Dr. Strangelove

Continuity mistake: Throughout the movie the outside shots of the B 52 show a shadow on the ground. That shadow isn't of a B 52 jet bomber but that of a B 17 WWII prop. It isn't a B 29 either, for the cord of the B 29 wing is thinner than a B 17s; Also, the wings and fuselage are much longer. The most obvious clue is the shape of the B-17 vertical tail- it is unique to the B-17, and much different from that of the B-29.

Continuity mistake: In the first War Room scene, when George C. Scott outlines the situation and his "six points," the folders in front of him move around; they're in a different position in each angle.

Continuity mistake: When Mandrake and Ripper are in the latter's office and he is firing out of the window, Mandrake holds a chair in front of him for protection. In the next shot from behind them, the chair is nowhere near him. (00:52:10)

Continuity mistake: Just before Ripper kills himself, the cigar's shadow across his face indicates bright lights at the back of his office, away from the windows. When Ripper and Mandrake are seen standing together, bright lights are coming from the other direction. The direction of the shadows alternates between the close-ups and the wide shots.

Continuity mistake: During Dr. Strangelove's last delivery in the war room the Russian ambassador is standing next to his wheelchair, looking straight and grim. Strangelove develops some rather macho ideas about the ratio of women and men in the mine shafts after, and the ambassador turns to him and says with a smile, "You have an astonishingly good idea." but when the camera angle changes he is looking as straight and grim as before. (01:27:55)

NancyFelix

Continuity mistake: While the crew is reviewing the attack profile James Earl Jones is shown reading the first page, then switching to the second page. A few seconds later he does the same thing again.

Dr. Strangelove mistake picture

Other mistake: When Col. Bat Guano shoots the Coke machine and it squirts him in the face, he's holding his head too high. You can see that he first gets the spray on the chin and then he ducks down to take it full in the face. (01:09:50)

More mistakes in Dr. Strangelove

General Jack D. Ripper: When they tortured you did you talk?
Group Capt. Lionel Mandrake: Ah, oh, no... Well, I don't think they wanted me to talk really. I don't think they wanted me to say anything. It was just their way of having a bit of fun, the swines. Strange thing is they make such bloody good cameras.

More quotes from Dr. Strangelove

Trivia: Kubrick originally wanted to make this a serious drama. During the screenwriting process he was confronted again and again with situations that were completely truthful and serious, yet he was afraid and audience would laugh at how absurd it is. Such as general Turgeson referring to general Ripper's sending an entire bomb wing to obliterate Russia as "Overextending his authority". He eventually figured out that the only way to write it would be as a comedy.

RJR99SS

More trivia for Dr. Strangelove

Question: Was there any significance besides comedy to the very last scene of the movie where Dr. Strangelove stands and proclaims "Mein Fuhrer. I Can Walk." It was pretty funny as is, but I wondered if there was some sort of allusion or other intention to that line.

Answer: Peter Sellers improvised it. During that scene if you watch the actor playing the Russian character you can see him trying not to laugh at Seller's performance.

More questions & answers from Dr. Strangelove

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