Dr. Strangelove

Dr. Strangelove (1964)

Kubrick came of age during the Cold War and became preoccupied with the possibility of nuclear war in the late 1950s, even considering moving to Australia. After reading the novel Red Alert, he saw in it the makings of a great film.

During writing, Kubrick decided that turning the frightening story into a satire was the best approach — though his producer James B. Harris disagreed and chose not to produce it. Kubrick told Harris: "The only way this thing really works for me is as a satire."

Before writing the screenplay, Kubrick studied over forty military and political research books. He hired satirical writer Terry Southern to help transform Red Alert into an "outrageous black comedy." Peter Sellers originally played four roles; a broken leg prevented him from completing the fourth.

The result is widely considered the greatest political satire ever made — a BAFTA Best Film winner that still feels urgently relevant more than six decades on. Sellers' three performances (Mandrake, the President, and the title character) remain among cinema's most celebrated pieces of comic acting.