The early days of Hynkel
Some script pages reveal that the film was originally to give an explanation of how Hynkel rose to power, developing his original ideas in a biergaten, making speeches to small numbers of brownshirts, in fact following Hitler’s own career quite closely. One production still exists of the beer garden scene.
Gasolini
Thanks to sophisticated bugging equipment, this production still shows Hynkel and Garbitsch eavesdropping on a conversation between Mr and Mrs Gasolini (one of the earlier names for Napaloni) in which Gasolini reveals his desire to become the brunette Emperor of the world. (His wife tells him to get down off the chandelier.)
Newly found photographs taken by Dan James, Assistant Director on the film, recently acquired by the Chaplin office, reveal that other scenes we thought had only remained on paper, were actually shot.
The blimp
Herring repeatedly brings Hynkel new inventions that fail to work. Extracts from the film script shows Hynkel’s delight with a new machine, the blimp, which actually flies. Other versions of this scene have Hynkel flying childishly through the streets knocking peoples’ hats off, frightening his wife in her bedroom, and getting caught up in the chandeliers and having to be lassoed down.
Bobo the chimpanzee
Earlier versions of the scenario include a scene in which Hynkel gives a piano concert during Napaloni’s visit.
Bobo the chimpanzee, Mrs. Hynkel’s pet, has been encouraged to distribute sweets and flowers, and everyone is under the charm.
During the concert, however, he raids the fish tank and delivers live carp and lobster to the seated guests, with Garbitsch hard on his heels attempting to limit the damage and avoid Hynkel’s fury.
Bobo even empties an entire goldfish bowl on Mrs. Napaloni’s bosom and lap. In one script version the chimpanzee is dressed as a storm trooper and does the Nazi salute on command.
We do not know which, if any, of those scenes were shot, but a chimpanzee was certainly on the set, as these photos by Dan James prove, though perhaps it was to try out another parachute invention?
Noguchi, the spy in a pram
A six year old child disguised as a baby spies on Gasolini’s troops on the Ostrich front and reports back to Hynkel.
