You can't fight in the War Room!!!

Rating: 9/10 (17 March 2004)

At first glance, Dr. Strangelove appears to be a typical movie about the cold war, that is presented in black and white. Well it is more that that. It pokes fun at the cold war, and totally makes fun of nuclear war in general. Everything gets turned around in this zany black comedy, and the whole world comes to an end. Though it is all a joke, you should take some time to see it.
The story begins in 1963 when the cold war is heating up between the Americans and the Soviets. In this movie, the Soviets were working on trying to create the ultimate nuclear weapon, a Doomsday Device. The Americans decide not to worry about this, except for General Jack D.Ripper (Sterling Hayden) who has ordered his men to bomb the Soviet Union using nuclear bombs. President Merkin Muffley (Peter Sellers) is holding a meeting in the War Room (which is supposedly in the Pentagon) trying to figure out what to do about the planes that were called out to attack Russia. Just then, the Russian Ambassador shows up in the movie to talk with the President about nuclear war. The Ambassador gets the President on the phone to Russia to speak with their leader about what has gone wrong. The Russian Ambassador tells everyone in the War Room about the Doomsday Machine and how it could destroy the world. The President panics about the situation and asks Dr. Strangelove (Peter Sellers) for help.
Meanwhile, the Soviets have found and taken care of 3 US bombers, but the fourth one is still out there and no one can find it. As the fourth bomber is flying, they almost get hit by a Russian missile. They did not know the Soviets were defending themselves. They dropped a bomb out where the Doomsday Machine was. Back at the Pentagon, Dr. Strangelove is explaining the half life of the radiation in that bomb. While he is explaining, the Ambassador found out that a U.S. bomber had dropped a bomb over where the Doomsday Device was and he set his stop watch. A few minutes later, the whole world is being blown up with nuclear bombs all over the place.
Peter Sellers' portrayal of the President and Strangelove are flawless, funny, and all improvised. Sellers also plays Captain Lionel Mandrake, a British Program officer with an authentic English accent. He manages to transition into these three different characters so well that movie watchers could almost believe that it is actually three different actors playing these parts.
Sterling Hayden's portrayal of General Jack D. Ripper is really great. He really shows off to the viewers how much he wants to bomb the Russians, and how obsessed he is with bodily fluids.
The reviewer rates this movie 5 out of 5 gold stars. It is filmed in a simulated area that looks like a real room in the Pentagon and all the people look like they actually work for the government. My favorite part of the movie takes place when the President turns around to find the Russian Ambassador fighting with one of the generals. The president Says, `Gentlemen, don't fight in here. This is the War Room.'