Dr. Strangelove

Dr. Strangelove

Screenplay by                             Stanley Kubrick

                                                 Terry Southern

                                                 Peter George

Produced by                               Stanley Kubrick

Directed by                                Stanley Kubrick

Cast List:

Peter Sellers                            Capt. Lionel Mandrake

President Merkin Muffley
Dr. Strangelove
George C. Scott                                   Gen. Buck Turgidson

Sterling Hayden                                   Gen. Jack D. Ripper

Keenan Wynn                          Col. Bat Guano

Slim Pickens                            Maj. T.J. "King" Kong

Peter Bull                                 Ambassador de Sadesky

Tracy Reed                              Miss Scott

James Earl Jones                    Lt. Lothar Zogg

FADE IN:

SLOW TRACK over dense cloud cover. Rocky peaks visible in the distance.

NARRATOR

For more than a year, ominous rumors have been privately circulating among high level western leaders, that the Soviet Union had been at work on what was darkly hinted to be the ultimate weapon, a doomsday device. Intelligence sources traced the site of the top secret Russian project to the perpetually fog shrouded wasteland below the arctic peaks of the Zokov islands. What they were building, or why it should be located in a such a remote and desolate place, no one could say.

CUT TO:

Roll credits

Tracking shot of B-52 in mid-air refuel. Soundtrack lilts "Try a Little Tenderness." Refueling nozzle gently breaks away from receiving aircraft.

CUT TO:

INT. COMPUTER ROOM – BURPLESON AFB – NIGHT

A phone buzzes.

PETTY OFFICER

General Ripper, sir.

MANDRAKE

(to phone on his desk)

Group Captain Mandrake speaking...

Ripper sits at his desk, cigar smoke wafting up through the light of his desk lamp.

RIPPER

(to phone)

This is General Ripper speaking.

MANDRAKE

Yes, sir.

RIPPER

You recognize my voice, Mandrake?

MANDRAKE

I do sir, why do you ask?

RIPPER

Why do you think I asked?

MANDRAKE

Well I don't know, sir. We spoke just a few moments ago on the phone, didn't we?

RIPPER

You don't think I'd ask if you recognized my voice unless it was pretty damned important do you, Mandrake?

MANDRAKE

No, I don't, sir. No.

RIPPER

Alright, let's see if we stay on the ball. Has the wing confirmed holding at their failsafe points?

MANDRAKE

Yes, sir. The confirmations have all just come in.

RIPPER

Very well, now, listen to me carefully. The base is being put on condition red. I want this flashed to all sections immediately.

MANDRAKE

Condition red, sir. Yes. Jolly good idea, keeps the men on their toes.

RIPPER

Group Captain, I'm afraid this is not a exercise.

MANDRAKE

Not an exercise, sir?

RIPPER

I shouldn't tell you this, Mandrake, but you're a good officer and you have a right to know. It looks like we're in a shooting war.

MANDRAKE

Oh, hell. Are the Russians involved sir?

RIPPER

Mandrake, that's all I've been told. It just came in on the Red Phone. My orders are for this base to be sealed tight, and that's what I mean to do: seal it tight. Now, I want you to transmit plan R, R for Robert, to the wing. Plan R for Robert.

MANDRAKE

Is it that bad sir?

RIPPER

It looks like it's pretty hairy.

MANDRAKE

Yes sir. Plan R for Robert, sir.