The Great Dictator two-page discussion of the relationship between the barber and The Tramp appears in Eric L. Flom's book "Chaplin in the Sound Era: An Analysis of the Seven Talkies." He concludes: The film was nominated for five Academy Awards: Chaplin's half-brother Sydney directed and starred in a 1921 film called "King, Queen, Joker" in which, like Chaplin, he played the dual role of a barber and ruler of a country which is about to be overthrown. More than twenty years later, in 1947, Charles Chaplin was sued over alleged plagiarism with "The Great Dictator". Yet, apparently, neither the suing party nor
Roman dictator Roman dictator A dictator was a magistrate of the Roman Republic, entrusted with the full authority of the state to deal with a military emergency or to undertake a specific duty. All other magistrates were subordinate to his "imperium", and the right of the plebeian tribunes to veto his actions or of the people to appeal from them was extremely limited. However, in order to prevent the dictatorship from threatening the state itself, severe limitations were placed upon its powers: a dictator could only act within his intended sphere of authority; and he was obliged to resign his office once