The film is unique in that, by revoking the Constitution, etc., President Hammond does not become a villain, but a hero who "solves all of the nation's problems,bringing peace to the country and the world, and is universally acclaimed “one of the greatest presidents who ever lived. The Library of Congress comments:
The good news: he reduces unemployment, lifts the country out of the Depression, battles gangsters and Congress, and brings about world peace. The bad news: he's Mussolini.