The film Dr. Strangelove’s comedic value is rooted mostly in the clever, witty, and often suggestive dialogue. The type of comedy found in the dialogue changes from one character to another, but is mostly ironic comedy. Humor based on stereotypes is the most commonly used type of jokes in the film, rooting from stereotypes on gender, nationality, and occupation. It also draws humor from the fact that it is a film about a normally serious topic that is typically depicted in a dramatic style. Films about war are generally supposed to be emotionally gripping to the audience and glorify the heroes of war, whereas Dr. Strangelove pokes fun at the idea of war and those who fight in them.
The first and only woman we see in the film is dressed in a bikini, tanning indoors. She is also the secretary to General Buck Turgidson. Humor is shown through her attitude and her actions. It is made clear that she is not only a secretary to the General, but his mistress too. Scantily clad, she answers the phone in his house while he is in the bathroom and acts as though it is just another day at the office. This is poking fun at both the seriousness that is often associated with a military position as high as General and role that women played during times of war. Dr. Strangelove, who is said to be the one of the most intelligent scientist that work for the American government, hardly acts sane enough to have the intelligence that they claim he possesses. He is constantly and involuntarily moving his right arm into a “heil Hitler” salute. This is making fun of his nationality because he is German and humorously commenting on just how intelligent and moral high profile government officials are.
Dr. Strangelove causes its audience to take a different and more light-hearted look at war and humanity as a whole, going back to the roots of entertainment for entertainment’s sake.
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