Scott Detrow

Listen to Trump's Terms from NPR.

Well, he started shooting the film in September 1939. It came out in October 1940. At this point in history, America is an isolationist country, as is Congress. Hitler was not our problem. The Jews of Europe were not our problem. If Hitler took England, we would just have to make a separate piece. And that would be the end of our problem. Chaplin believed otherwise, as did Franklin Roosevelt.

Well, he started shooting the film in September 1939. It came out in October 1940. At this point in history, America is an isolationist country, as is Congress. Hitler was not our problem. The Jews of Europe were not our problem. If Hitler took England, we would just have to make a separate piece. And that would be the end of our problem. Chaplin believed otherwise, as did Franklin Roosevelt.

Well, he started shooting the film in September 1939. It came out in October 1940. At this point in history, America is an isolationist country, as is Congress. Hitler was not our problem. The Jews of Europe were not our problem. If Hitler took England, we would just have to make a separate piece. And that would be the end of our problem. Chaplin believed otherwise, as did Franklin Roosevelt.

As a matter of fact, Franklin Roosevelt was one of the few people in America that wanted the film made. Nobody in Hollywood wanted the film made. Because in the latter part of 1939, anti-fascist films were very, very few on the ground. But he was basically bound and determined. There's a letter in the book from Jack Warner to Chaplin.

As a matter of fact, Franklin Roosevelt was one of the few people in America that wanted the film made. Nobody in Hollywood wanted the film made. Because in the latter part of 1939, anti-fascist films were very, very few on the ground. But he was basically bound and determined. There's a letter in the book from Jack Warner to Chaplin.

As a matter of fact, Franklin Roosevelt was one of the few people in America that wanted the film made. Nobody in Hollywood wanted the film made. Because in the latter part of 1939, anti-fascist films were very, very few on the ground. But he was basically bound and determined. There's a letter in the book from Jack Warner to Chaplin.

Jack Warner had just had a meeting with Roosevelt in the Oval Office.

Jack Warner had just had a meeting with Roosevelt in the Oval Office.

Jack Warner had just had a meeting with Roosevelt in the Oval Office.

Exactly. And Roosevelt had heard the mutterings about Chaplin making an anti-Hitler satire. And he brought it up to Warner that he certainly hoped Chaplin was going to go ahead and make the film because he thought it would do a lot of good.

Exactly. And Roosevelt had heard the mutterings about Chaplin making an anti-Hitler satire. And he brought it up to Warner that he certainly hoped Chaplin was going to go ahead and make the film because he thought it would do a lot of good.

Exactly. And Roosevelt had heard the mutterings about Chaplin making an anti-Hitler satire. And he brought it up to Warner that he certainly hoped Chaplin was going to go ahead and make the film because he thought it would do a lot of good.

And Warner wrote a letter to Chaplin reporting his conversation with the president and said, if President Roosevelt believes it'll do a lot of good, so do I. I hope you go and make it, Charlie. He didn't offer to help. But he was passing along the story. He didn't really need to pass along the story. Chaplin was totally committed. But nobody wanted that film made.

And Warner wrote a letter to Chaplin reporting his conversation with the president and said, if President Roosevelt believes it'll do a lot of good, so do I. I hope you go and make it, Charlie. He didn't offer to help. But he was passing along the story. He didn't really need to pass along the story. Chaplin was totally committed. But nobody wanted that film made.

And Warner wrote a letter to Chaplin reporting his conversation with the president and said, if President Roosevelt believes it'll do a lot of good, so do I. I hope you go and make it, Charlie. He didn't offer to help. But he was passing along the story. He didn't really need to pass along the story. Chaplin was totally committed. But nobody wanted that film made.

The British Foreign Office didn't want the film made because Neville Chamberlain was the prime minister. And he was attempting to appease Hitler. Unsuccessfully, obviously. The American Congress was totally isolationist. And the industry also. The American film industry thought it was a dangerous film to make. But Chaplin basically ignored everybody.

The British Foreign Office didn't want the film made because Neville Chamberlain was the prime minister. And he was attempting to appease Hitler. Unsuccessfully, obviously. The American Congress was totally isolationist. And the industry also. The American film industry thought it was a dangerous film to make. But Chaplin basically ignored everybody.

The British Foreign Office didn't want the film made because Neville Chamberlain was the prime minister. And he was attempting to appease Hitler. Unsuccessfully, obviously. The American Congress was totally isolationist. And the industry also. The American film industry thought it was a dangerous film to make. But Chaplin basically ignored everybody.

The Nazi representative in Los Angeles was a man named George Gisling. And his job essentially was to strong-arm anybody that wanted to make an anti-Nazi picture by writing a threatening letter or two or three.