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Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb

  • 19641964
  • PGPG
  • 1h 35m
IMDb RATING
8.4/10
481K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
1,295
296
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)
Official Spanish Trailer
Play trailer3:25
31 Videos
99+ Photos
  • Comedy
  • War

An insane American general orders a bombing attack on the Soviet Union, triggering a path to nuclear holocaust that a war room full of politicians and generals frantically tries to stop.An insane American general orders a bombing attack on the Soviet Union, triggering a path to nuclear holocaust that a war room full of politicians and generals frantically tries to stop.An insane American general orders a bombing attack on the Soviet Union, triggering a path to nuclear holocaust that a war room full of politicians and generals frantically tries to stop.

IMDb RATING
8.4/10
481K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
1,295
296
  • Director
    • Stanley Kubrick
  • Writers
    • Stanley Kubrick(screenplay)
    • Terry Southern(screenplay)
    • Peter George(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Peter Sellers
    • George C. Scott
    • Sterling Hayden
Top credits
  • Director
    • Stanley Kubrick
  • Writers
    • Stanley Kubrick(screenplay)
    • Terry Southern(screenplay)
    • Peter George(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Peter Sellers
    • George C. Scott
    • Sterling Hayden
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 1KUser reviews
    • 233Critic reviews
    • 97Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Top rated movie #67
    • Nominated for 4 Oscars
      • 14 wins & 11 nominations total

    Videos31

    Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb
    Trailer 3:25
    Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb
    Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb
    Trailer 3:25
    Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb
    Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb
    Trailer 3:24
    Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb
    Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb
    Trailer 3:25
    Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb
    Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb
    Trailer 3:25
    Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb
    Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb
    Trailer 3:25
    Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb
    Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb
    Trailer 3:25
    Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb
    Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb
    Trailer 3:25
    Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb
    Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb
    Trailer 3:25
    Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb
    Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb
    Trailer 3:25
    Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb
    Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb
    Trailer 3:25
    Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb
    Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb
    Trailer 3:25
    Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb

    Photos224

    Stanley Kubrick and George C. Scott in Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)
    Stanley Kubrick and Peter Sellers in Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)
    Stanley Kubrick in Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)
    Peter Sellers in Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)
    Stanley Kubrick and Peter Sellers in Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)
    Peter Sellers in Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)
    Peter Sellers in Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)
    Peter Sellers, George C. Scott, Peter Evans, Robert O'Neil, Jeff Silk, Roy Stephens, Gordon Tanner, Reg Thomason, Peter Roy, Victor Harrington, Joe Phelps, and George Holdcroft in Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)
    Peter Bull in Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)
    Peter Sellers in Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)
    George C. Scott in Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)
    Peter Sellers in Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Peter Sellers
    Peter Sellers
    • Group Capt. Lionel Mandrakeas Group Capt. Lionel Mandrake…
    George C. Scott
    George C. Scott
    • Gen. 'Buck' Turgidsonas Gen. 'Buck' Turgidson
    Sterling Hayden
    Sterling Hayden
    • Brig. Gen. Jack D. Ripperas Brig. Gen. Jack D. Ripper
    Keenan Wynn
    Keenan Wynn
    • Col. 'Bat' Guanoas Col. 'Bat' Guano
    Slim Pickens
    Slim Pickens
    • Maj. 'King' Kongas Maj. 'King' Kong
    Peter Bull
    Peter Bull
    • Russian Ambassador Alexi de Sadeskyas Russian Ambassador Alexi de Sadesky
    James Earl Jones
    James Earl Jones
    • Lt. Lothar Zoggas Lt. Lothar Zogg
    Tracy Reed
    Tracy Reed
    • Miss Scottas Miss Scott
    Jack Creley
    Jack Creley
    • Mr. Stainesas Mr. Staines
    Frank Berry
    • Lt. H.R. Dietrichas Lt. H.R. Dietrich
    Robert O'Neil
    Robert O'Neil
    • Adm. Randolphas Adm. Randolph
    Glenn Beck
    Glenn Beck
    • Lt. Kivelas Lt. Kivel
    • (as Glen Beck)
    Roy Stephens
    • Frankas Frank
    Shane Rimmer
    Shane Rimmer
    • Capt. 'Ace' Owensas Capt. 'Ace' Owens
    Hal Galili
    Hal Galili
    • Burpelson AFB Defense Team Memberas Burpelson AFB Defense Team Member
    Paul Tamarin
    • Lt. Goldbergas Lt. Goldberg
    Laurence Herder
    Laurence Herder
    • Burpelson AFB Defense Team Memberas Burpelson AFB Defense Team Member
    Gordon Tanner
    Gordon Tanner
    • Gen. Facemanas Gen. Faceman
    • Director
      • Stanley Kubrick
    • Writers
      • Stanley Kubrick(screenplay)
      • Terry Southern(screenplay)
      • Peter George(screenplay) (based on the book: "Red Alert" by)
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
    • All cast & crew

    Director's Trademarks: A Guide to Stanley Kubrick's Films

    Director's Trademarks: A Guide to Stanley Kubrick's Films

    2001: A Space Odyssey and Eyes Wide Shut are just the beginning of Stanley Kubrick's legacy. Are you up to speed on the film icon's style?
    Watch the video
    Image caption not available
    1:38

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    8.3
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    8.4
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    8.3
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    8.1
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    Storyline

    Edit
    Paranoid Brigadier General Jack D. Ripper of Burpelson Air Force Base, believing that fluoridation of the American water supply is a Soviet plot to poison the U.S. populace, is able to deploy through a back door mechanism a nuclear attack on the Soviet Union without the knowledge of his superiors, including the Chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Buck Turgidson, and President Merkin Muffley. Only Ripper knows the code to recall the B-52 bombers and he has shut down communication in and out of Burpelson as a measure to protect this attack. Ripper's executive officer, RAF Group Captain Lionel Mandrake (on exchange from Britain), who is being held at Burpelson by Ripper, believes he knows the recall codes if he can only get a message to the outside world. Meanwhile at the Pentagon War Room, key persons including Muffley, Turgidson and nuclear scientist and adviser, a former Nazi named Dr. Strangelove, are discussing measures to stop the attack or mitigate its blow-up into an all out nuclear war with the Soviets. Against Turgidson's wishes, Muffley brings Soviet Ambassador Alexi de Sadesky into the War Room, and get his boss, Soviet Premier Dimitri Kisov, on the hot line to inform him of what's going on. The Americans in the War Room are dismayed to learn that the Soviets have an as yet unannounced Doomsday Device to detonate if any of their key targets are hit. As Ripper, Mandrake and those in the War Room try and work the situation to their end goal, Major T.J. "King" Kong, one of the B-52 bomber pilots, is working on his own agenda of deploying his bomb where ever he can on enemy soil if he can't make it to his intended target. —Huggo
    • war room
    • bodily fluids
    • black comedy
    • satire
    • nuclear attack
    • 207 more
    • Plot summary
    • Plot synopsis
    • Taglines
      • The comedy classic from celebrated director STANLEY KUBRICK
    • Genres
      • Comedy
      • War
    • Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)
      • Rated PG for thematic elements, some violent content, sexual humor and mild language
    • Parents guide

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Peter Sellers was paid $1 million, 55% of the film's budget. Stanley Kubrick famously quipped "I got three for the price of six".
    • Goofs
      Towards the end of the film, when Strangelove is fighting with his renegade right hand over control of his wheelchair and punches it several times out of frustration, the Russian Ambassador (Peter Bull) clearly corpses (laughs) at Peter Sellers' performance and then quickly regains his composure.
    • Quotes

      President Merkin Muffley: Gentlemen, you can't fight in here! This is the War Room.

    • Crazy credits
      The screenplay title is incorrectly spelled. It reads: 'Base' on the book "Red Alert" by Peter George. This is pointed out on the DVD supplement about the making of the film.
    • Alternate versions
      The US version opens with the following text being displayed before the Columbia lady appears: "It is the stated position of the U.S. Air Force that their safeguards would prevent the occurence of such events as are depicted in this film. Furthermore, it should be noted that none of the characters portrayed in this film are meant to represent any real persons living or dead."
    • Connections
      Edited into Hai-Kubrick (1999)
    • Soundtracks
      Try a Little Tenderness
      (1932) (uncredited)

      Music by Harry M. Woods, Reginald Connelly, and Jimmy Campbell

      Arranged by Laurie Johnson

      Performed by Studio Orchestra during the opening credits

    User reviews1K

    Review
    Top review
    9/10
    Going Toe to Toe with the 'Rooskies'
    As a film Dr. Strangelove was so well received that a more serious film on the same topic, Failsafe, failed to find an audience. Yet Strangelove made you think as well as entertain which is the ultimate object of any great work of cinema.

    General Jack D. Ripper has sent out the Strategic Air Command bombers and locked down Burpelson Air Force Base so that higher ups can't interfere. He's struck back at the dirty Communists for pushing fluoridation of the water supply which he feels has interfered with his bodily functions.

    Ripper might want to have checked with the Air Force Chief of Staff, General Buck Turgidson who when we meet him seems to have all his bodily functions working just fine. A second opinion on Ripper's lack of bodily functions might have revised his reason on why his particular functions weren't doing well.

    Of course his actions have created a crisis and President Muffley of the United States is busy trying to talk to Premier Kissoff of the USSR to prevent a nuclear war. That is in case those SAC bombers can't be recalled. One of the bombers commanded by Major Kong is anxious to do battle with the 'Rooskies'.

    Director Stanley Kubrick went poaching on the black comedy normally that would be the province of Billy Wilder. But even Wilder in his wildest dreams never used those wonderful Dickensian names for his characters that Kubrick is so delighting in. My favorite however is the part played by Keenan Wynn as the army colonel commanding the tactical force that liberates Burpelson, Colonel Bat Guano.

    Jack D. Ripper is played by Sterling Hayden a man consumed by his lack of bodily functions. This is a takeoff on Army General Edwin Walker who commanded US troops in Germany and was relieved when it was discovered he was indoctrinating his troops with John Birch Society propaganda which included their fears about fluoridation of water. Curiously enough that cause was actually taken up by other than fanatic right-wingers, people like Ralph Nader. Could Ripper have been right after all?

    George C. Scott is cigar chomping, bodily functioning spoof of legendary SAC commander Curtis LeMay. He's having quite the difficult time in deciding just who to root for in this crisis.

    Peter Sellers got an Oscar nomination for playing three different characters in Dr. Strangelove. Sellers is President Muttley, Colonel Mandrake of the RAF an exchange officer serving under Sterling Hayden and the crazed former Nazi nuclear scientist Dr. Strangelove. Watching the film, it's almost hard to believe this is the same man using three different voices and appearances that makeup alone could not explain. Sellers lost to his fellow British player Rex Harrison for My Fair Lady.

    In fact Dr. Strangelove also lost as Best Picture to My Fair Lady. Of course George Bernard Shaw never put his legendary wit to the issue of mutual nuclear annihilation. Neither did Billy Wilder, but I have a feeling those two talents together couldn't have done any better than Stanley Kubrick.

    The image that stays in your mind from the film I guarantee will be Slim Pickens as Major Kong riding that hydrogen bomb down to its 'Rooskie' target like a bucking bronco.

    Hopefully we won't meet Major Kong again, who knows where and who knows when.
    helpful•10
    5
    • bkoganbing
    • Apr 6, 2008

    FAQ9

    • "Dr. Strangelove" was an Americanized version of the doctor's German name. What was the German name?
    • What was the doomsday device?
    • How was the doomsday device triggered?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • January 29, 1964 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • United Kingdom
      • United States
    • Official site
      • Official Site
    • Languages
      • English
      • Russian
    • Also known as
      • Dr. Strangelove
    • Filming locations
      • Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada
    • Production company
      • Stanley Kubrick Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $1,800,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $9,440,272
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $11,751
      • Jul 17, 1994
    • Gross worldwide
      • $9,523,464
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 35 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital

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