Dr.

Strangelove (1964): Nightmare Comedy and the Ideology of Liberal Consensus Author(s): Charles Maland Source: American Quarterly, Vol. 31, No. 5, Special Issue: Film and American Studies (Winter, 1979), pp. 697-717 Published by: The Johns Hopkins University Press Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/2712432 Accessed: 02/07/2010 10:42
Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of JSTOR's Terms and Conditions of Use, available at http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp. JSTOR's Terms and Conditions of Use provides, in part, that unless you have obtained prior permission, you may not download an entire issue of a journal or multiple copies of articles, and you may use content in the JSTOR archive only for your personal, non-commercial use. Please contact the publisher regarding any further use of this work. Publisher contact information may be obtained at http://www.jstor.org/action/showPublisher?publisherCode=jhup. Each copy of any part of a JSTOR transmission must contain the same copyright notice that appears on the screen or printed page of such transmission. JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact support@jstor.org.

The Johns Hopkins University Press is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to American Quarterly.

http://www.jstor.org

DR. STRANGELOVE (1964): NIGHTMARE COMEDY AND THE IDEOLOGY OF LIBERAL CONSENSUS
CHARLES MALAND University Tennessee of

DR. STRANGELOVE

and (StanleyKubrick,1964)is one of the mostfascinating important to artistic response itsage,the As films the1960s. a sensitive of American cultural against dominant the of film a presents moralprotest revulsion the Hodgsonhas termed Ideology in paradigm America-whatGeoffrey works as the at Appearing roughly sametime other ofLiberalConsensus.' of example 22 critical thedominant of paradigm-Catch is a goodliterary view of society an presented adversary the stance-Dr. Strangelove someAmericans shared among was to becomemuchmorewidely which of the inthelate 1960s. Thisessaywillexamine Ideology LiberalConsento servesas a response it (espehow sus, demonstrate Dr. Strangelove to and strategy weapons),and lookat how ciallyto itsapproach nuclear of responded itsradicalreassessment theAmerican to culture American in theearly1960s. policy nuclear The Americanconsensusto whichDr. Strangeloverespondswas in in rooted thelate 1930sand inthewaryears.WhenAmericans thelate totalitarianism by beganto feelmorethreatened theriseofforeign 1930s crash,a by fostered thestockmarket thanby theeconomic insecurities sysA beganto unify. common culture American fragmented previously

OR: HOW I LEARNED

TO STOP WORRYING AND LOVE THE BOMB

1 America in Our Time (New York: Doubleday, 1976), 67. Besides Hodgson's book, the of followinghave aided my understanding the American consensus, its roots in the late 1930s,and AmericanCold War nuclearpolicies: RichardPells, Radical Visionsand Ameriand American can Dreams (New York: Harper, 1973); Robert Skotheim,Totalitarianism Cold WarAmerica Social Thought(New York: Holt Rinehart,1971); Lawrence S. Wittner, (New York: Praegar, 1974); and Norman Moss, Men Who Play God: The Story of the H-Bomb and How the WorldCame to Live WithIt (New York: Harper, 1968).

698

American Quarterly

tern belief of beganto form, paradigm a solidified during WorldWarII, whenAmerican effort directed was toward defeating Axis powers. the Fueled by the success of the war effort the economicprosperity and fostered thewar,this by paradigm continued dominate to American social and political through early1960s. life the The 1950sare commonly as remembered an age ofconformity typified bythemanin thegray flannel suit,themoveto suburbia, theblandand ness of theEisenhower administration. Therewere,of course,currents running counter theAmerican to in Mills consensus the1950s-C. Wright James challenging power the eliteandtheera's "crackpot Dean realism"; smouldering sensitive, with quietrebellion; Beatsrejecting proprithe the of etyand complacency the era-yet mostpeopleremained happywith America itspossibilities. and Muchmore thana passing moodor a vague reaction events, paradigm-the to this Ideology LiberalConsensusof to took on an intellectual coherenceof its own. According Geoffrey Hodgson, ideology the contained cornerstone two that assumptions: the was Communism structure American of society basically sound,andthat was a cleardanger thesurvival theUnited to of Statesanditsallies.From thesetwobeliefs Thatview evolveda widely acceptedviewofAmerica. in its argued position roughly fashion: American this the economic system has developed, softening inequitiesand brutalities an earlier the of to more and abundance a wider capitalism, becoming democratic, offering thaneverbefore. portion thepopulation of The keyto bothdemocracy and abundance is production and technological advance; economic growth provides opportunity meetsocial needs, to defuseclass the to and intothe middleclass. Social conflict, to bring blue-collar workers problems thusless explosive can be solvedrationally. is necesare and It saryonlyto locate each problem, to designa program attackit, and provide experts technological the and know-how to necessary solve the problem. The onlythreat thisdomestic to harmony, argument the is continued, thespecter Communism. "Free World,"led bytheUnited of The States, mustbrace itself a long struggle for and againstCommunism willingly a for that support strong defense system, poweris theonlylanguage the Communists understand. Americaaccepts thisresponsibility If can to fight Communism, while also proclaiming virtuesof American the to the economic, social, and political democracy therestof theworld, and country remain will strong sound.Hodgsonsumsup theparadigm wellwhenhe writes: "Confident thevergeof complacency aboutthe to of anxious thepoint paranoia to of about perfectabilityAmerican society, thethreat Communism-those of werethetwo faces of theconsensus mood."2
2 Hodgson, 75-76.

Dr. Strangelove

699

Thesetwoassumptions guided national our as leadership itattempted to socialpolicyin an era ofnuclear forge the weapons.After SovietUnion in announced thefallof 1949that had successfully it exploded atomic an bomb,President Truman January 1950ordered Atomic on 31, the Energy Commission go ahead with development a hydrogen to the of bomb.By late 1952the UnitedStateshad detonated first its hydrogen bomb,700 times morepowerful theatomic than bombdropped Hiroshima. on Less than yearlater, August 1953, Soviets a on 8, the announced they, that too, had a hydrogen bomb.The armsrace was on. About the timethat Sputnikwas successfully launchedin 1957leadingto nationalfears about the qualityof Americanscience and education-someAmerican intellectuals a beganto refine new area of inquiry: nuclear strategy. Recognizing nuclear that weaponswerea reality,thenuclear strategists it important think felt to systematically about theirrole in our defensepolicy.HenryKissinger's Nuclear War and Foreign Policy(1957),one ofthefirst suchbooks,argued that use of the tactical nuclear weaponsmustbe considered decisionmakers. by More known was thework Herman widely of Kahn,whoseOn Thermonuclear speculations nuclear andstrategy, ofwhich on war most stemmed his from workforthe RAND Corporation the during 1950s.Kahn was willing to indulge anyspeculation in aboutnuclear war,including topics the such as estimated genetic consequences worldwide of doses of radioactive fallout,thedesirable of characteristics a deterrent shouldbe frightening, (it inexorable, persuasive, cheap,non-accident prone, controllable), and and thelargelikelihood vomiting postwar of in fallout shelters.3 Though professed the intent thenuclear of was strategists to encourage a rational approachto foreign policyin a nuclearage, the mass media seemed on intent making public the believethat war thermonuclear might be acceptable, eventolerable. fewexamples A illustrate somemass that magazines believedthatnuclear warwouldnotreally thatbad. U.S. be News and World a carried cover article, BombsDo Fall," "If Report whichtold readersthatplans wereunderway allow people to write to checkson their bankaccounts evenifthebankweredestroyed nuclear by attack. The sameissuecontained sidestory a abouthowwellsurvivors of the Japanesebombings were doing.Life magazineplaced a man in a reddish fallout costume itscoveralongwith headline, on the "How You Can Survive Fallout.97 outof 100Can Be Saved." Besidesadvising that thebest cureforradiation sickness"is to takehottea or a solution of baking soda," Liferanan advertisement a fully-stocked, for prefabricated fallout for shelter only$700.The accompanying showeda happy picture
3 On ThermonuclearWar, 2nd ed. (Princeton:PrincetonUniv. Press, 1961), 45-54, 86, 148.

War (1960) and Thinking About the Unthinkable(1962) presented his

700

American Quarterly

in I. in shelter. F. Stonesuggested comfortably their family fiveliving of to that responseto thiskindof writing the media seemeddetermined was warfare "almostas that thermonuclear public the convince American on, was going a RAND corporaall soap is pure."While this safeas ivory attack that releasedin August1961estimated a 3000megaton tionstudy of on American citieswouldkill80 percent thepopulation.4 can be exof bizarretreatment the nuclearthreat This paradoxical, plained in part as an attemptby journalists to relieve anxiety of A during timewhentheCold Warwas intensifying.number events a in this 1960to 1963encouraged freeze theCold War.GaryPowers, from plane,was shotdownovertheSovietUnionin a piloting U-2 surveillance in May 1960.In 1961,the Bay of Pigs fiascooccurred May, President in on fallout shelter campaign television a announced national Kennedy and the SovietUnion the and July, in August, BerlinWall was erected testingof nuclear atmospheric announcedthat theywere resuming of weapons.Worst all, theCubanMissileCrisisof October1962carried of the of theworldto thebrink nuclearwar,thrusting dangers nuclear the Though crisis imagination. of to confrontationtheforefrontthepublic seemedto be resolvedin favorof the UnitedStates,forseveraldays warseemedimminent. nuclear of was of One result thisintensification to erodetheconfidence some had there policy.Though nuclear of in Americans thewisdom American in nuclear policy the American of regarding beena smalltradition dissent BerLinus Pauling, 1950s-led by people likeJ. RobertOppenheimer, likeSANE (theNational Mills,and groups trand Russell,and C. Wright for Committee a Sane Nuclear Policy)-these people were clearlya Wilson'swarnBut in crying thewilderness. Edmund prophets minority, on ingin 1963thatour spending nuclearweaponsmaybe one of manto challenge deterHughes'impassioned kind'sfinal acts,and H. Stuart in wereboth of and rencestrategy hissupport disarmamentthesameyear, withthe of of dissatisfaction some Americans symptomatic a growing perspective, from another nuclear Judged policy.5 federal government's the of of the outside assumptions theIdeology LiberalConsensus, threat the posed by the Soviet Union did not at all warrant use of nuclear itself-as thedefendof weapons.In thesamevein,therealities America out-did notlive up to ers of theCivilRights werepointing movement in so democracy prevalent American therhetoric abouttheharmonious
4 See U.S. News and WorldReport, 5 (Sept. 25, 1961), 51-55; Life, 51 (Sept. 15, 1961), 95-108; I. F. Stone, The Haunted Fifties(New York: Vintage, 1969), 314-17. 5 See Wilson's The Cold Warand theIncome Tax (New York: Farrar,Strauss, 1963), and H. Stuart Hughes, An Approach to Peace (New York: Atheneum,1962), especially "The Strategyof Deterrence," 52-67.

Dr. Strangelove

701

when and received cameraat age thirteen, a profession a whenKubrick From as hiredhimat age eighteen a stillphotographer. Look magazine in documenthere Kubrick interested filmmaking madea short and became boxer WalterCartiercalled Day of the Fight taryon middleweight for thiswitha second documentary RKO, Flying (1950). He followed Fear and Desire feature film, which madehisfirst he Padre (1951),after feature films.6 in was immersed making (1953).Fromthenon Kubrick to constantly one of the In his mature workKubrickhas returned man's of society:thegap between gravest dilemmas modemindustrial and and skill inepscientific technological andhis social,political, moral and man has made scientific In titude. Kubrick'sworldview,modern but to generations lacks advancesinconceivable previous technological be might used in to thewisdomeither perceivehow the new gadgetry toask the constructive or,more fundamentally, whether "advance" ways first facedthisproblem thangood. Kubrick not might cause moreharm
squarely in Dr. Strangelove. in morefully Dr. Strangelove. The Killing shows a groupof men working

became a pastime Strangeloveand 2001: A Space Odyssey. Photography

was beingplanned the 1950s.By 1962and 1963,whenDr. Strangelove the and produced, Ideologyof LiberalConsensusseemedincreasingly culture opto vulnerable. fact,it is notunfair say thatan adversary In paradigm of and posed to thehypocrisies inconsistencies thedominant was beginning form. to in a played part extending director Dr.Strangelove, of Stanley Kubrick, Bronx family, Kubculture. Bornin 1928to a middle-class that adversary It in rickwas from earlyage interested chessand photography. is not an abilities with the his hardto movefrom fascination chess,with analytical and with to it requires sharpens, thefascination technology thedifand it ficultiesmen have in controlling which Kubrickdisplays in Dr.

at which was todevelop he do films before 1963 hint interests Kubrick's

limitaand a under intense pressure severetime toward common purpose in films the of tions.Paths of Glory-one of a handful classic anti-war of leaders, American cinema-ventsits angerat the stupidity military
6 Biographicalinformation Kubrickis available in AlexanderWalker's StanleyKubrick on Directs, rev. ed. (New York: Harcourt, 1972), probablythe best book on Kubrick's work. Since 2001, the literature Kubrick's filmshas proliferated. on JeromeAgel's anthology, The Making of2001 (New York: Signet, 1970) startedthelistofbooks on Kubrick's work. Other volume-length studies are Daniel Devries, The Films of Stanley Kubrick (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1973); Norman Kagan, The Cinema of Stanley Kubrick (New York: Grove, 1972); and Gene Phillips,Stanley Kubrick:A Film Odyssey (New York: Popular Library, 1975), whichincludes a discussion ofBarryLyndon. A thoughtful essay defining Kubrick's vision is Hans Feldmann's "Kubrick and His Discontents," Film Quarterly, (Fall artistic 30 1976), 12-19.

702

American Quarterly

their callous disregardfor other human lives, and their own lust for power. Released in 1957 in the midst of the Cold War, Paths was a courageous filmmade slightly morepalatable foraudiences because of its settingand situation:World War One and the evils of French military leaders. It is not totallysurprising, then,thatKubrick should make a filmabout and civilian leaders trying cope withaccidental nuclear war. military to Actually,Kubrickhad developed an interest the Cold War and nuclear in strategy a concernedcitizenin thelate 1950s,even beforehe thought as of doing a filmon the subject. In an essay on Dr. Strangelove publishedin mid-1963, halfyearbeforetherelease ofthefilm, a Kubrickwrote:"I was veryinterested what was goingto happen, and startedreadinga lot of in books about four years ago. I have a libraryof about 70 or 80 books written various technicalpeople on the subject and I began to subby scribe to the military magazines, the Air Force magazine, and to follow theU.S. naval proceedings."7 One of themagazineshe subscribedto was theBulletinof theAtomicScientist,whichregularly publishedarticlesby atomic scientists(Oppenheimer,Edward Teller, and Leo Szilard) and nuclear strategists (Kahn, Bernard Brodie, and Thomas Schelling). The more he read on the subject, the more he became engrossedin the complexitiesof nuclear strategy and the enormity the nuclear threat: of I was struck the paradoxesof everyvariation the problem by of from one extreme theother-from paradoxes unilateral to the of disarmamentthefirst to strike. And it seemedto me that,aside from factthatI was terribly the interested myself, was veryimportant deal with it to thisproblem dramatically because it's theonlysocial problem wherethere'sabsolutely chancefor no from peopleto learnanything So experience. it seemedto me thatthiswas a a eminentlyproblem, topicto be dealtwith dramatically.8 As his readings continued,Kubrick began to feel "a great desire to do something about the nuclear nightmare."From this desire came a decision to make a filmon the subject. In preparation,he talked with both Thomas Schellingand Herman Kahn, graduallycomingto believe thata psychoticgeneral could engage in what Kahn termed"unauthorizedbehavior" and send bombersto Russia.9 Kubrickfoundthe literary workupon whichhis filmwas based almost the by accident. Whenhe requestedsome relevantreadingsfrom Institute of StrategicStudies, the head of the Institute, AlastairBuchan, suggested
7 "How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Cinema," Films and Filming,9 (June 1963), 12.

9 See Lawrence Suid, Guts and Glory: Great American War Movies (Reading, Mass.: Addison-Wesley,1978), 194; and Kahn, 467.

Kubrick, 12.

Dr. Strangelove

703

about an accidental Peter George's Red Alert,a serious suspense thriller premiseconcernnuclear attack. The book containedsuch an interesting like Schelling ing accidental nuclear war that even a nuclear strategist of could writeof it that "the sheer ingenuity the scheme . . . exceeds in any thoughtfulness fictionavailable on how war mightstart." Kubrick, premise,purlikewiseimpressedwiththe involvingstoryand convincing to .chased rights the novel.10 However, when author and screenwriterstarted to construct the screenplay,theybegan to runintoproblems,which Kubrickdescribes in an interview withJosephGelmis: the a of witheveryintention making film I started workon the screenplay trying to nuclear war.As I kept of of serious treatment theproblem accidental coming me to happen, ideaskept wouldreally things imagine wayinwhich the to I wereso ludicrous. keptsaying myself: I becausethey which woulddiscard "I can'tdo this.Peoplewilllaugh."Butafter month so I beganto realize a or I out thatall the things was throwing were the thingswhichwere most II truthful. By trying make the filma serious drama, Kubrick was acceptingthe to of framework the dominantparadigm,acceptingCold War premisesand these premises.This was the approach storywithin creatingthe gripping of Red Alert as well as of Fail Safe, a popular filmof late 1964 adapted closely the asfromthe Burdick and Wheeler novel. But afterstudying of sumptions the Cold War and the nuclearimpasse, Kubrickwas moving to attempts construct paradigm.Kubrick's fumbling outsidethe dominant a screenplay provide an example of what Gene Wise, expanding on Thomas Kuhn, has called a "paradigm revolution"in the making:a draof whenaccepted understandings theworldno longermake maticmoment sense and new ones are needed.12 with how he resolved his difficulties Kubrickdescribes in an interview the screenplay: "It occurredto me I was approachingthe project in the wrong way. The only way to tell the storywas as a black comedy, or a you laughat mostare really comedy,wherethe things better, nightmare
10 "Meteors, Mischief, and War," Bulletinof theAtomicScientist,16 (Sept. 1960),293. In of thelate 1950sand early 1960s,thepossibility accidentalnuclearwar was widelydiscussed and considered plausible. Joel Larus, in his Nuclear Weapons Safety and the Common essays and Defense (Columbus: Ohio State Univ. Press, 1967), 34, lists ten representative books publishedbetween 1958and 1962whichconsidertheproblem.See also PeterGeorge, Red Alert (New York: Ace, 1958). 11The Film Directoras Superstar (New York: Doubleday, 1970), 309. 12 Wise discusses the paradigmrevolutionoccurring in America fromthe late Thirties to the Fifties in his American Historical Explanations (Homewood, Ill.: Dorsey Press, 1973), 129-32, 233-95.

704

American Quarterly

13 theheart theparadoxical of postures makea nuclear possible." that war After in deciding use nightmare to his Kubcomedy approaching subject, rickhired Terry Southern helpwith screenplay. decision to the This connectsKubrick theblackhumor to of novelists theearly1960s. Writers like

ThomasPyncheon and TheCrying Lot 49) shared (V of with Kubrick the assumption a culture mad, responded itwith similar of gone and to a mixture ofhorror humor. and Morris comment "black humor Dickstein's that is pitched thebreaking at point where moral anguish explodes into mixture a ofcomedy terror, and where are as things so bad youmight welllaugh," describes quiteaccurately way Kubrick the came to feelaboutthearms race and nuclear strategy.'4 The premise plotofthefilm and are,paradoxically, quiterealistic and in which partaccounts whythenightmare for succomedy suspenseful, ceeds. Attheopening thefilm narrator us that Russians of a tells the have builta Doomsdaydevicewhichwillautomatically detonate a nuclear if on weaponis dropped theSovietUnion,destroying human on the all life planet-a case of deterrence to strategy carried theabsurd.A paranoid anti-Communist Force general, Air unawareof the Russian'sultimate a of SAC B-52stotheir weapon, orders fleet airborne Russian The targets. of President the UnitedStatesfindsout, but soon learnsthatthejets cannot recalled becauseonlythegeneral be knowstherecallcode. Movingquickly intoaction, President the discussestheproblem with adhis visors,calls the RussianPremier, assiststhe Russiansin their and atto tempts shootdowntheB-52s.Finally, theplanesare recalled all but off one,which dropsitsbombson a secondary target, setting theRussian retaliatory Doomsdaydevice.Dr. Strangelove in concludes apocalypse. After narrator's the initial mention a Doomsdaydevice,Kubrick of subtly beginshis nightmare that comedyby suggesting man's warlike tendencies hissexualurges and stem from similar instincts. He aggressive does thisby showing airborne an B-52coupling with refueling a planein whilethe soundtrackplaysa popular mid-air, love song,"Try a Little Tenderness."The connection betweensexual and military aggression as continues the throughout film, whenan otherwise nudebeautyin a has a Playboycenterfold herbuttocks coveredwith copyofForeign Afin fairs,but it is mostevident the namesgiventhe characters the by screenwriters. D. Ripper, deranged Jack the SAC general, recalls sex the who terrorized murderer London during late 1880s.The name of the is Army strategist BuckTurgidson also suggestive: first his nameis slang
Gelmis, 309. Gates of Eden: American Culturein the Sixties (New York: Basic Books, 1977), 92127.
13
14

Southern,JosephHeller (Catch 22), Kurt Vonnegut(MotherNight), and

Dr. Strangelove

705

a maleandhislastnamesuggests for virile both bombast an adjective and meaning "swollen."MajorKingKong,pilot theB-52,reminds of viewers ofthesimple-minded whofell lovewith beautiful beast in a blonde. Group CaptainLionel Mandrake's nameis also thewordfora plantrepulast tedlyknownforinducing conception women,whilebothnamesof in President Merkin Muffley alludetofemale genitals. Appropriately, Ripper and Turgidson hawks,whileMuffley a dove. Othernames-Dr. are is Strangelove, Soviet Ambassador Sadesky,and Premier the De Dmitri Kissov-carry similar associations. These sexualallusions permeate the film, providing levelofthefilm's one nightmare comedy.15 More importantthan these sexual allusions, however, is Dr. Strangelove'sfrontal assault on the Ideologyof Liberal Consensus. Above all else, Dr. Strangelove uses nightmare comedyto satirize four dimensions the Cold War consensus:anti-Communist of paranoia;the culture's inability realizetheenormity nuclear to of war;various nuclear strategies;and the blind faithmodernman places in technological progress. The critique American of anti-Communist paranoiais presented primarily through General Ripper, played Sterling by Hayden(see Figure 1). Kubrick portrays Ripperas an obsessed member the radicalright.16 of Convinced thatthe Communist has conspiracy not onlyinfiltrated our but country also, through our fluoridation, contaminated water, Ripper decidestotakeaction sending B-52stobombRussia.Cutting all by the off communication the outsideworld,he thenordershis men to fight to anyone attempting capture base. to the The mostgrimly ominous character thefilm, in its Ripperdominates actionin thefirst this half,and Kubrick underlines actionstylistically, wordsalso often from low cameraangle.But Ripper's a shooting Ripper his 2001 decharacterize paranoia.Kubrick once agreedthatwhereas velopsitsfocusvisually, Strangelove Dr. does so much morethrough its dialogue.Earlyin thefilm, Ripper revealshis fearsto Mandrake (Peter in Sellers, one ofhisthree roles):
have you everseen a Communist drink glass of water? a Mandrake, Vodka, that'swhattheydrink, isn'tit? Neverwater-on no accountwilla Commie
15 The sexualallusions Dr. Strangelove developed of are more fully systematically and in Agel, 136-37,and Anthony Macklin, F. "Sex and Dr. Strangelove," FilmComment, 3 (Summer, 1965), 55-57. 16 The portrayal was probably influenced theactivities suchradical by of right groups as theJohn Birch and Society theChristian Anti-Communist Crusade, activeinthelate 1950s andinto 1960s. the Birch leader Robert Welch sounds much Ripper hiscomment like in that President Eisenhower "a dedicated, is consciousagentof the Communist conspiracy" (Wittner, 231). p.

706

American Quarterly

_U
P the 1. Figure Anti-Co andst,iramir: fCokoel Hayden) ponders itippU(Sterlng of of dangers fluoridation. (Courtesy Cinemabilia.) good reason. ever drink water,and notwithout wateris the . Mandrake,

Why, you do ofthis surface water. is sevzn-tenths earth's source all life: of And -that of beings, andI need you realize 70percent yt is water? as human bodily fluids.... Haveyounever to our fresh, water replenish precious pure and pure grain water rain or water only only wondered I drink distilled why Do you called fluoridation? realize ever heard a thing of alcohol? Haveyou ... and Communist conceived dangerous is the monstrously that fluoridation most plot we'veever toface?17 had beganin 1946,thesame yearas that LaterRipper mentions fluoridation this -By conspiracy. portraying Communist the postwarinternational the willing obliterate -world to because of fluoridation, paranoid officer as American fearof Communism one Kubricklays bare the irrational sourceofthecultural malaiseoftheearly1960s. to satire-thefailure realizehow through The secondobjectofattack out of the nuclear weaponshavechanged nature war-is carried primarily on one of GeneralRipper'sB-52s. The pilotof theplane,Major King aboutwarinhis of notions givesevidence outmoded Kong(SlimPickens), the have received "go" code: they pep talkto thecrewafter
17

(Distributor: Swank). from Dialoguehas beentranscribed thefilm

Dr. Strangelove

707

of President Figure2. Failure Liberalism: Mufiley (Peter Selkrs)-the well-intentioned of Stevensonian liberal. butineffectual (Courtesy Cinemabilia.)

idea speeches.... I gota fair of Nowlookboys-I ain'tmuch a handatmakin' Heck, I thatsome of you fellasmaybe thinkin'. of the personalemotions bein's if you didn'thave some pretty even be human reckonyou wouldn't one But I wantyouto remember thing. combat. aboutnuclear strong feelin's we on The folks back homeis a-countim' youand,bygolly, aip'taboutto let out turns to be halfas else: ifthisthing 'em down. I'll tell you something all someimportant as it be, important I figgerjustmight I'd sayyou're inlinefor goes overwith.Andthat whenthisthing's citations and promotions personal of forevery last one ofyou,regardless yerrace,color,or yercreed.

for be Such a pep talkmight appropriate a WorldWar II film-infact, war films somesuchscene-but Kong'sblindaboutthat contained most The factthat ness to whathe is beingasked to do is almostcomplete. him connecting tothe the making speech, hat Kongwearsa cowboy while Home"-a Comes Marching and heritage, that"When Johnny frontier in war American tune-playson thesoundtrack thebackground, patriotic anachronism. of the reinforces conception Kongas a dangerous of the has home,Kubrick Konggo through contents this To drive point amongotheritems,a pistol,ninepacks of a survival kit. It includes, a combination stockings, miniature gum,severalpairsof nylon chewing book,and,ofcourse,an issueofprophylactics. Bibleand Russianphrase

708

American Quarterly

Besides parodyingwhat every soldier shot down over enemy territory mightneed, the scene reasserts that Kong is fighting another war at anothertime, never having realized that if his bomber goes down after droppingits atomic load, the crew will not have to worrymuch about survival,to say nothing survivalkits. Kubrick,perhaps responding of to the media articles which made lightof the nuclear threat,attacks the shortsightedness those who think of nuclearwar may not actuallybe that bad. National strategiesalso come under attack. Here the satireis particularly pointed; the various strategicpositions taken by charactersin the War Room correspondquite closely to positions taken by military and civilian strategists. General Turgidson(George C. Scott) is a "hardliner." His positionis even more severe than that of JohnFoster Dulles, who announced the policy of "massive retaliation" in 1954.18 Turgidson secretlyfavors a first-strike policy-he would like to see the U.S. obliteratethe Russians thatthe planes have been accidentallysent to offensively. Afterlearning theirRussian targets, the TurgidsonurgesthePresidentto intensify attack witheven more planes: T: It is necessary twoadmittedly nowto makea choice,to choosebetween environments.19 regrettable nevertheless but distinguishable postwar One, where gottwenty you million and peoplekilled theother where got150 you million peoplekilled. M: (Shocked)You're talking aboutmassmurder, not general, war. T: I'm notsaying wouldn't ourhairmussed. I do sayno more we get But than tento twenty million killed, on tops-depending thebreaks. M: (Angrily)willnotgo downin history thegreatest I since as massmurderer Adolph Hitler. T: Perhaps might better, President, youweremore it Mr. if be with concerned theAmerican books. peoplethanwith your imagein thehistory Scott delivers these lines withzestfulenthusiasm,and his animatedfeatures suggest that he can hardly wait for the annihilationto begin. In rhetoricdistressingly similarto the arguments occurringoccasionally in thejournals, Turgidsonadvises "total commitment,"sacrificing "few a lives" for what he believes would be a more secure and satisfactory "post-war environment."
Moss, 106-11. 19Here Kubrickborrowslanguage and ideas fromHerman Kahn. Table 3 on p. 20 of On ThermonuclearWar is headed "Tragic But DistinguishablePostwar States," and it estimates the timefor "Economic Recuperation" ifanywherefromtwo millionto 160 million Americansare killed in a thermonuclear exchange.
18

Dr. Strangelove

709

President Muffley's position themostreasonable anyin theWar is of Room.He is neither fanatic a warmonger. a nor he's Unfortunately, also nearly totally ineffectual he tries implement goal: attempting as to his to avoid catastrophe all costs through at communication the Soviets. with Peter Sellers playsthis rolewith baldwig,inpart differentiate a to himself visually from othertwo roles,in partto remind his audiencesof Adlai Stevenson, the quintessential liberalof the 1950s,twice-unsuccessful candidate the Presidency Figure2).2? WhenMuffley for (see negotiates with Premier Kissovoverthehotlineto Moscow,he appearsridiculous. After Kissov says Muffley shouldcall thePeople's Central Defense Air Headquarters Omsk, at Muffley asks,"Listen,do youhappen havethe to information." Muffley argues with Kissovaboutwhois sorrier aboutthe mistake, insisting he can be just as sorry Dmitri. that as Such smalltalk amidst enormity thecrisisis ludicrous. appearing the of By bothridiculous and ineffectual, Muffley furthers Kubrick's nightmare For comedy. iftheperson whohas themost rational strategy whoalso happens (and to be thecommander chief) unableto control in is nuclear weaponsand his military advisors, citizens really have something worry to about. Dr. Although Strangelove does not speak untilthe last third the of film, the creators seem to have taken a great deal of care increating Strangelove a composite a number pundits thenew as of of in " science"ofnuclear As in strategy. a physicist involved weapons research anddevelopment, invites he comparisons Edward to Teller.Notonly was Tellerinvolved thecreation the atomicbomb,but he was also a in of strong anti-Communist pushed who hard thedevelopment themuch for of morepowerful bombin 1949and 1950.21In his background, hydrogen and someofhisdialogue, accent, Strangelove suggests Henry Kissinger. Like Kissinger, came from in Strangelove Germany the 1930sand still speakswith German a accent.With wavydarkhairandsunglasses, his he also bears a physical resemblance Kissinger. to Even his definition of deterrence-"the ofproducing themind theenemy fearto art in of the attack you" soundsremarkably thedefinition in like offered Kissinger hisNuclear Weapons and ForeignPolicy (1957).22 Finally, Kahn Herman
20 When Stevenson a suggested testbanon nuclear weapons the during 1956 presidential election, Vice-President Nixon blasted suggestion "catastrophic the as nonsense" (Moss,p. 21 Moss,64-84,hasa long profile Teller. thelate1950s early on In and 1960s, Teller a was strong opponent test-ban of treaties, wrote and in articles thepopular presswhich deemphasized threat fallout. the of 22 Kissinger, defines 96, deterrence "theattempt keepan opponent as to from a adopting certain course action posing of by risks which tohim will seemoutofproportion anygains to to be achieved."The definitiona little is more elegant than Strangelove's, but perhaps, the thrust thesame. is

phone numberon you, Dmitri?.

. .

What? .

. I see, just ask forOmsk

155).

710

American Quarterly

as plays a partin the Strangelove composite, primarily relatedto the comDoomsdaydevice.Strangelove thePresident he recently tells that for a missioned study theBlandcorporation by (Kahnworked RAND) to the the found deexamine possibility a Doomsdaydevice.The study of vice technologically feasible; wouldbe hookedto a computer proit and circumstances. grammed detonate to under certain prescribed However, because it as Strangelove foundthe machineimpractical a deterrent was accidental. thesedetailsare simiAll wouldgo off evenifan attack larlydiscussedin Kahn's On Thermonuclear War,withKahn similarly concluding though devicewouldcontain that the mostofthecharacterisit tics of a deterrent, wouldnot meetthefinalcharacteristics being of a As controllable.23 a mixture Teller,Kissinger, of Kahn, and probably Von Braunis another number others of (Werner possibility), Strangelove he becomesa significant symbol (see Figure Essentially, is thecoldly 3). Hawthorne's speculating mind, unlikeone of Nathaniel not calculating is and obsessedscientists. feelLike them, Strangelove devoidoffellow B-52 ing.He proves neartheendofthefilm: this evenafter American the a has getsthrough bombitstarget, to Strangelove ideas. He offers planto womenat a takeall military political and leaders(alongwithattractive in to the a shaft an effort survive of to ratio tenwomen one man)into mine device.Clearly, noneof virulent radioactivity produced theDoomsday by the strategic posturespresented Kubrick-Turgidson's by militarism, s Muffley' tender-minded rationality,or Strangelove's constant speculations-are able to controlthe inexorablemarchof nuclear holocaust. 2001 is morefamous itsexploration technology, for of KubAlthough with rickshowsa fascination machines Dr. Strangelove. in Mostpromiis nent thesimulation theB-52cockpit, of which Kubrick-after Air the Force deniedhimanyassistance making film-had built in the from an unauthorized he photograph discoveredin an aviation magazine.24 Throughout B-52scenes,Kubrick the keepsviewer interest alternating by of with shotsofcrewmembers close-ups various panelcontrols expertly out theirorders. Besides those in the B-52, many other carrying wall chartin the War machines-telephones,radios, the electronic Room-play important partsin thefilm. Kubrick his develops attitude toward technology Dr. Strangelove in by making ofbothmachines destruction machines communicause of and of
23 Kahn reportedin his RAND studyof the Doomsday device thatmostpeople he talked to rejectedthe idea of constructing such a weapon. Some scientists and engineers,however, told himthatit was a greatidea. In a masterful Kahn wrotethathe found understatement, thisenthusiasm"disquieting" (p. 148). 24 Kagan, 112.

Dr. Strangelove

711

mmUK ...4.... ...

and Dr. (PeterSellers)-the calculating obFigure3. NuclearStrategist: Strangelove sessedstrategist, devoidofanyfellow of feeling. (Courtesy MovieStarNews.)

712

American Quarterly

CounterCulture(1969), Lewis Mumford'sThe Mythof theMachine: The Pentagon of Power (1969), and Philip Slater's The Pursuitof Loneliness

tion;theproblem thefilm thatwhilepeoplehandle machines in is the of destruction great with alacrity, more the neutral machines communicaof tion either are ineffectual turned or toward destructive purposes. Through a misuseof radio codes, Rippersends the B-52s on theirdestructive mission; DeSadeskyuses a camerato takepictures the War Room, of Whenpeopletry use theneuto for of presumably purposes intelligence. tralmachines prevent to destruction, however, they proveto be ineffective. DuringPresident Muffley's call to Kissov, forexample,social to amenities smalltalkhinder and attempts stoptheB-52s,as does the whenMandrake tries callthePresito slowness theprocess.Likewise, of becausehe does dentafter has discovered recallcode, he cannot he the nothave a dimeforthepay phone. machines Though peoplecan'tuse neutral effectively, handlethe they of with This not the machines destruction deadly efficiency. includes only conventional weaponry theAirForce base, where at Army infantry and artillery attempt takeoverthebase, butalso, moredistressingly, to the their nuclear weapons.The wholecrewof theB-52expertly manipulate the evenafter explosion an anti-aircraft the of missile machines, damages in plane. Kong, to the dismayof the audience,shows greatingenuity in to repairing damaged circuits time openthebombdoorsoverthetarget. men. Kubrickis not reallysuggesting thatmachinesare dominating from a Rather, seems to perceivea humandeathinstinct. he Arising this leads man first create to nearsighted rationality, death instinct life thento use them destroying for human (see Figure In machines, 4). in Kubrick challengwas the inherent technology, questioning "progress" inga fundamental assumption thedominant of Thischallenge paradigm. to technology-both the stresson technique societyand to the to in of increasing importance machines modern in life-was tobecomea dominantthemein the late 1960s, important several worksof social in Theodore Roszak's TheMaking A criticism that during era, including of

(1970). The film's finalscene underlines Kubrick's attackon theIdeology of LiberalConsensus.Mushroom clouds billowon the screen,filling the bothan awesomepowerand a perverse Simultanesky,exuding beauty. sentimental songfrom late 1940s-Vera Lynn's love the ously,a light, "We'll MeetAgain"-providesa contrasting messagein an excelaural lent offilm use irony. opening Its linesare: "We'll meet don'tknow again, don'tknowwhen, I knowwe'll meetagainsomesunny but where, day." Ifwe go on with world the viewofthepostwar Kubrick era, ironically sugwe meet will becausethere be no one left earth. on gests, willnever again,

Dr. Strangelove

713

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~... ... . ....ii

I _ '

_G~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Political In watch Figure4. Technological Expertise, Ineptitude: theWarRoom,leaders theprogress theB-52s "theBigBoard"anddebate of on of policy. (Courtesy Cinemabilia.)

Retaining conflict the betweenimageand sound throughout final the credit sequence,Kubrick hopesto prodhisviewers reflect all that to on they have seen. Takenas a whole, Strangelove Dr. fundamentally challenges Ideolthe ogyofLiberalConsensus attacking by anti-Communist paranoia, American adherence to outmoded notions of heroism, various nuclear strategies, faith social salvation and in through technological expertise. The Cold Warforeign policyso strongly supported Americans the by in late 1940sand 1950srested thebelief on thatAmerica was a fundamentallyjust societythreatened only by the germsof "Godless" Communism. Strangelove, Dr. though certainly it does nothing imply to that the Soviet leaders are any wiser than theirAmericancounterparts, suggests no nation-state a monopoly foolishness thatthe that has on and backstage strategies military political of and leadersare simply exercises in paranoia.The nightmare comedypresented disturbing deeply a and wrought challenge America 1%3 and 1964. to in wouldnotbe so important itnotso uncharacteristicthe Thefilm were in the wayittreated Cold War.The House Un-American Activities Commit-

714

American Quarterly

in tee investigated Hollywood twowaves,once in 1947(resulting the in infamous Hollywood trials) later theearly1950s.25 Ten and in Hollywood it responded byfighting not government interference-as had inthemidcontroversiesbutbycooperating, Thirties censorship blacklisting people and a affiliationstheThirties making spate in of whoweresuspected leftist or the offilms which overtly covertly supported dominant paradigm. The paradigmwas overtlysupported a good numberof antiby Communist from late 1940s early1950s, which the and of melodramas My famous Thesefilms weremost Son John (1952)maybe themost example. wererepopular between1948and 1953;in 1952alone,twelveof them leased. FilmsaboutWorld WarII, portraying Nazis or theJapanese the as villains, tended also to dividetheworld intogood(theAllies)and evil (theAxispowers) thus support dominant and to the paradigm. HereKubrick's anti-war Paths of Glory(1957) was clearlyan anomaly.Even sciencefiction films, The Thing like (1951)or Warof theWorlds (1952), fromouter spacesas a metaphor the Communist of by usingthreats threat, covertly supported conventional oflooking andunderthis way at the to are standing world.26 Moredirectly related Dr. Strangelove a series of films through 1950sand intothe 1960sdealingwiththe bomb the and especially with Strategic Command. Air the Dr. Strangelove whenone contrasts its seemsall the moreamazing andFail Safe (1964).The first thesefilms of of concerns story Paul the of Tibbetts, commander thegroup which actually dropped first the atomic bombson Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Much of the story concerns Mrs. Tibbetts' of gradual acceptance herhusband's secret important yet work. Air follows much samevein.In ita major the Strategic Command league baseballstarand former WorldWarII pilot,playedby Jimmy Stewart, givesup the last yearsof his prime return activeduty.Stewart's to to realizesthatitis necessary at wife, first upsetat herhusband's decision, of forthepeace and well-being thenation.Producedin the same year, to who resiststhe temptation take a BombersB-52 concerns sergeant a higher existence payingcivilian job, and thusretainshis wonderful man. as an enlisted ofDr. Strangelove, their to are yet approaches their subjects light years
25 On HUAC investigations of Hollywood, see RobertSklar,Movie-Made America (New York: Random, 1975), 256-281; John Cogley, Report on Blacklisting(New York: Arno, 1972); and Eric Bentley,ed., Thirty Years of Treason (New York: Viking, 1971). The last book is primarily made up of transcriptions testimony. of 26 On anti-Redfilms,see Andrew Dowdy, The Films of the Fifties (New York: William Morrow, 1973), 38.

iconoclasm and sharpsatirewithAbove and Beyond (1952), StrategicAir Command (1957), Bombers B-52 (1957), A Gatheringof Eagles (1963),

BothA Gathering Eagles and Fail Safe were released about thetime of

Dr. Strangelove

715

from thatof Strangelove. GeneralCurtisLeMay, commander SAC, of tooka personal concern A Gathering Eagles: he stressed needto in of the explain howmany safeguards beencreated prevent had to accidental war. The film concerns young a colonelwhotakesovera SAC wing thathas a failed surprise alert andgradually trains menso they everready his are to go to war ifthenecessity arises. LeMay was pleased withthe film, judging "theclosestanyof[theAirForcefilms] it evercameto showing thetruepicture whatthemilitary all about."27 of was seemedquite similar Dr. Strangelove thatin bothfilms, to in nuclear weapons are detonatedby accident. But Fail Safe does nothing to as suggest, Strangelove does, that national policy ridiculous. is Insteadit portrays President the (HenryFonda) as a responsible competent and mancaught a tragic, controllable in yet circumstance. decision-to His obliterate New York Cityin exchange theaccidental for destruction of Moscow-preventsthe destruction the worldand is powerfully of rena dered without touchof irony:in the finalmoments, see freeze we frames people on New York streets of just before bombexplodes. the Despiteits powerful cinematic ending, film as Julian the is, Smith has suggested,"a morallyand intellectually dangerousfilmbecause it 28 simplifies romanticizes issuesofnational and the responsibility." All thesefilms present common a respectfornationaland military leaders.Though applesmayshowup occasionally, bad though accidents maycause some difficulties, film each ends withcontrol beingreestablished, viewer the reassured theAmerican is thebestcourseand that way that military doing bestjob possible shield from Comus the is to the the munist menace.None hint, does Dr. Strangelove, we mayneed as that protection against ourselves. A lookat howreviewers thepublicresponded Dr. Strangelove and to can giveus someindication howKubrick's of viewswereacadversary cepted.Sincea feature mostoften film the must values reinforce cultural andattitudes itsviewers itexpects be popular, is understandable of if it to thatneither critics thepublicweresweptaway by thefilm. nor Though fewcriticsof mass magazines political a or journalspannedthe film, number them, of thinking within boundsof thedominant the paradigm, came up withstrange NaThe for interpretations. critic theright-wing thatall ideology American shouldbe abandoned. wenton to defend He
Fail Safe, released less than a year afterDr. Strangelove, at first

tionalReview, forexample, suggestedthatDr. Strangelove's themewas

27 Suid, 170. This discussion is indebted to Suid, 187-215, and JulianSmith,Looking Away: Hollywood and Vietnam(New York: Scribners,1975), 178-203. 28 Smith, 198.

716

American Quarterly

deep in Greekpolitical thought," ideology "withitsrootsthrust closing curiouslywith a hope that Kubrick mightmake a filmcriticizing favorable gave a generally Review's Hollis Alpert Stalinism. Saturday "No our with review, concluding thesecomments: one thinks ingeniously direcmatter. Certainly bombs destructive world-destroying are a laughing safe torKubrick doesn't.But on somefairly planetout of view,maybe Alpert seemsto miss wouldviewourpredicament." thisis thewaythey paradigm would see the Kubrick'spoint.No one accepting dominant the but after studying matter, Kubrick, nuclearweaponsas a laughing realized the carefully, arms race,theColdWar,andtheideaofdeterrence and thattheonlyway he could possibly insanity the situation found of comof thrust nightmare the was the approach material through satirical at he they his laugh thesituation, hopednotthat edy.By having audience its that but wouldrealizeits seriousness rather theywouldperceive abthe misunderstood socialrhetoric.29 surdity. Alpert, evidently, who of wereStanley Kauffmann highly thefilm Two observers thought for critic Kauffmann-a Writing TheNew Republic, and Lewis Mumford. Dr. the films-thought Strangelove notoriously harshon mostAmerican its showed"how mankind, film years.The film bestAmerican infifteen in reflexesscored in its nervoussystemand its mindentangled oritself."This is a keen analysis:the on thodoxies, insisted destroying Mumford's werethoseoftheLiberalConsensus. entangling orthodoxies the Timesdefending cameina letter theNew York to response thefilm to thrust whenhe as aboutthefilm's film, he was as perceptive anyone and in is "Whatthewacky are characters Dr. Strangelove saying prewrote: that eventuality we have ciselywhatneeds to be said: thisnightmare as but by for is concocted our children nothing a crazyfantasy, nature It himself. is not as horribly crippled dehumanized Dr. Strangelove and thisfilm democratic moral, thatis sick: whatis sick is our supposedly and whichallowedthispolicyto be formulated implemented country acute without of eventhepretense publicdebate." In a particularly combreak represented first "the went that film the ment, Mumford ontoargue in in thecatatonic thathas so longheldourcountry its cold wartrance 30 It is no surprise thatMumford, had beena perceptive who rigid grip." at cultural critic America least sinceThe GoldenDay (1926),would of of of worship criticisms America's lateroffer of themostarticulate one in ThePentagon Power(1969),stillone ofthemostsensiof technology the to during late 1960s. tiveand persuasive studies America emerge of on thebox-office thecritical figures Dr. Strangelove observations, Like are rentals notoriously for a response. Though figures film suggest mixed
29 W. H. von Dreele, "Satirist WithAstigmatism," National Review, 16 (Mar. 10, 1964), 203-04; "What's in a Title?" SaturdayReview, 47 (Jan. 25, 1964), 24. 30 Kauffmann, The Worldon Film (New York: Harper, 1966), 14-15. Mumford'sletteris quoted in Kauffmann'ssecond review of the film,19

Dr. Strangelove

717

box-office ratings was the Beatles/Richard LesterProduction, Hard A Day's Night,whichis at least symbolically significant. whatwas For in beginning happen thefilm to in industry the1960s was that audience the for films was gettingyoungerand more iconoclastic. Since Dr. did Strangelove verywell in New York-the centerforour cultural trendmakers-and so well in smaller not cities,the box-office figures seemto indicate thattheadversary attitude toward dominant valuesexin pressed films Dr. Strangelove still like was puzzling many to peoplein 1964.Nevertheless, attitude strangely this was attractive thosebecomto ingdisaffected American with society.31 Dr. Strangelove a watershed is film. rejecting Ideology LibBy the of eral Consensusthrough iconoclastic the perspective nightmare of comedy,itestablished stance a which to becomewidespread American was in in movies thelate 1960s.Its alternating ofcomedy horror to tone and was toward dominant socialvalueswas to be expanded TheGraduate, in Easy Rider, FiveEasyPieces. Itsdisdain military and for and leaders warfound itswaytoM*A*S*H.Its notion technological that change was notnecessarily socialprogress appeared suchdiverse in films ButchCassidy as and Itsimportance a groundbreaking inthehistory American as film of movies can hardly overestimated. be Yet thefilm also important a broader is in cultural sense.LionelTrilling oncewrote at itsbase,artis a criticism life. Strangelove, the that of Dr. in way it attacks "crackpot the realism"of American in culture the 1950s and early1960s,is as importantcultural a document thePortHuron as of Statement 1962, Martin Luther King's"I Have a Dream" speechatthe March Washington 1963, on in Herbert Marcuse'sOne-Dimensional Man (1964),or Malcolm Autobiography X's (1965).Anyone seeking underto standthe breakdown the American of consensusin the earlyand midand 1960s, thenewiconoclasm which challenging can learn good was it, a deal from nightmare the comedy Dr. Strangelove. of
31 Box-office figures fromVariety'ssectionon box-office are grosses, 234 (Feb. 5, 12, 19, 26, Mar. 4, 11, 18, 25, and Apr. 1, 1964), and 237 (Jan. 6, 1965).

Strangelove ranked 14th,aftersuch filmsas The Carpet Baggers, It's a Mad . . . World,The UnsinkableMollyBrown,Charade, Good Neighbor Sam, and The Pink Panther. Rightabove Dr. Strangelove in the 1964

rough, theyseem to indicate thatafter doinga verystrong businessin New Yorkand someother large cities, Strangelove Dr. sloweddownand failedto live up to its earlyreturns. openedat the Victoria It and the Baronetin New York, setting house records the Baronet(an "art" in theater) providing bestbusiness yearsforthefirst and the in weekat the Victoria.Business remained strong both theaters at least nine at for weeks,yetwhenthe finalbox-office tabulations were in for1964,Dr.

reappear in Bonnie and Clyde and Little Big Man. Its critical attitude

the Sundance Kid, McCabe and Mrs. Miller, and A ClockworkOrange.