A Classic and Brilliant Satire

Rating: 10/10 (7 September 2000)

Stanley Kubrick's acclaimed dark comedy about nuclear holocaust is among the greatest film satires ever produced. To truly appreciate this film it is necessary to remember its historical context. It was produced right after President Kennedy was assassinated and just two years after the Cuban Missile Crisis. The whole world was gripped with a profound paranoia about nuclear annihilation. Average Americans were spending their life savings to build bomb shelters in their basements.
A strong anti nuke sentiment was building in the U.S. and anti-nuke protests abounded. This film was one of two anti-nuke movies made in 1964. The other was `Fail Safe' starring Henry Fonda and Walter Matthau which was a heavy handed drama that depicted an accidental breakdown of the Fail Safe system that resulted in a nuclear attack on Russia. `Fail Safe' conveyed its anti war message through a realistic dramatization of an accidental war that frightened the most cavalier of viewers. `Strangelove' accomplished its purpose through brilliant satire, turning strident generals and politicians into absurd caricatures. The dire nature of the topic at a time when real fear was at its height produced a catharsis that made this film even funnier when it was first released than it is today.
Kubrick's direction was nothing short of genius. The film is laced with so many subtle innuendoes and ironies; one could see it twenty times and still not find them all. For instance, most of the names had sexual connotations. Strangelove (perversion), Mandrake (a root to used to promote conception), Merkin (slang for female genitalia) Muffley (same), Buck (stud) Turgidson (distended with swelling). The battle to take over the air force complex took place with a sign that said, `Peace Is Our Profession' in the background. Then there is President Muffley's great line, `You can't fight in here, this is the War Room!'
The entire ensemble gave superlative performances. Peter Sellers was marvelous playing three parts. As the President, he was deadpan and serious while delivering one hilarious line after another. As Mandrake, he was the gentlemanly Brit trying nervously to reason with a madman. Finally, his best performance was as Dr. Strangelove, a crippled immigrant German scientist who kept inadvertently calling the President, `Mein Fuhrer'. This was Sellers at his zaniest, and it was some of the best physical comedy I've ever seen.
George C. Scott was perfect as the gung ho war hawk. He brayed, strutted, and played the butt kicking military man to the hilt and beyond. This part was a harbinger of his most famous role as Patton, where he played essentially the same character without the tongue in cheek embellishments. And who can forget Slim Pickens, who is shown on the cover of the video box riding the nuke to ground zero, in one of the funniest and most famous scenes in the history of film.
This is one of the most creative, witty and effective lampoons ever done. It makes its point effectively by poking fun at people who take themselves all too seriously, and making us laugh at that of which we are most afraid. I rated it a perfect 10. `AAAAAHooooo!'