Stanley Kubrick’s black comic masterpiece, Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb opens in theaters to both critical and popular acclaim. The movie’s popularity was evidence of changing attitudes toward atomic weapons and the concept of nuclear deterrence.
The movie focused on the actions of a rogue U.S. officer who believes that communists are threatening the “precious bodily fluids” of Americans. Without authorization, he issues orders to U.S. bombers to launch atomic attacks against the Soviet Union. When it becomes evident that some of the bombers may actually drop their atomic payloads, American President Merkin Muffley frantically calls his Soviet counterpart. The Russian leader informs Muffley that an atomic attack on the Soviet Union will automatically unleash the terrible “doomsday machine,” which will snuff out all life on the planet. Muffley’s chief foreign policy advisor, Dr. Strangelove, reassures the president and chief officials that all is not lost: they can, he posits, survive even the doomsday machine by retreating to deep mineshafts.
Close scrutiny of the Dr. Strangelove character indicated that he was probably a composite of three people: Henry Kissinger, a political scientist who had written about nuclear deterrence strategy; Edward Teller, a key scientist in the development of the hydrogen bomb; and Wernher von Braun, the German scientist who was a leading figure in missile technology.
Little scrutiny was needed, however, to grasp Kubrick’s satirical attacks on the American and Russian policies of nuclear stockpiling and massive retaliation. The film’s jabs at some of the sacred core beliefs of America’s defense strategy struck a chord with the American people. Particularly after the frightening Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962–when nuclear annihilation seemed a very real possibility–the American public was increasingly willing to question the nation’s reliance on nuclear weapons.
It is a masterpiece only Kubrick could have accomplished. I watch it every few years. The story is riveting, it blends humor and drama masterfully and the acting is superb. Sellers plays 3 roles and is absolutely convincing in all 3. George C Scott is hilarious as a ridiculous, blustering blowhard general that stuns you when you consider he was just as believable playing the polar opposite character in PATTON. Slim Pickens’ hat swinging scene at the movie’s climax has become cinematic lore.
Kubrick could see around corners. He had a vision about the coarse of human events that was unique and anything but conventional. I’ve wondered with this movie coming so soon after the murder of JFK what was on his mind. Could it be he was telling us that the news coverage we get about the government hides a massive on going farce? Makes sense to me.
I’m no movie aficionado but I regard this as a great movie all thoughtful people would enjoy. Thanks for pointing out it’s anniversary.
Sterling Hayden played the coup general who planned the takeover of the government because of the “Commie bodily fluids.” He was more of a B actor but was in a lot of 40s’ movies including the carrier movie “The Fighting Lady” which wasn’t bad.
Interesting trivia: Sterling Hayden hated acting and did it only so he could afford his sailing lifestyle. His life story is somewhere between very interesting and fascinating. A true man’s man.
Sterling Hayden’s most famous scene.
And he won the Silver Star in the African campaign in WW2. Quite a guy.