I'm not sure if I'm reading too much into this, but was Dr. Strangelove supposed to be a Nazi? I remember several times throughout the film where he did the Nazi salute. Also, at the end, he stands up and says, "Mein Fuhrer! I can walk!" That's pretty much the most direct Nazi reference one can give, other than anti-Semetic shouting.
I'm not sure of the relevance of this, but I would guess that the Germans may be added on to the race for survival between America and Russia. It could also be another fear that Americans had during the Cold War. Maybe Germany would go and attack them again.
Also, why was Dr. Strangelove able to walk at the end? Is it just some kind of suprise? Did the actor just decide to do it for no reason? That part made no sense to me.
You are asking the exact questions I will ask the class tomorrow. Thank you for writing my lesson plan for me.
ReplyDeleteHowever, the first question is more a point of historical information. Strangelove is supposed to have been a scientist in Hitler's Germany during WW2. Now, he works for the Americans, but his true feelings do sneak through, don't they?