The one Kubrick will be remembered for

Rating: Null/10 (14 July 2000)

The great thing about Dr. Strangelove is that whatever your political affiliation you can't help appreciating the humour and manic energy of this film. It has been called an anti-war film, which of course it is, but it doesn't bore you to death with the obviousness of its message.
In the hands of a lesser director this material would have quickly degenerated into a polemic, but Kubrick's brilliant idea of filming the story as a black comedy lifts it to higher level of sophistication. His mastery of the substance of the issue adds to the viewer's appreciation. For example, the Herman Kahn-like reasoning of Dr. Strangelove as he explains the theory of the doomsday device shows that Kubrick has studied the subject thoroughly. As a result the intellectual force of the film's argument is enhanced.
It doesn't hurt either to have the brilliant performances of George C. Scott and Sterling Hayden. Scott shows himself to be a masterful comedian while Sterling Hayden plays the role of Jack D. Ripper totally straight. Both performances work and the surprising mixture of gritty realism with lunatic farce blends seemlessly.
The final monologue of Peter Sellers as Dr. Strangelove, with the famous "arm with a mind of its own" scene is one of those exceedingly rare moments in film when the creative energy of the performance becomes palpable. When I first saw this scene I found it so totally electrifying that I actually felt a tingling sensation. This energy contrasts sharply with the sound of Vera Lynn singing "We'll Meet Again" over the mushroom cloud images of the closing titles making the latter even more poignant and memorable.
A truly great movie.