Learn to stop worrying and love the bomb.
- The hotline telephone conversation
, in which the president of the United States and the premier of the Soviet Union discuss the impending possibility of mutually-assured destruction... by squabbling like a married couple. What makes all the better is that Peter Sellers ad-libbed the whole thing: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 - 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 -- Notice Ambassador de Sadesky's face during the conversation. Not only does he look like a small part of his soul died, it never changes; like he's entirely used to this sort of thing.
- 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 "Don't you like speaking to me, Merkin?"
- Muffley begins the conversation asking the drunk premier to turn down the music. The premier was in the middle of a party.
- Turgidson winces when Muffley asks Kissof to let him finish, as if the premier had made sounds that were rather less than dignified.
- "Gentlemen, you can't fight in here! This is the War Room!"
- The War Room has a lavish buffet laid out. Ambassador de Sadesky even asks for fresh fish and Cuban cigars.
- General Turgidson's enthusiastic description of how low one of the bombers can fly. Even imitating a plane, with his arms like wings◊.
- The "Oh, Crap!" look on General Turgidson's face when he realizes that the bombers might succeed in ending the world.
- The "Explain, Explain... Oh, Crap!" itself is a brilliant burst of comedy.President Muffley: But has it got a chance?Turgidson: Has it got a chance?! HELL YE-... h... h... (horrified silence overtakes the room)
- Also, when he trips and falls and afterward acts like it never happened. Apparently, it actually was an accident, and like a lot of the other improvisations, Stanley Kubrick kept it in.
- Major Kong becoming the Trope Maker for Riding the Bomb.
- Dr. Strangelove's attempt to describe how humanity will survive After the End, frequently interrupted by his Evil Hand.
- De Sadesky's actor trying and failing to maintain his stone face.
- During this conversation, Ambassador de Sadesky steps away to "tie his shoe" (read: take a picture of the Big Board with a hidden camera, which is exactly what Turgidson said he'd do when he arrived).
- It should be noted the Big Board is just a giant map of the world with light up dots on them. The most anyone could glean from them is just the vague flight patterns of the bombers, which given society as we know it is about to end, it’s rather meaningless.
- 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."
- Strangelove pointing out the inherent flaw in the Russians' Doomsday Machine.Dr. Strangelove: Of course, the whole point of a Doomsday Machine is lost if you KEEP IT A SECRET! Why didn't you tell the world, eh?
Ambassador de Sadesky: [Sheepishly] It was to be announced at the Party Congress on Monday. As you know, the Premier loves surprises.- He got a "surprise" during the telephone call and took it rather badly.
- Turgidson 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.
- Turgidson quickly begins to scold her for the security violation...and pretty much immediately pivots into a speech about how of course their relationship isn't just physical.
- As Ripper finally descends past the Despair Event Horizon Mandrake tries to cheer him up while unsubtly asking for the code to stop the end of the world.Mandrake: (as Ripper heads into the bathroom to shoot himself) A little wash and brush up, water on the back of the neck. Makes you feel marvellous. That's what we need, Jack! Water on the back of the neck and the code.
- Mandrake's incredulous reaction upon hearing Bat Guano's name, he hesitantly pronounces it and adds "...if that is your real name."
- Mandrake needs some change for the phone.Mandrake: (to Guano) Colonel, that Coca-Cola machine, I want you to shoot the lock off it. There may be some change in there.
Guano: That's private property.
Mandrake: (exasperated) Colonel, can you possibly imagine what is going to happen to you, your frame, outlook, way of life and everything, when they learn that you have obstructed a telephone call to the President of the United States? Can you imagine? Shoot it off! Shoot! With the gun! That's what the bullets are for, you twit!
Guano: Okay, I'm gonna get your money for you. But if you don't get the President of the United States on that phone, you know what's going to happen to you?
Mandrake: What?
Guano: You're going to have to answer to the Coca-Cola Company.- Guano getting hit in the face with soda as he goes to retrieve the falling coins from the machine.
- The Survival Kit: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 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...
- A survival kit having nine packs of gum.
- The Bible-phrasebook is absolutely tiny.
- When discussing the doomsday device:Ambassador de Sadesky: The deciding factor was when we learned that your country was working along similar lines, and we were afraid of a doomsday gap.
President Muffley: This is preposterous! I never approved of anything like that!
Ambassador de Sadesky: Our source was The New York Times. - Meta-example in Kubrick's deception of George C. Scott. Turning a subtle (but presumably dull) role into a Large Ham with over-the-top takes "for practice" and "amusement of the crew". Scott had reasons to be very upset but also found the sneaky move hilarious, very in line with the absurdism of the whole film. The movie benefits immensely from his exaggerated performance.
- 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 alloooooww... A MINE SHAFT GAP!"
- 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.
- General Ripper pulling a .30 calibre machine gun 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: Mandrake, come over here, the Redcoats are coming!note
- The "Keep off the grass" and "Peace is Our Profession" signs are visible when the soldiers are storming the base, lending another examples of Black Comedy. Especially since "Peace is Our Profession" was the Real Life slogan of the Strategic Air Command.
- The BLAND Corporation. A parody of the Real Life RAND Corporation. Talk about a Bland-Name Product.
- Turgidson loudly declares that their studies on fallout show the Doomsday Device is impossible. Ambassador de Sadesky says he obviously hasn't heard of Cobalt-Thorium G, leaving Turgidson to lamely ask what that is.
- Mandrake mocks Ripper's A Father to His Men delusion and makes a pun without really trying.Mandrake: I'm sure they all died thinking of you, every man jack of them... Jack.
- The Russian ambassador's voice wavers in fear quite exaggeratedly when he first describes the Doomsday Machine. It fits the Black Comedy tone of the film very well.
- Ripper's Motive Rant starts fairly high-handed and rational, but the moment he mentions bodily fluids its hilariously clear he is off his rocker.
- Ripper's obsession with bodily fluids, and his explanation that fluoride in water is a Communist plot (such conspiracy theories actually existed at the time, but the film amplifies the absurdity of them). 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.
- Perhaps the only time Turgidson reacts with bewilderment rather than his usual rage or roaring bravado.
- Turgidson's hilarious attempts to downplay the crisis:Muffley: I was under the impression that I was the only one in authority to order the use of nuclear weapons.Turgidson: Er, that's right, sir. You are the only one authorised to do so. And while I'd hate to judge before all the facts are in, it's beginning to look like General Ripper exceeded his authority.
- 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.
- Major Kong's reaction when he is told that they received the "go" code:Kong: Goldie, how many times have I told you guys that I don't want no horsin' around on the airplane?
- After the bomb is released with Kong riding it down to the target:Lieutenant Zogg: Hey, what about Major Kong?
- When it has become clear in the War Room that the end of the world is nigh, Muffley has taken off his jacket and tie and is slumped in a seat holding a drink.
