Dr. Strangelove Or: How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Love The Bomb

By Simon Woodhouse

Satires about war are tricky things to pull off. Armed conflict is not really a subject most people want to laugh at, and nuclear war is even less likely to amuse. However, because war is so often born out of ridiculous situations, if the subject is handled in an equally ludicrous fashion, it can make for great comedy, and at the same time show how stupid war is. This is the approach taken in Dr. Strangelove, and it certainly works.

The movie uses another celluloid comedy tradition to add to the ridiculousness - a single actor playing multiple characters. In this case it's Peter Sellers, who excels in the very different roles of Group Captain Lionel Mandrake, US President Merkin Muffley, and the title character - Dr. Strangelove.

Set at the height of 1960s cold war paranoia, the movie tells the story of how America's strategic nuclear response can be initiated by one insane general. The General in question is Jack D. Ripper (Sterling Heyden), one of many characters with a ridiculous name. For reasons that have something to do the fluoridization of water and sexual impotence, the General issues all US B52 bombers with a secret code that instructs them to attack predetermined targets in the USSR. Unfortunately, they can only be recalled using a coded message transmitted by the same General, and he isn't about to do that.

As the planes move closer to their targets, President Merkin Muffley is alerted to the fact by General 'Buck' Turgison (George C Scott). All upper echelon commanders are called to the war room, and a heated debate begins. It soon becomes clear recalling the planes is going to be very difficult, so in order to try and avert a massive Russian retaliation, the president contacts his opposite number in Moscow. Because this is a black comedy, the laughs aren't slapstick or crude. The humor is subtle, most of it based on the absurdity of nuclear conflict. As the debate about what is to be done continues, General Turgison suggests not recalling the planes, but instead launching an all out nuclear attack against Russia. And even though the enemy retaliation would be catastrophic, as a military man Turgison is optimistic about the idea of only 10-20 million US civilian deaths 'depending on the breaks'.

Meanwhile, aboard the B52 of Major T.J. 'King' Kong (Slim Pickens), the crew are preparing themselves for the task in hand. This involves each man checking the contents of his survival kit, which includes such bizarre items as a combination miniature Bible and Russian phrase book, nine packs of chewing gum, a pack of propolactics, three lipsticks and three pairs of nylon stockings.

Back on the base with General Ripper, Group Captain Lionel Mandrake, a British RAF Officer serving in the US Air Force, tries desperately to talk some sense into the mad man. Portrayed as an upper-class twit by Peter Sellers, Captain Mandrake approaches the situation with a reserved British demeanor that dictates he never once raises his voice. Unfortunately this results in him being no good for the task in hand. As military procedure means the base must be locked down after the attack codes have been issued, the President orders it to be stormed by soldiers stationed nearby. This results in Americans fighting Americans on American soil, but it doesn't persuade General Ripper to recall the planes. More absurdities follow. When the President invites the Russian ambassador into the war room, General Turgison and the man from the USSR come to blows. This leads to the President uttering the immortal line, 'gentlemen, you can't fight in here, this is the war room.'

If ironic humor isn't to your liking, then Dr. Strangelove won't be either. Filmed in black and white, it has an almost documentary style about it, especially the scenes around the airbase when the two groups of soldiers are fighting. And as the movie progresses the situation becomes more and more ridiculous, especially when the President starts talking to the Russian Premiere, who's drunk.

Just as it looks like the worst is going to happen, Captain Mandrake manages to guess the recall codes and the B52s are ordered home - all except one. The radio on Major Kong's plane has been damaged by a Russia missile attack, and it's impossible for the crew to receive the code. This triggers the activation of the Russian's doomsday machine. Enter Dr. Strangelove himself, a Nazi scientist now working for the Americans. Confined to a wheelchair, and afflicted with the worst sort of nervous twitch, Strangelove explains to everyone in the war room exactly what the doomsday machine can do. After hearing that it'll destroy the world, General Turgison remarks 'gee, I wish we had one of them.'

Of the three characters played by Peter Sellers, Dr. Strangelove is the best. It's a totally over the top performance, but perfectly suited to the subject matter. And though Sellers is most well known for the character of Inspector Clouseau in the Pink Panther movies, this film is his finest hour. George C. Scott's portrayal of the overzealous General Turgison is also a pleasure to watch. The film was produced, directed and partly written by Stanley Kubrick. Responsible for such other cinema classics as Spartacus, 2001 and The Shining, Kubrick shows here that he's also a master of black comedy. Never has war, or the people responsible for it, been made to look so incompetent as they are here. But because the whole situation is portrayed in such a ludicrous way, it really will help you to stop worrying about the bomb.