Possibly the best film ever?

Rating: 10/10 (9 April 2002)

Well, I suppose that would be a matter of opinion. But this is one my all time favourites. There is just nothing wrong with this film. I can't think of one moment in this when I am not laughing out loud, no matter how many times I have watched it.
This is probably Kubrick's most focused film. His other efforts are generally mixes of whatever good idea comes to him next. This still has his wildly fluctuating style but this never strays from its major focus point... Peter Sellers. When working on Lolita, Kubrick had grown fond of Sellers and loved to watch him perform. This is very apparent here as most of the film consists of hilarious monologues for Sellers's three characters. Sellers doesn't disappoint either. He brings to the screen a wonderfully restrained performance for these three characters, which makes it even funnier when he dives into a physical act of hilarity. He even gets all the best lines such as "Gentlemen, you can't fight in here! This is the War room!"; "I'm sorry, Jack. The string has gone in my legs" etc. He even manages to make his three characters so physically different from each other that it's hard to believe that they're the same person; he seems to change the shape of his face and even the way they hold a phone (As Muffley he comfortably rests the phone in his hand but as Mandrake he clings onto the receiver nervously with both hands, ready to hide the mouth-piece). Sadly he didn't win the oscar he was nominated for.
The laughs don't just end with Sellers though. The script - written by Kubrick, Terry Southern and Peter George (author of source novel "Red Alert") - never lets us rest, chances are we will be laughing so much at a great line that we won't hear the next one. Also, Kubrick frames each shot to unmatched perfection, comedy has never looked this good. Everything, right down to the whimsical special effects are perfect.
The supporting cast are brilliant too. Slim Pickens (If that is his real name) was never told that he was starring in a comedy. Kubrick wanted him to believe that it was a drama as he thought it would make his performance funnier. He was right. George C. Scott battles with Sellers for the best lines in the War room scenes whilst Sterlyn Hayden battles for the best monologues in Ripper's office.
The film was originally set for release in 1963 with an ending that burst into a custard-pie fight in the War room and the president being knocked down by a pie. Due to the Kennedy assassination this was removed and the film was released in 1964. Ironic, considering this was released right in the middle of the cold war.
So watch and enjoy.