The Great Dictator
“Once again - the whole world laughs!”
Dictator Adenoid Hynkel tries to expand his empire while a poor Jewish barber tries to avoid persecution from Hynkel's regime.
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Cast
65 people
Charlie Chaplin
Adenoid Hynkel, Dictator of Tomania / A Jewish Barber
Known for
Modern Times
City Lights
Paulette Goddard
Hannah
Known for
Modern Times
Reap the Wild Wind
Jack Oakie
Benzino Napaloni, Dictator of Bacteria
Known for
Lover Come Back
It Happened Tomorrow
Reginald Gardiner
Commander Schultz
Known for
The Flying Deuces
Christmas in Connecticut
Henry Daniell
Garbitsch
Known for
Witness for the Prosecution
The Body Snatcher
Billy Gilbert
Field Marshal Herring
Known for
Fun and Fancy Free
County Hospital
Grace Hayle
Madame Napaloni
Also in
Mr. Moto in Danger Island
Dangerous Mission
Carter DeHaven
Spook
Also in
The Girl in the Taxi
A Waggin' Tale
Maurice Moscovitch
Mr. Jaeckel
Known for
Make Way for Tomorrow
Love Affair
Emma Dunn
Mrs. Jaeckel
Known for
Son of Frankenstein
Mr. & Mrs. Smith
Bernard Gorcey
Mr. Mann
Also in
The Bowery Boys Meet the Monsters
Pickup
Paul Weigel
Mr. Agar
Known for
The Invisible Ray
Charlie Chaplin Director · Meredith Willson Composer Karl Struss Cinematographer
Worldwide gross $11M · Budget $2M · United States release October 23, 1940
Box office
Budget
$2,000,000
Worldwide gross
$11,000,000
Gross vs. budget
5.5×
Production
Charles Chaplin Productions
Production
Roy Export Company Establishment
Production
United Artists Pictures
Studio · Production
United States
Produced in
Languages
Original language
English
Spoken on screen
English · Esperanto
Release dates
Türkiye · October 15, 1940
Theatrical
United States · October 23, 1940
Theatrical · Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
United States
October 15, 1940 · Premiere · New York City, New York (Capitol and Astor Theatres)
October 25, 1940 · Premiere · Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
October 31, 1940 · Theatrical · Chicago, Illinois
November 4, 1940 · Theatrical · Denver, Colorado
March 7, 1941 · Theatrical
Argentina
December 30, 1940 · Premiere · Paraná, Entre Ríos
May 31, 1945 · Theatrical
Australia
December 21, 1940 · Theatrical
November 1, 1976 · Theatrical · Re-release
Austria
December 30, 1940 · Limited theatrical · Re-release
Belgium
June 22, 1945 · Theatrical
March 30, 1973 · Theatrical · Gent (Re-release)
October 16, 2002 · Theatrical · Re-release
Brazil
August 12, 1942 · Theatrical
September 23, 2005 · Theatrical · São Paulo (Re-release)
Canada
November 7, 1940 · Premiere · Ottawa
November 8, 1940 · Theatrical · Montréal
January 24, 2003 · Theatrical · Québec (Re-release)
June 1, 2020 · Digital
Chile
January 1, 1941 · Theatrical · Santiago
China
September 19, 2021 · Premiere · Beijing International Film Festival (Restored Version)
Croatia
August 26, 2018 · Premiere · Vukovar Film Festival
Czechia
January 15, 2003 · Limited theatrical · Projekt 100
Denmark
December 1, 1947 · Theatrical
Finland
May 26, 1950 · Theatrical
December 21, 1973 · Theatrical · Re-release
June 13, 2003 · Theatrical · Re-release
France
April 4, 1945 · Theatrical
February 8, 1999 · Physical · DVD
October 16, 2002 · Theatrical · Re-release
December 20, 2009 · TV · Arte
November 2, 2011 · Physical · Blu-Ray
April 3, 2016 · TV · Arte
July 10, 2019 · Theatrical · Re-release (restored version)
September 22, 2020 · Physical · DVD & Blu-Ray (restored version)
January 4, 2022 · Digital · Arte•tv
November 14, 2025 · Digital · France•tv
November 14, 2025 · TV · France•5
Germany
August 25, 1958 · Theatrical · West Germany
July 1, 1972 · Theatrical · West Germany (Re-release)
April 10, 1997 · Theatrical · Re-release
December 30, 2004 · Theatrical · Re-release
November 5, 2024 · Theatrical · Best of Cinema
Greece
May 30, 2003 · Theatrical
December 4, 2003 · Physical · DVD
May 24, 2012 · Theatrical · Re-release
Hong Kong SAR China
March 27, 1947 · Theatrical
Hungary
December 19, 1947 · Theatrical
March 14, 1974 · Theatrical · Re-release
Indonesia
March 4, 1941 · Theatrical
November 8, 2025 · Limited theatrical · Special Screening
Ireland
February 1, 1946 · Theatrical
August 22, 2003 · Theatrical · Re-release
Israel
September 26, 2002 · Theatrical · Re-release
Italy
April 8, 1946 · Theatrical
February 3, 1961 · Theatrical · Re-release
Japan
October 22, 1960 · Theatrical
October 13, 1973 · Theatrical · Re-release
Mexico
January 1, 1941 · Theatrical
Netherlands
August 1, 1947 · Theatrical
May 10, 2010 · Physical · Blu ray
May 9, 2015 · Physical · DVD
October 14, 2021 · Theatrical · Re-release (restored version)
Norway
September 20, 1948 · Theatrical
November 22, 2002 · Theatrical · Re-release
Palestinian Territories
May 24, 1941 · Theatrical
Philippines
October 20, 1945 · Theatrical
Poland
February 15, 2008 · Theatrical · Re-release
Portugal
December 17, 1945 · Theatrical
May 8, 1974 · Theatrical · Re-release
Russia
November 21, 2019 · Theatrical
Singapore
October 23, 1945 · Theatrical
South Korea
November 19, 1988 · Theatrical
November 1, 2002 · Theatrical · Re-release
April 16, 2015 · Theatrical · Re-release
Spain
April 15, 1989 · Theatrical · ICAA 229283
November 22, 2002 · Theatrical · Re-release
Sweden
November 19, 1945 · Theatrical
December 25, 2002 · Theatrical · Re-release
United Arab Emirates
August 24, 2015 · Physical · Blu-ray
United Kingdom
December 11, 1940 · Theatrical · London
August 22, 2003 · Theatrical · Re-release
Uruguay
January 16, 1941 · Theatrical
XC
October 10, 1947 · Theatrical
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