 Chaplin prepared the story throughout 1938 and 1939, and began filming in September 1939, six days after the beginning of World War II.He finished filming almost six months later.The 2002 TV documentary on the making of the film, "The Tramp and the Dictator", presented newly discovered footage of the film production (shot by Chaplin's elder half-brother Sydney) which showed Chaplin's initial attempts at the film's ending, filmed before the fall of France.