"THE GREAT DICTATOR" (チャップリンの独裁者 / 独裁者) — Original Japanese First-Release Poster (Japan), 1960, Special Tall Format c. 57.5 × 103 cm (B1 height, narrow width)

A powerful original Japanese theatrical poster for Charlie Chaplin’s The Great Dictator—issued for the film’s first Japanese release in 1960 (66 years ago!) and bearing the classic red TOWA mark at lower right. In Japan, the film opened on 22 October 1960 with Towa as distributor, a detail echoed both in period film records and in the sheet’s own “東和株式会社・提供” credit line. 

What makes this example especially desirable is its unusual, banner-like size: roughly B1 height (c. 103 cm) but noticeably narrower in width than standard B1—an elegant, vertical “statement” format that displays beautifully and much rarer than the familiar B2/B1 norms.

The Film & Its Place in Chaplin’s Legacy

Released in 1940, The Great Dictator is Chaplin’s landmark political satire—his first full “all-talking” feature—aimed squarely at fascism, with Chaplin performing a daring dual role: a persecuted Jewish barber and the tyrant he resembles.

The film culminates in one of cinema’s most enduring moments: the barber’s climactic, direct-to-camera plea for humanity and compassion—an ending that has helped secure the film’s long cultural afterlife.

It was also a major awards-era title, receiving five Oscar nominations (including Best Picture and Best Actor), underlining how seriously Chaplin’s “comedy” was taken even on first release.

Japanese Release Framing

This poster’s Japanese copy sells Chaplin not merely as a star, but as an institution—boldly positioning 独裁者 alongside other major Chaplin works (explicitly name-checking Modern Times and presenting this film as the essential next pillar in that canon.

Artwork & Artist Signature: “masu” (益川進 / Susumu Masukawa)
Signed “masu” at the lower right (clearly visible near Chaplin’s shoes), this design is credited in Japanese collector documentation to 益川進 (Masukawa Susumu)—a highly regarded poster designer and brush-lettering artist associated with major studio-era campaigns.

Masukawa is frequently cited for his distinctive calligraphy and high-impact theatrical graphics, and is notably referenced as the designer “known for the Seven Samurai poster,” underscoring his stature within Japanese film-poster history. 

Japanese biographical notes place his birth in 1917 in Kure, Hiroshima (呉市), adding a concrete regional anchor to a career whose work circulated nationwide.
His prominence is also reflected in period and retrospective Japanese discourse around film-advertising design, where his name appears alongside other leading figures of the era.

Design Notes

This sheet is a masterclass in mid-century Japanese poster “theatre”:

Monochrome drama + red impact: smoky charcoal/ink illustration gives Chaplin weight and presence, while the title treatment detonates in stark black kanji (独裁者) with a vivid red vertical “チャップリンの” accent.

Hybrid selling strategy: the central painterly figure carries the mood, while the right-side photo panels (dictator close-up + Paulette Goddard portrait) deliver instant narrative cues—satire, romance, and star power in a single glance.

Format as a design weapon: the tall, narrow proportions amplify the solitary, full-body stance—part icon, part warning—making the poster feel more like a wall-hung “graphic figure” than a standard one-sheet.

Condition

Overall condition: Very good / Excellent for age (theatre-used example).

Original fold lines and general handling wear, consistent with Japanese cinema distribution and storage of the period.

Light toning/ageing to paper, with minor scattered marks visible in the margins (see photos).

Small pin/handling points at the top edge from display/photographing; no major image loss apparent.

Bold title typography remains visually strong, and the signature area is clear and legible.