History Funny / DrStrangelove

[[caption-width-right:350:Learn to stop worrying and ride the bomb.]]

** Ripper winces when Muffley asks Kissof to let him finish, as if the premier had made sounds that were rather less than dignified.

* Meta-example in Kubrick's deception of Creator/GeorgeCScott. Turning a subtle (but presumably dull) role into a LargeHam with over-the-top takes "for practice" and "amusement of the crew". Scott had reasons to be very upset, but the sneaky move is hilarious too, very in line with the absurdism of the whole film. The movie benefits immensely from his exaggerated performance.

** Perhaps the only time Ripper reacts with bewilderment rather than his usual rage or roaring bravado.

* Turgisdon takes a call from his mistress while in the War Room. A civilian knew where Turgidson would be and ''was able to telephone straight through to him''.

* The [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VEB-OoUrNuk hotline telephone conversation.]] What makes all the better is that Peter Sellers ad-libbed the whole thing:

* Ripper's obsession with bodily fluids, and his explanation that fluoride in [[WaterSourceTampering water]] is a [[RedScare communist plot]]. When Turgidson reads the message Ripper sends to the military, he reads through to a call for American victory “through the purity and essence of our natural... [beat]... fluids.” Turgidson then notes they’re trying to decipher what Ripper meant by that last phrase, unaware it’s meant to be taken exactly literally.

** De Sadesky's actor trying [[{{Corpsing}} and failing]] to mantain his stone face.

* Think about it. General Ripper is a completely paranoid general who acts surprisingly calm, while Turgidson, despite making a lot of rational points, acts like a complete lunatic.

* Major Kong [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3edi2Wkr5YI becoming]] the trope originator for RidingTheBomb.

-->'''President Muffley:''' Hello?... Er, hello, Di--er, hello, Dimitri?... Listen, er, I can't hear too well, do you suppose you could turn the music down just a little?... Oh, that's much better!... yeah -- yeah -- Fine, I can hear you now, Dimitri. Clear and plain and coming through fine... I'm coming through fine, too, eh? Good -- then -- Well, then, as you say we're both coming through fine -- Good -- Well, it's good that you're fine and, and I'm fine -- I agree with you, it's great to be fine. ''[laughs nervously]'' Now then, Dimitri -- you know about how -- we've always talked about the possibility of something going wrong with the bomb... The bomb, Dimitri, the ''hydrogen'' bomb... Well, now, what happened is -- um -- one of our base commanders, he had a sort of -- [[{{Understatement}} well, he went a little funny in the head]] -- you know, just a little -- funny, and uh, he went and did a silly thing -- Well, I'll ''tell'' you what he did, he ordered his planes -- to attack your country. Ah -- well, let me finish, Dimitri -- ''let me finish'', Dimitri -- well, listen, how do you think ''I'' feel about it? Can you ''imagine'' how I feel about it, Dimitri?... Why do you think I'm calling you? Just to say hello?... Of ''course'' I like to speak to you! Of ''course'' I like to say hello!... Not now, but any time, Dimitri. I'm just calling up to tell you something terrible has happened. It's a friendly call, of course, it's a friendly call -- Listen, if it wasn't friendly you probably wouldn't have even ''got'' it!... They will not reach their targets for at least another hour -- I am -- I am positive, Dimitri -- listen, I've been all over this with your ambassador, it is not a trick... Well, I'll tell you. We'd like to give your Air Staff a complete rundown on the targets, the flight plans, and the defensive systems of the planes... Yes, I mean if we're unable to recall the planes and -- I'd say that, uh -- well, uh -- we're just gonna have to help you destroy them, Dimitri -- I ''know'' they're our boys... Alright, well, listen, now who should we call?... Who should we ''call'', Dimitri?... ''What'' "The People"? -- What? Sorry, you faded away there -- "The People's Central Air Defense Headquarters," where is that, Dimitri?... In Omsk. Right?... Yes -- Oh, you'll call them first, will you?... Uh huh -- Listen, do you happen to have the phone number on you, Dimitri?... What? I see, just ask for Omsk Information -- How -- ah, um, hmmm... I'm sorry too, Dimitri. I'm very sorry -- Alright, you're sorrier than I am, but I am sorry as well -- I am as sorry as you are, Dimitri. Don't say that you're more sorry than I am, because I'm capable of being just as sorry as you are -- So we're ''both'' sorry, alright? Alright... Yes, he's right here. He wants to talk to you, just a second --

-->'''Kong''': Goldie, how many times have I told you guys that I don't want any horsin' around on the airplane?

** Consider what the premier's side of the conversation must be to fit Muffley's dialogue. Particularly when Muffley asks "Why do you think I'm calling you? Just to say hello?" The premier's reaction evidently goes from white-hot rage at the idea of dozens of USAF bombers headed his way to a distraught "D... don't you ''like'' speaking to me, Merkin?"

--->'''President Muffy:''' But has it got a chance?

* Strangelove accidentally addressing the president as ''Mein Führer''.
** Particularly since earlier in the film the president explicitly states that he does not intend to go down in history "as the greatest mass murderer since Adolf Hitler."

* The final line of the movie, "'''MEIN ''FÜHRER''!!! ''I can WALK!!!'''''" is quickly followed by the nukes hitting and the credits.
** And before that: "Mr. President, we must not [[LargeHam alloooooww... A MINE SHAFT GAP!]]"

* GeneralRipper pulling a .30 calibre machine gun ''[[CrazyPrepared from his golf bag]]''.
** Followed shortly by Ripper trying to rally Mandrake to help him operate the gun. His choice of metaphor could have been more inspiring:

* Ripper's obsession with bodily fluids, and his explanation that fluoride in [[WaterSourceTampering water]] is a [[RedScare communist plot]].
** When Turgidson reads the message Ripper sends to the military, he reads through to a call for American victory “through the purity and essence of our natural... [beat]... fluids.” Turgidson then notes they’re trying to decipher what Ripper meant by that last phrase, unaware it’s meant to be taken exactly literally.

** When Muffley rails against Plan R possibly ending the world:
--->'''Turgidson''': Well, I, uh, don't think it's quite fair to condemn a whole program because of a single slip-up, sir.

'''Ambassador de Sadesky:''' Our source was The New York Times.

* Mandrake [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ymze0Je2Tm0 needs some change]] for the phone...

-->'''Kong''': Survival Kit contents check. In them you will find: one .45-caliber automatic, two boxes of ammunition, four days concentrated emergency rations, one drug issue containing antibiotics, morphine, vitamin pills, pep pills, sleeping pills, tranquilizer pills, one miniature combination [[FunetikAksent Rooshan]] phrase book and Bible, one hundred dollars in rubles, one hundred dollars in gold, nine packs of chewing gum, one issue of prophylactics, three lipsticks, three pair of nylon stockings -- shoot, a fellah could have a pretty good weekend in Vegas with all that stuff....

--->'''President Muffy:''' But can it [successfully bomb Russia]?
--->'''Turgidson:''' HELL YE-... h... h... ''(horrified silence overtakes the room)''

** The "OhCrap" itself is a brilliant burst of comedy.

* Major Kong [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JlSQAZEp3PA becoming]] the trope originator for RidingTheBomb.