteMind you, I suppose it made him a lot of money! :)
Great reminder of why Chaplin is pre-eminent among movie makers. His speech reminded me of this. Not the montage of images I would have chosen but ohhhhhh, my friend, this song. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3RNDNlhYl58
ReplyDeleteCharlie Chaplin would have made a good President. But then someone would have come along and claimed he wasn't born in the US of A.
ReplyDeleteTruly spoken Alan.
ReplyDeleteGreat acting of Mr Chaplin too, and a long speech to memorize, I wonder who the writer was. His words are very relevant and still moving. Thanks for posting Teresa I hadn't seen this before!
Chaplin wrote, directed, and starred in the movie.
DeleteThank you, Steven. I intended to come back and answer Jane's question and forgot to do so.
DeleteGreat post and great comments. Everything changes but wisdom is eternal.
ReplyDeleteI just want to thank everyone again for taking the time to view it and for all your thoughtful comments. I was transfixed by his passion in delivering this plea to humankind to act from our better natures and create the world we really do want for ourselves and everyone.
ReplyDeleteDear Teresa,
ReplyDeleteThank you. I watched the Chaplin video/speech today--two days after listening to President Obama's State of the Union address. I remain convinced that he, too, wants all humankind "to act from our better natures and create the world we really do want for ourselves and others."
And yet, money/greed continues to have the highest power in our country. It is not Congress or the President who lead us. it is CEO's and corporations and lobbyists. Unless we can change that, I think that Rita might be right--our natural world will endure, but we will go the way of those who have forgotten the brotherhood and sisterhood of human kind.
Peace.