Two stories in one frame. Very well composed scenes

Rating: 9/10 (24 October 2006)

A bombardier is desperately trying be thrown out from the B25 squadron based at Italy on the basis or insanity. The commanding officer keeps increasing the number of missions. Another man is trying to come out rich from the war. A general walking around with a Mistress and distributing medals. Another man holds conversation about the history and future of all great civilizations with an old Italian. A very nice film based on the novel by Joseph Keller of the same name.
There are lots of things which grabs your attention. It seems narration is incoherent in the novel(I have not read it) and Mike Nichols has tackled it beautifully. He made this film right after Graduate and so he is in great form. Some of the shots are long and very well composed i.e the first shot. The scene starts from the runway and camera almost goes inside a room. Phenomenal!! Humour is very weird. Its not regular comedy. almost every scene has something or the other going on the background. So basically you are watching two stories at any given point in time i.e when Capt. John Yossarian is sitting on a tree and the whole egg episode. Finally I liked Orson Welles on the screen. He is damn funny when he says "are you waiting for a kiss? move back".
Extremely relevant and intelligent film. Acting is top class. Camera and music is brilliant. Someone wrote in his review that after watching a film like this you understand the futility of patting one's self on the back films like 'Saving Private Ryan' and 'Band of Brothers'. I think that's one of the best statement I read about an anti-war film. I think this movie is about people who make war and not about war. This is in the same line as 'Paths of Glory' and 'Full Metal Jacket' which holds people responsible for our sorry state and not just point fingers or glorify war hero's. A must watch for film student and self educating type people. 9/10.