The Tramp and the Dictator
2002 · Movie · NR · 55 min · ★ 7.0 · 84% critics
This documentary compares the early lives of a beloved comedian and a notorious dictator, then explores how their paths unexpectedly intersected through the making of a bold political satire released in 1940. Using interviews and rare behind-the-scenes material, it looks at the risks, reactions, and historical context surrounding the film’s creation.
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Details
- Years
- 2002
- Release date
- 2002-02-14
- Language
- English
- Rated
- NR
- Runtime
- 55 min
- Critic score
- 84/100
- TMDB rating
- 7.0/10 (26 votes)
About
You’ll likely enjoy this if you want a history-rich documentary that adds context to a famous satire and includes memorable interviews and archival footage; Not for you if you want a slow, deeply detailed deep-dive like One Day in September.
Pros: fascinating parallels drawn; rare behind-the-scenes footage; strong historical context | Cons: feels a bit rushed; some interviews add little; key moments cut short
Themes
- nazi
- world war ii
- filmmaking
- parallel lives
- nazism
- adolf hitler
Cast & crew
Kenneth Branagh
as Narrator (voice)
Walter Bernstein
as Self (uncredited)
Ray Bradbury
as Self (uncredited)
Sydney Chaplin
as Self
- BH
Brigitte Hamann
as Self (uncredited)
Al Hirschfeld
as Self (uncredited)
- SK
Stanley Kauffmann
as Self (uncredited)
Sidney Lumet
as Self (uncredited)
- NR
Nikola Radosevic
as Self (uncredited)
- AJ
Arthur Schlesinger Jr.
as Self (uncredited)
Directed by Michael Kloft, Kevin Brownlow