The irrationality of cold war rationality

Rating: 9/10 (24 July 2018)

The film definitely is a masterpiece if it comes down to demonstrate the irrationality of cold war rationality. How better to illustrate that cold war rationality only works out if all players involved always act rationally. Should we really be surprised about someone getting paranoid with all the ongoing propaganda involved?
Also the action that follows the lonesome and paranoid decision of General Ripper to launch a nuclear attack is strongly influenced by emotions and human weaknesses that are hardly compatible with cold war rationality. In the Pentagon war room General Turgidson (great performance by George C. Scott) wants to return as quickly as possible to his girlfriend, the Soviet president turns out to be drunk, commander Kong of the decisive B52 bomber is taking his decisions based on a Texan cowboy attitude and Dr. Strangelove, the scientific advisor to the US government, turns out to be a left over screwy Nazi, just to name a view. This may seem to be a bit overdone but when watching the movie it does not seem to be completely unrealistic, especially when compared to some actual political narcissisms and in the end, the movie is meant to be a sharp satire. Only be aware that the laughter may get stuck in your throat.
The only safe harbors with concern to rationality seem to be the American president Muffley and the British Group Captain Mandrake, both convincingly plaid by Peter Sellers. Unfortunately this will not be enough to prevent the catastrophe, also owing to the safety precautions that were originally designed to correct lonesome misjudgments but which are paranoid in themselves.
Quite remarkable is also the fact, that the movie is almost entirely restricted to 3 locations, i.e. military air base Burpelson, the war room in the Pentagon and the interior of a B52 bomber. This is enough to tell the whole story, in which also a Coca Cola vending machine plays an important role besides the fluoridation of water, but see for yourself.